8i 
MEilOIU OF THE LATE JOHN SCALES. 
of age.* * * § But about this time, the father bought an estate at 
Ilalvergate near Acle in Norfolk, f and John Scales, upon leaving 
scliool, was apprenticed to Mr. liichardson, a chemist in Norwich, 
Avith the intent that he should folloAv tlie profession of medicine. 
That idea was, hoAvever, afterwards abandoned ; for, at the end of 
four years (in 1812), Eobert Scales, Avho had in the meanwhile 
sold the property at Halvergate, took the lease of a large farm and 
of the warren — consisting of about 3500 acres — at BeachamAvell, 
and, falling into ill health, required the assistance of his son in 
managing so extensive an undertaking. 
This may be considered the turning-point of John Scales’s life. 
In the practice of agriculture he found room for the application of 
the scientific tastes, Avhich he Iiad either inherited or contracted 
from his father and uncle, and he entered with zeal into everything 
appertaining to the culture of the soil. At the same time, far 
from neglecting his former pursuit of Natural History proper, lie 
enlarged its bounds, and added the active stud}' of ornithology|. to 
that of entomology. Unlike most other Englishmen, he did not 
confine his attention to the Natural History of this country alone. 
He seems to have taken early advantage of the re-opening of the 
continent, which folloAved the establishment of peace, and to have 
travelled abroad whenever opportunity presented itself. § He Avas 
in Paris in 1816 or 1817 — if not, as seems possible, in both of 
* This school was called “ The Academ}',” and it appears from the printed 
programme of a theatrical performance there by the pupils, that in October, 
1808, John Scales played the part of Sir Robert liramlle in ‘The Poor 
Gentleman,’ his brother Eobert (born 1797) representing that of Mary 
Jlarrowbij in the same piece. 
t The family Bible shows that Eobert Scales’s ninth child, Henry, Avas 
born at Halvergate, January 5th, 1809. 
X It was somewhere about this time that he became possessed of the 
magnificent male specimen of the Bustard, now in the Norwich Museum 
{of. Stevenson, B. Norf. ii. p. 32, and infra App. C). 
§ Mr. E. H. Scales informs me that his father was a good French lingui.st, 
not a common thing for an Englishman in these da}'s, and still rarer in tho.se. 
He can hardly have acquired the accomplishment during the captivity of his 
childhood, but in whatever way he learned the language, the knowledge of 
it would, of course, make his foreign tours far more agreeable and 
instructive. 
