Life of a Scotch naturalist : Thomas Edward, associate of the Linnaean society

Preface

The history of the humblest human life is a tale of marvels. Dr. Johnson said that there was not a man in the street whose biography might not be made interesting, provided he could narrate something of his experiences of life, his trials, his difficulties, his successes, and his failures.

I use these words as an introduction to the following biography of my " man. in the street." Yet Thomas Edward is not an ordinary man. Eighteen years since, I mentioned him, in " Self -Help," as one of the most extraordinary instances of perseverance in the cause of science that had ever come under my notice.

Nor was he a man of any exalted position in society. He was a shoe-maker then ; he is a shoe-maker still. For nearly thirty years he has fought the battle of scientific poverty. He is one of those men who live for science, not hy science. His shyness prevented him pushing himself forward ; and when he had done his work, he was almost forgotten.

How he pursued his love of nature ; how he satisfied his thirst for knowledge, in the midst of trials, difficulties, and troubles — not the least of which was

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14: Preface.

that of domestic poverty — will be found related in the following book. Indeed, it may be said of him that he has endured as much hardship for the cause of science as soldiers do in a prolonged campaign. He spent most of his nights out-of-doors, amidst damp, and wet, and cold. Men thought him mad for enduring such risks. He himself says, " I have been a fool to nature all my life."

He always lamented his want of books. He had to send his "findings" to other naturalists to be named, and he often lost them. But books could not be had without money ; and money was as scarce with him as books. He was thus prevented from taking rank among higher -class naturalists. He could only work in detail ; he could not generalize. He had to be satisfied with the consolation that Mr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys once gave him. " Working naturalists like yourself," said he, " do quite as much good service in the cause of science as those who study books." Edward, however, doubted this ; for he considered works on natural science to be a great help to the working naturalist. They informed him of what others had done, and also of what remained to be done.

Those who would know something of what Edward has accomplished in only one department of his favorite subject should consult Messrs. Bate and Westwood's " History of the British Sessile-eyed Crustacea," where his services to the cause of science are fully and generously acknowledged. Of the numerous Crustacea mentioned in that work, Edward

Preface. 15 collected a hundred and seventy-seven in the Moray Firth, of which twenty were New Species.

In 1866, Edward was elected an Associate of the Linnsean Society — one of the highest honors that science could confer upon him. Since then, however, he has been able to do comparatively little for the advancement of his favorite study. He had been so battered about by falling from rocks in search of birds, and so rheumatized by the damp, wet, and cold to which he was exposed at night — for he was obliged to carry on his investigations after his day's work was over — that he was unable to continue his investigations in natural history.

In the Appendix will be found a Selection of the Fauna of Banffshire, prepared by Edward. I have been able to find room for only the Mammals, Birds, Fishes, and Crustacea. I wish it had been possible to give the Star-fishes (Rayed Echinodermata\ Mollusks, Zoophytes, and other objects ; but this would have filled up the book, and left no room for the Biography.

It was not my intention to have published the book in the ornate form in which it now appears. But my friend Mr. Reid, being greatly interested in the man and his story, and having volunteered to illustrate the work "for love," I could not withstand his generous offer. Hence the very fine portrait of Edward, so exquisitely etched by Bajon; and the excellent wood-engravings of Whymper and Cooper, which illustrate the volume.

It is scarcely necessary to say that the materials

16 Preface.

of the book have been obtained from Edward himself, either by written communication or by " word of mouth." Much of it is autobiography. Edward was alarmed at the idea of what he had communicated being "put into a book." He thought it might do me an injury. "Not a copy," he said, " would be bought in Banff."

However this may be, the writing of the Biography has given me much pleasure. It has led me to seek health amidst the invigorating breezes of the North; and to travel round the rugged shores of Aberdeen and Banff, in search of the views of bays and headlands with which Mr. Keid has so beautifully embellished the book.

It may be objected — "Why write the life of a man who is still living ?" To this it may be answered, that Edward has lived his life and done his work. With most of us, " Hie jacet" is all that remains to be added. If the book had not been written now, it is probable that it never would have been written. But it may be asked, " Is the life really worth writing ?" To this question the public alone can give the answer.

London, November, 1876.

Chapter I. Early Years

Edward born at Gosport, Portsmouth. — The Fifeshire Militia. — Return to Cupar. — Residence at Kettle. — Settles at Aberdeen. — The Green. — How Edward became a Naturalist. — The Sow Bet. — Stolen by Gypsies. — The Inches, Aberdeen. — Fondness for " Beasts." — An Incorrigible Boy. — Imprisoned at Home. — Sets the House on Fire. — Is laid up by Fever. — His Recovery. — Birds'nests. — Rubislaw Quarries.— The Wasp's Nest Page 25

Chapter II. Schools And School-masters

Edward goes to School. — Plays the Truant. — The Fish-wives. — Bell Hill. — Grannie's Plunge. — A Kae taken to School. — Edward's Expulsion.— Sent to his Second School. — The Horse-leeches. — Edward expelled. — The Third School. — The Sparrow's Nest harried. — Takes the Nest to School. — The Birds " chirrup." — The Master bitten by a Centipede. — Edward thrashed terribly. — Expelled from his Third School. — A Night under the Logs. — Results of his Punishment. — Hunt after an Adder. — The Adder sold 42

