56 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



Professor Agassiz. I was the only student exam- 

 ined, and was alone with them with my heart in 

 my boots. Presently I discovered that these 

 men were not trying to find out what I did not 

 know, but rather what I did know and what my 

 attitude and feeling were toward my work. This 

 I shall never forget. 



Professor Agassiz concluded the examination 

 after perhaps half an hour, when I thought it 

 had hardly begun and they had asked me but 

 few questions. They had made me talk and had 

 drawn me out on different subjects, much as 

 friends would have done, and then Mr. Agassiz 

 turning to me, said: — 



" Mr. Scott, I think we have watched your 

 course of study and work here at the museum 

 and in other places in the university sufficiently 

 to be aware of what your attainments are. We 

 shall recommend you without further exami- 

 nation on our part for a degree as Bachelor of 

 Science." 



During my last year at Harvard I studied in 

 the museum until some time in the following 

 November, continuing my scientific association 

 with the Nuttall Club, doing some field-work 

 and collecting, and familiarizing myself with 

 the more important classic writings of scien- 

 tific thinkers — Huxley, Darwin, Wallace, and 

 Tyndall. 



