346 The Exploration of Palestine, [June, 
dear to the microscopists. Those persons who are afraid of 
wetting their feet may turn aside and go elsewhere. But 
especially to the young such little obstacles are in themselves 
a treat. To the children whose time is spent alternately in 
narrow and crowded homes and in the noisy and dusty 
Board School, — to the older lads and lasses who see little 
beyond the monotonous evenness of London streets, and the 
grim formality of the shop and the warehouse,- — a plunge 
through the bushes, a leap over the muddy ditch, a scramble 
over rough, pathless slopes, have in them a something of the 
adventurous which adds zest to “ St. Lubbock’s Day.” The 
Forest, as it is, has scope for thousands of visitors of the most 
varied tastes. For the sake of the great masses, no less than 
of the students of Nature, I would say to the Conservators 
“ Let well alone !” 
In one point a serious mistake has been committed. It 
was understood that Mr. A. R. Wallace was a candidate for 
the Rangership of the Forest. Had this distinguished na- 
turalist been appointed I think I may venture to say that he 
would have become a resident in the neighbourhood, and that 
his great knowledge and experience would have been brought 
to bear in rendering the Forest a preserve or shelter for the 
British flora and fauna. The Duke of Connaught has neither 
the special knowledge of Mr. Wallace, nor does he, as far 
as the public have ever learned, take any deep interest in 
animal and vegetable life. If he did, his other pursuits and 
the duties of his station would effectually prevent him from 
being other than a mere titular Ranger. 
f 
V. THE EXPLORATION OF PALESTINE.* 
t EN years ago, the trigonometrical Survey of Palestine 
was commenced ; it is now, as to the west, an accom- 
plished faCt. Five years ago, 4700 square miles had 
been surveyed, and within two years more the remaining 
* I. The Great Map of Palestine. 
II. The Map, in six sheets, to accompany Saunders’s Introduction, Ex- 
ploration Society, 1881-2. 
III. An Introduction to the Survey of Western Palestine, by Trelawney 
Saunders. London : Bentley and Son, 1882. 
