5 
This change of domicile was not without a distinct 
bearing upon the career of OLAUS ARCT^DIUS' 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 
