266 



THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



History as an amusement, that while it 

 will fascinate its votaries by the pleasure 

 it affords them, will also tend greatly to 

 their mental improvement. A lad with 

 tastes this way is apt to be found fault 

 with by an order-loving mother for 

 bringing so much rubbish into the house. 

 He will be called " cruel" for taking a 

 bird's nest, or attempting to preserve a 

 few insects. Be will be " dirty " if he 

 attempts to skin a bird, and a few dried 

 wild flowers will be "litter." Yet in 

 all seriousness we would urge upon 

 parents to foster and encourage such 

 tastes, and even to try and create them 

 where they do not exist. They have 

 not only the advantages of many other 

 out-door amusements, but they give in- 

 door amusement also ; and this amuse- 

 ment is not only innocent of itself, but 

 is of a character certain to elevate and 

 improve the mind. 



We have noticed during the last few 

 years that in various parts of the country 

 Exhibitions are being held, where prize? 

 are offered for competition in different 

 departments, and it has given us much 

 pleasure to see, in connection with such 

 competitions that Natural History ex- 

 hibits hold now a much more prominent 

 place than they used to do. Catalogues 

 of such exhibitions have been through 

 our hands lately, in which prizes 

 amounting to from Five pounds to 

 Twenty have been awarded for Stuffed 

 Birds and Animals, Collections of In- 

 sects, of Shells, Dried Plants, Seaweeds, 

 Fossils, Minerals, &c. "We have also 

 seen in Flower Show Catalogues, prizes 

 offered for the "Best Bouquet of Wild 



"Flowers," "Best Collection of British 

 Ferns, collected and grown by the ex- 

 hibitor," &c, &c Such things as these 

 show not only that taste in this direction 

 is being developed, but that it is con- 

 sidered desirable it should be still fur- 

 ther developed. We know from our 

 own experience that lads who spend a 

 good deal of their leisure in Natural 

 History pursuits are the equal at school 

 work, if not the superior, of the best of 

 those who " go in for " Cricket, or Foot- 

 ball, or kindred amusements. Parents 

 then, who find holiday time a trial of 

 their patience and endurance, will do 

 well to cultivate such tastes in the 

 rising generation, and we are sure the 

 result would be successful in every 

 way. 



We have spoken of boys and young 

 men only to-day, but it must not be 

 understood that we would exclude young 

 ladies from participation in the pleasures 

 of this pursuit. Former articles have 

 spoken plainly enough on this point, 

 and to them we must refer our readers. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



All communications to be sent to J. E. Eobson, Bellerby 

 Terrace, West Hartlepool; or to S. L. Mosley, Beau- 

 mont Park, Huddersfield. 



EXCHANGE. 



Duplicates. — Cardamines, Auriflua, Men- 

 thastri, Lubricepeda, Dispar, Orbona, Fim- 

 bria (one), Pronuba (very abundant here 

 this year if wanted by correspondents). 

 Desiderata. — Sinapis, C. album, T. Quer- 

 cus, W. album, Mundana, Irrorella, Came- 

 lina, Ziczac, Rubricosa, &c. — H. Frere, 

 Queen's Road, Kingston-on-Thames. 



