68 
LINN-iEUS 
ally from the gnats, a comb, my journal, and a parcel 
of paper stitched together for drying plants, both in 
folio, and my manuscripts on Ornithology, Flora 
U plandica and Char act eres Generici. I wore a 
hanger at my side, and carried a small fowling-piece, 
as well as an octangular stick, graduated for the pur¬ 
pose of measuring. My pocket-book contained a 
passport from the Governor of Uppsala, and a recom¬ 
mendation from the Academy.” 
With such simple plenishing and so scanty a 
travelling purse, the young student set out in good 
spirits on his long and perilous journey, undoubtedly 
the most important one ever undertaken in Sweden, 
and it is proper that an adequate description should 
here be given. The English reader will find a 
detailed account in Sir J. E. Smith’s edition of 
“ Lachesis lapponica,” cited in the Bibliography. 
On Friday, the 12th May, Old Style, 1732, at 
eleven o’clock in the forenoon, when Linnaeus was 
twenty-five years old less one day, he left Uppsala. 
He rode out by the north customs gate, along the 
great north road. 
“ It was a splendid spring day; the sky was clear 
and warm, while the west wind refreshed one with a 
delicious breath. The winter rye stood six inches 
high and the barley had newly come into leaf. The 
birch was beginning to shoot, and all trees were leaf¬ 
ing, except the elm and aspen. Though only few of 
the spring flowers were in bloom, it was obvious that 
the whole land was smiling with the coming of spring. 
The lark sang in the sky : 
Ecee suum tirile, tirile, suum tirile tractat. 
[Lo! it exercises its “ tirile, tirile,” its “ tirile,” i.e., 
of its song.] 
an imitation 
When about eight miles had been traversed, the 
woods began to increase. The sweet lark which had 
hitherto delighted our ears, left us, another bird, the 
redwing, taking its place, which sang its sweetest from 
