2 8o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



Supper over I go to bed at once. The bed consists of the poncho 

 and blanket doubled on the ground near the fire. I never take the 

 trouble to collect boughs or otherwise prepare a bed, except to remove 

 obstructions. If soft turf is present so much the better, but this does 

 not often happen. Usually I sleep on the bare ground as bunch grass 

 is not comfortable. As explained before I carry an extra suit of under- 

 wear and a pair of socks. At night I remove the clothes worn during 

 the day, put on dry underwear and socks, and if the weather demands, 

 put on the other suit of underwear over the first, and finally the 

 sweater and moccasins, and am ready to fold myself in my blanket. 

 To do this I spread the blanket and poncho over me, roll first to one 

 side, then to the other until the slack is taken up on each side. In this 

 way the two edges are lapped beneath and I can roll to either side, the 

 blanket remaining tight. For a pillow I use the bag in which I carry 

 my clothes, filling it with leaves. I arise at dawn and retire soon after 

 dark, for there is little to do when alone by a campfire. 



As partially indicated above the breakfast consists of cocoa and 

 cream of wheat or other breakfast food cooked the night before, and if I 

 am hungry enough, other food left from supper. The utensils are now 

 cleaned and packed for the day. 



The plant driers are changed once or twice a day. As I usually 

 carry only twenty-five driers, it is necessary to remove the plants and 

 dry the driers in the sun, or if the weather is damp, before a campfire. 

 Ordinarily in sunny weather I attend to the drying about 10 a.m. and 

 2 p.m., most grasses being dry in twenty-four hours. In this way I can 

 prepare about twenty-five specimens each day. But if the collecting is 

 particularly good I can double the number by drying before the camp- 

 fire at night. 



With the outfit I have described one can travel safely, that is, with- 

 out subjecting himself to exposure, but the work is not easy. Of course 

 if two persons arrange to travel in company the trip would be more 

 pleasant and a few additional comforts might be included. One ad- 

 vantage in traveling afoot is the mobility. Little time is lost in getting 

 to the collecting ground and one is not confined to roads or trails as 

 when traveling with pack animals. One can cross a mountain range 

 or from one railroad to another. The available range with full com- 

 plement of supplies is as much as one hundred miles. 



The traveler should be provided with good maps and a compass. 

 Topographic sheets of a considerable portion of the country can be 

 purchased from the United States Geological Survey. 



The above suggestions are offered for the purpose of aiding any 

 who propose making natural history collections. I should not advise 

 this method for those who are going for pleasure only, as it is hard 

 work and the necessary drudgery is only balanced by the increased op- 

 portunity for collecting and observing. 



