按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
seem； is much too great for one man； so prodigal is Nature of her
forms； in the stream as in the ocean； but what if a correspondence
were opened between a few fishermen … of whom one should live； say；
by the Hampshire or Berkshire chalk streams； another on the slates
and granites of Devon； another on the limestones of Yorkshire or
Derbyshire； another among the yet earlier slates of Snowdonia； or
some mountain part of Wales； and more than one among the hills of
the Border and the lakes of the Highlands？ Each would find （I
suspect）； on comparing his insects with those of the others； that
he was exploring a little peculiar world of his own； and that with
the exception of a certain number of typical forms； the flies of
his county were unknown a hundred miles away； or； at least；
appeared there under great differences of size and colour； and
each； if he would take the trouble to collect the caddises and
water…crickets； and breed them into the perfect fly in an aquarium；
would see marvels in their transformations； their instincts； their
anatomy； quite as great （though not； perhaps； as showy and
startling） as I have been trying to point out on the sea…shore。
Moreover； each and every one of the party； I will warrant； will
find his fellow…correspondents （perhaps previously unknown to him）
men worth knowing； not； it may be； of the meditative and half…
saintly type of dear old Izaak Walton （who； after all； was no fly…
fisher； but a sedentary 〃popjoy〃 guilty of float and worm）； but
rather； like his fly…fishing disciple Cotton； good fellows and men
of the world； and； perhaps； something better over and above。
The suggestion has been made。 Will it ever be taken up； and a
〃Naiad Club〃 formed； for the combination of sport and science？
And； now； how can this desultory little treatise end more usefully
than in recommending a few books on Natural History； fit for the
use of young people； and fit to serve as introductions to such
deeper and larger works as Yarrell's 〃Birds and Fishes；〃 Bell's
〃Quadrupeds〃 and 〃Crustacea；〃 Forbes and Hanley's 〃Mollusca；〃
Owen's 〃Fossil Mammals and Birds；〃 and a host of other admirable
works？ Not that this list will contain all the best； but simply
the best of which the writer knows； let； therefore； none feel
aggrieved； if； as it may chance； opening these pages； they find
their books omitted。
First and foremost； certainly； come Mr。 Gosse's books。 There is a
playful and genial spirit in them； a brilliant power of word…
painting combined with deep and earnest religious feeling； which
makes them as morally valuable as they are intellectually
interesting。 Since White's 〃History of Selborne；〃 few or no
writers on Natural History； save Mr。 Gosse； Mr。 G。 H。 Lewes； and
poor Mr。 E。 Forbes； have had the power of bringing out the human
side of science； and giving to seemingly dry disquisitions and
animals of the lowest type； by little touches of pathos and humour；
that living and personal interest； to bestow which is generally the
special function of the poet： not that Waterton and Jesse are not
excellent in this respect； and authors who should be in every boy's
library： but they are rather anecdotists than systematic or
scientific inquirers； while Mr。 Gosse； in his 〃Naturalist on the
Shores of Devon；〃 his 〃Tour in Jamaica；〃 his 〃Tenby；〃 and his
〃Canadian Naturalist；〃 has done for those three places what White
did for Selborne； with all the improved appliances of a science
which has widened and deepened tenfold since White's time。 Mr。
Gosse's 〃Manual of the Marine Zoology of the British Isles〃 is； for
classification； by far the completest handbook extant。 He has
contrived in it to compress more sound knowledge of vast classes of
the animal kingdom than I ever saw before in so small a space。 （35）
Miss Anne Pratt's 〃Things of the Sea…coast〃 is excellent； and still
better is Professor Harvey's 〃Sea…side Book；〃 of which it is
impossible to speak too highly； and most pleasant it is to see a
man of genius and learning thus gathering the bloom of his varied
knowledge； to put it into a form equally suited to a child and a
SAVANT。 Seldom； perhaps； has there been a little book in which so
vast a quantity of facts have been told so gracefully； simply；
without a taint of pedantry or cumbrousness … an excellence which
is the sure and only mark of a perfect mastery of the subject。 Mr。
G。 H。 Lewes's 〃Sea…shore Studies〃 are also very valuable； hardly
perhaps a book for beginners； but from his admirable power of
description； whether of animals or of scenes； is interesting for
all classes of readers。
Two little 〃Popular〃 Histories … one of British Zoophytes； the
other of British Sea…weeds； by Dr。 Landsborough （since dead of
cholera； at Saltcoats； the scene of his energetic and pious
ministry） … are very excellent； and are furnished； too； with well…
drawn and coloured plates； for the comfort of those to whom a
scientific nomenclature （as liable as any other human thing to be
faulty and obscure） conveys but a vague conception of the objects。
These may serve well for the beginner； as introductions to
Professor Harvey's large work on British Algae； and to the new
edition of Professor Johnston's invaluable 〃British Zoophytes；〃
Miss Gifford's 〃Marine Botanist；〃 third edition； and Dr。 Cocks's
〃Sea…weed Collector's Guide；〃 have also been recommended by a high
authority。
For general Zoology the best books for beginners are； perhaps； as a
general introduction； the Rev。 J。 A。 L。 Wood's 〃Popular Zoology；〃
full of excellent plates； and for systematic Zoology； Mr。 Gosse's
four little books； on Mammals； Birds； Reptiles； and Fishes；
published with many plates； by the Christian Knowledge Society； at
a marvellously cheap rate。 For miscroscopic animalcules； Miss
Agnes Catlow's 〃Drops of Water〃 will teach the young more than they
will ever remember； and serve as a good introduction to those
teeming abysses of the unseen world； which must be afterwards
traversed under the guidance of Hassall and Ehrenberg。
For Ornithology； there is no book； after all； like dear old Bewick；
PASSE though he may be in a scientific point of view。 There is a
good little British ornithology； too； published in Sir W。 Jardine's
〃Naturalist's Library；〃 and another by Mr。 Gosse。 And Mr。 Knox's
〃Ornithological Rambles in Sussex；〃 with Mr。 St。 John's 〃Highland
Sports；〃 and 〃Tour in Sutherlandshire；〃 are the monographs of
naturalists； gentlemen； and sportsmen； which remind one at every
page （and what higher praise can one give？） of White's 〃History of
Selborne。〃 These last； with Mr。 Gosse's 〃Canadian Naturalist；〃 and
his little book 〃The Ocean；〃 not forgetting Darwin's delightful
〃Voyage of the Beagle and Adventure；〃 ought to be in the hands of
every lad who is likely to travel to our colonies。
For general Geology； Professor Ansted's Introdu