BEGISTBATION AND LABELLING. 21 



Stimulation. — When cold, fatigued, depressed in mind, and on other occasions, you 

 may feel inclined to resort to artificial stimulus. Respecting this many-sided theme I have a 

 few words to oflfer of direct hearing on the collector's case. It should be clearly understood in 

 the first place that a stimulant confers no strength whatever ; it simply calls the powers that he 

 into increased action at their own expense. Seeking real strength in stimulus is as wise as an 

 attempt to lift yourself up by the boot-straps. You may gather yourself to leap the ditch and 

 you clear it ; but no such muscular energy can be sustained ; exhaustion speedily renders further 

 expenditure impossible. But now suppose a very powerful mental impression be made, say 

 the circumstance of a succession of ditches in front, and a mad dog behind ; if the stimulus of 

 terror be sufficiently strong, you may leap on till you drop senseless. Alcoholic stimulus is a 

 parallel case, and is not seldom pushed to the same extreme. Under its influence you never 

 can tell when you are tired ; the expenditure goes on, indeed, with unnatural rapidity, only it 

 is not felt at the time; but the upshot is you have all the original fatigue to endure and to 

 recover from, plus the fatigue resulting from over-excitation of the system. Taken as a forti- 

 fication against cold, alcohol is as unsatisfactory as a remedy for fatigue. Insensibility to cold 

 does not imply protection. The fact is the exposure is greater than before ; the circulation and 

 respiration being hurried, the waste is greater, and as sound fuel cannot be immediately supplied, 

 the temperature of the body is soon lowered. The transient warmth and glow over, the system 

 has both cold cmd depression to endure ; there is no use in borrowing from yourself and fancy- 

 ing you are richer. Secondly, the value of any stimulus (except in a few exigencies of disease 

 or injury) is in proportion, not to the intensity, but to the equableness and durability of its 

 effect. This is one reason why tea, cofiee, and articles of corresponding qualities, are preferable 

 to alcoholic drinks ; they work so smoothly that their effect is often unnoticed, and they " stay 

 by" well; the friction of alcohol is tremendous in comparison. A glass of grog may help a 

 veteran over the fence, but no one, young or old, can shoot all day on liquor. I have had 

 so much experience in the use of tobacco as a mild stimulant that I am probably no impartial 

 judge of its merits : I wiU simply say I do not use it in the field, because it indisposes to mus- 

 cular activity, and favors reflection when observation is required ; and because temporary 

 abstinence provokes the morbid appetite and renders the weed more grateful afterwards. 

 Thirdly, undue excitation of any physical function is followed by corresponding depression, on 

 the simple principle that action and reaction are equal ; and the balance of health turns too 

 easily to be wilfully disturbed. Stimulation is a draft upon vital capital, when interest alone 

 should suffice ; it may be needed at times to bridge a chasm, but habitual living beyond vital 

 income infallibly entails bankruptcy in health. The use of alcohol in health seems practically 

 restricted to purposes of sensuous gratification on the part of those prepared to pay a round 

 price for this luxury. The three golden rules here are, — never drink before breakfast, never 

 drink alone, and never drink bad liquor; their observance may make even the abuse of 

 alcohol tolerable. Serious objections for a naturalist, at least, are that science, viewed 

 through a glass, seems distant and uncertain, while the joys of rum are immediate and unques- 

 tionable ; and that intemperance, being an attempt to defy certain physical laws, is therefore 

 eminently unscientific. 



§5— REGISTRATION AND LABELLING. 



A mere Outline of a Field Naturalist's Duties would be inexcusably incomplete with- 

 out mention of these important matters ; and, because so much of the business of collecting 

 must be left to be acquired in the school of experience, I am the more anxious to give explicit 

 directions whenever, as in this instance, it is possible to do so. 



Record your Observations Daily. — In one sense the specimens themselves are your 

 record, — prima fade evidence of your industry and ability; and if labelled, as I shall presently 



