This change of domicile was not without a distinct 

 bearing upon the career of Olaus Arct^edius' son Peter, 

 for the natural features and climatic conditions of the 

 two localities are widely different; thus, the new home 

 would undoubtedly offer, to a lad already alive to the 

 interests of the open-air-world, far more incentives than 

 the old one to pursue an inborn bent for the study of 

 nature. Now in very early life Peter had declared him- 

 self a devotee of zoology in general and of fishes in 

 particular; it is, therefore, easy to understand that his 

 father's removal to the shores of the Bothnian Gulf 

 must have been particularly welcome to him, for there 

 he had its waters ready to hand, from which to pro- 

 cure an unfailing supply of specimens and materials 

 for study and investigation. As the climate of Nord- 

 maling, moreover, considering its high latitude, is re- 

 markably kindly, there would be, on that score too, 

 greater opportunities afforded the lad than before of 

 studying nature in her various aspects and of watching 

 the ways and life of animals, birds and fishes in their 

 several natural surroundings. 



In the autumn of 1716 Peter was sent to school 

 at Hernosand. Among his schoolfellows he quickly 

 made his mark by reason of the habit he had of de- 

 voting out-of-school hours to the dissecting of fishes 

 and the collection of plants rather than to sharing in 

 the ordinary boyish amusements. In class he kept well 

 abreast of his companions, without distinguishing him- 

 self by any special brilliance; so soon, however, as he 

 had acquired the rudiments of Latin, he put his know- 

 ledge to practical use by greedily devouring the wri- 

 tings of the medieval alchemists. After successfully pass- 

 ing through the lower school, he was promoted to the 

 Gymnasium, or upper school, at Hernosand, and in due 

 course proceeded thence to the university, furnished 

 with the highest certificate awarded. 



The university to which he directed his steps was 

 not that of Abo; for during the troublous times through 

 which the North of Europe had passed in the reign of 



