Peacock : The Beck — A Study. 



2 59 



midnight, till the signs and sounds of the living language of 

 nature become something more to his watchful ear than the 

 chaotic jumble of a strangle tongue. 



The implements of a true watcher can scarcely be called 

 simple, though they should be as handy and portable as possible. 

 I myself have done most of my observing w T ith only the occasional 

 use of the fine tools I shall recommend to you. First, and the 

 most important of all, comes the naturalist's note book, the 

 reporter's penny one I have always found very handy. It slips 

 into the inner pocket in a second with the Swan pen, which 

 should be its invariable companion. The ink dries almost as 

 soon as it is written, and never becomes illegible like the lead of 

 a pencil, so that it can be read a dozen years afterwards as 

 easily as at the moment it left the pen. Remember, too, that 

 every fact observed should be noted down at once while still 

 quite fresh in the mind, whether an explanation can be given or 

 not. A few hours' delay in making notes when you are trying 

 to unravel the mysteries of living nature will often colour the 

 surroundings in an unnatural way in the mind, or cause you to 

 drop out points of detail intensely interesting in themselves, and 

 which, when recovered later, are not infrequently found to be of 

 the first importance in suggesting an explanation. 



The next most important thing is the observer's field glass. 

 A man who is watching living nature cannot get on without one, 

 and loses much when he attempts it. If he goes too near, he 

 disturbs the harmony of the animal and bird life he is seeking 

 to understand. Any ordinary field glass is better than nothing, 

 but perhaps the 'Squat' binocular field glasses, of Messrs. Ross, 

 are most specially suitable for observing animals and birds at 

 short ranges, as they possess moderate power, fine definition, 

 and a large amount of light. For long distance observations 

 binocular telescopes by the same firm, or their new ' Prismatic ' 

 binoculars, are the best known to me. The latter are mag- 

 nificent and inexpensive instruments considering their great 

 power and very portable form. In observing a reach of a beck 

 from a fairly long distance the best hand-glass made is easily 

 surpassed by a good telescope. I once used one with a four-inch 

 object lens, mounted on a tripod stand, with a vertical and hori- 

 zontal movement, which was simply perfection. It could be left 

 in any given position ready for use, leaving the hands quite free, 

 and was equally good for night and day and photographic w ork, 

 but in using it by day the observer at times required a hand- 

 glass too. 



igoo September i. 



