5'06 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



which are often as difficult to penetrate as a 

 tropical thicket. Needless to say, he should 

 avail himself of all organised methods of progress 

 within his reach until he comes to the frontier. 

 Beyond that point his books will be of little use 

 to him in pushing ahead, although these and 

 many other "resources of civilisation" are neces- 

 sary in enabling him accurately to survey and 

 to report upon any new discoveries. 



When the naturalist wishes to read the records 

 of the past in the world round about him, there 

 are certain conditions which must be scrupulously 

 observed. In the first place, a fairly comprehen- 

 sive knowledge of vital phenomena, including 

 comparative anatomy, is essential, otherwise he 

 may fall into many ludicrous errors. 



Thus an old traveller told me that he was 

 firmly convinced that some blood relationship 

 existed between the penguins of the Straits of 

 Magfellan and the Chola Indians of Peru, be- 

 cause these foolish - looking birds, standing in 

 rows upon the shore and dangling their flipper- 

 like wings, forcibly reminded him of a number 

 of gaping uncouth savages whom he had seen 

 undergoing military drill during a revolution in 

 Quito ! This gentleman, it is true, made no 



