180 Edward a Referee. [CHAP. x. 
These answered very well, and were all the presses he ever 
had. 
After his first exhibition at Banff, Edward became a gen- 
eral referee as to all natural and unnatural objects found in 
the district. People of all sorts brought “ things” to him, 
to ascertain what they-were. Sometimes they were rare 
objects, sometimes they were monstrosities. His decision 
did not always satisfy the inquirers; and then they sent 
the objects to some other person, who, they thought, knew 
better. They always found, however, that Edward had 
been right in his decisions. When he knew with certain- 
ty, he gave his opinion. When he did not know the ob- 
ject, he said he could not give an opinion. And this was, 
doubtless, the best course to adopt. 
Several of his friends told him that he ought to extend 
his investigations into Aberdeen, and even into Elgin. 
They did not offer to help him, but they advised him to 
go. He had now eight of a family, and his wages, allow- 
ing for extra work, only amounted to about fifteen or six- 
teen shillings a week. To range the counties of Aberdeen, 
Banff, and Elgin, in search of objects in natural history, 
while he was maintaining his family on such slender wages, 
was therefore an altogether impossible task. 
His wife was his best helper. She bound all his upper 
leathers, and also the upper leathers of several of the other 
workmen. The wages paid to her were distinct from the 
wages paid to Edward. Very often, instead of spending 
her earnings on clothes or bringing the money home, she 
would buy for her husband bottles for his insects, wood for 
his bird-cases, or powder and shot for his gun. None of 
his advising friends ever helped him in this way. 
And yet Edward did extend his investigations farther 
into Banffshire, and even into Aberdeenshire. With that 
view he obtained a certificate, drawn up by the clerk of 
the peace, and signed by sixteen justices of the peace, en- 
abling him to go over the country with his gun, in search 
