THE USE OF BOOKS. 319 



A number of the standard works named in this 

 volume are to be found in the reference libraries 

 of our larger cities, where they may be consulted by 

 students whose means do not permit of purchasing 

 them ; and all may be seen in the library of the 

 British Museum, access to which may be obtained by 

 adults under certain conditions, and on giving suitable 

 references. Information as to the rules to be observed 

 can be obtained from the principal librarian. 



Meanwhile, whatever rtiay be the use made of books, 

 no opportunity for "naturalizing," or for practical 

 work, should be let slip. The student should keep a 

 note-book, and enter in it a drawing and a description 

 of every fresh " beastie " he comes across, taking note 

 of its place and season of appearance, habitat and food, 

 if he can ascertain them, and name and place in classi- 

 fication when he has looked these out. For this it is 

 not necessary to live in the country ; in London 

 numbers of different kinds of butterflies and birds 

 may be seen. Even in the still less promising wilder- 

 ness of a manufacturing town, the same visitors are 

 found, and I have seen a dozen different kinds of 

 winged insects caught on a windy day in the trap 

 undesignedly afforded by an open rain-water cistern. 

 Moreover, for those who live in towns, the annual 

 holiday now enjoyed by almost every one, affords 

 opportunity for the study of natural history elsewhere. 

 It must be remembered that it is not necessary to get 

 rare specimens in order to study Zoology ; but to get 

 common kinds, and learn their structure well. The 



