cuap. xur.] Sells his Collection. 249 
it appeared, was to be the end of his labors in natural his- 
tory. 
Next came the question of family expenditure and doc- 
tor’s bills. Edward had been ill for a month, and the debts 
incurred during that time must necessarily be paid. There 
was his only savings-bank—his collection of birds—to 
meet the difficulty. He was forced to draw upon it again. 
Accordingly, part of it was sold. Upward of forty cases 
of birds went, together with three hundred specimens of 
mosses and marine plants, with other objects not contained 
in cases. When these were sold, Edward lost all hopes of 
ever being able again to replenish his shattered collection. 
Although Edward’s strength had for the most part been 
exhausted, his perseverance was not. We shall next find 
him resorting to another branch of natural history, in which 
he gathered his most distinguished laurels. 
11* 