Chapter III. Apprenticeship

Goes to Work. — A Tobacco-spinner. — Factory at Grandholm. — The Banks and Braes of the Don. — The Brig o' Balgownie. — Spires of St. Machar. — Working at the Factory. — The Sedge-warbler. — The Kingfisher. — Country Rambles. — Apprenticed to a Shoe-maker. — Charles Begg. — Shoe -makers' Pets. — Begg's Brutality. — Edward's Pets killed. — Wishes to be a Sailor. — Tries in Vain 61

Chapter IV. Runs Away From Home

Sets out for the Kettle. — His Provisions. — His Money. — Tries to sell his Knife. — Ruins of Dunnottar Castle. — Bervie. — Encounter with Tramps. — Montrose. — Sells his Knife. — Sleeps in a Hay-cock. — Arbroath.— Sailors' Wives. — Dundee. — Long-tailed Titmouse. — Cupar. — Reaches the Kettle. — His Reception. — Sets out for Home. — Uncivility of a Gamekeeper. — Adventure with a Bull. — Rests near Stonehaven. — Reaches Aberdeen. — Reception at Home Page 74

Chapter V. Resumes Work

Offers himself as a Sailor. — Resumes Shoe-making. — Wild Botanical Garden. — Tanners' Pits for Puddocks. — The Picture - shops. — The Penny Magazine. — Castlegate on Fridays. — Gun-makers' Windows. — Tries to emigrate to America as a Stowaway. — He fails. — Joins the Aberdeenshire Militia. — Chase of a Butterfly. — Is apprehended. — Is reprimanded and liberated. — Enlists in the 60th Rifles. — Assists as a Pew-opener. — Leaves Aberdeen for Banff 85

Chapter VI. Settles At Banff

His Employment. — Finds Time to follow his Bent. — His Caterpillars among the Workmen. — His Landlady. — Marries a Huntly Lass. — Settled for Life. — Self-education in Natural History. — Stuffs Birds. — His Want of Education. — Want of Books. — Shy and Friendless. — Avoids the Public-house. — His Love of Nature. — The Ocean. — The Heavens. — Makes a Collection. — His Gun and Paraphernalia. — His Equipment, — Sleeps Out-of-doors at Night. — Exaggerated Rumors about him. — Frequents Boyndie Church -yard. — Lies in Holes during Rain. — Disagreeable Visitors. — Awful Night in Boyndie Church-yard. — Moth-hunting at Night. — Terrible Encounter with Badgers 94

Chapter VII. Night Wanderers

Animals wandering at Night. — Their Noises and Cries. — The Roe-deer and Hare.— The Rabbit,— A Rabbit Fight.— The Fox.— The

Badger. — The Field-mice. — The Weasel. — Attack by a Weasel. — Pertinacious Rats. — The Otter. — The Polecat. — Boyne Castle. — Fight with a Polecat. — The Long-eared Owl. — A Chorus of Frogs. — Birds of Prey. — Landrail, Sedge - warbler, Rook. — Songsters at Night Page 109

Chapter VIII. Forms A Natural-history Collection

Situation of Banff. — Macduff. — Cliffs of Banffshire. — Gamrie. — The Fishing - boats. — Gardenstown. — The Fishermen. — Crovie. — Hell's Lum. — Troup Head. — Pennan. — The Dens of North Aberdeenshire. — Aberdour. — Church of Aberdour. — Inland County of Banff. — Ben Macdhui. — Edward's Rounds. — Pursuit of two Geese. — Pursuit of a Little Stint. — Shoe-making. — Edward's Traps. — His Collection of Insects. — Collection Destroyed. — Loss of Dried Plants. — Exhibits his Collection at Banff 130

Chapter IX. Exhibits His Collection At Aberdeen

Aberdeen his City of Expectations. — Dramatic Bird-stuffing. — Collection taken to Aberdeen in six Carriers' Carts. — Exhibited in Union Street. — The Handbills. — Appeal to the People. — The Expected Rush. — General Visitors. — Professional Visitors. — An Interrogator. — Edward disbelieved. — " The Thing Impossible." — Edward's Vindication.— Invites his Mill Mates. — Temperance and Drunkenness. — Edward a Mystery. — A Lady Visitor. — Appeals to " The Millions."— The Exhibition a Failure. — Edward in Despair. — The Beach. —The Flock of Sanderlings.— The Providential Bird.— The Collection sold. — Departure from Aberdeen 148

Chapter X. Resumes His Former Life And Habits

Re-enters his Desolate Dwelling. — Return of his Family. — Begins again. — Redoubles his Zeal. — His Paraphernalia. — Ramble in the Balloch Hills. — A Successful Search. — A Furious Storm comes on. — Crossing the Moor. — A Haven. — The Chip-boxes destroyed. — A Terrible Woman. — His Hat and Insect-boxes. — How to Preserve. —

A Referee. — Edward's Certificate from the Justices. — Love of Birdnesting. — Accident at Tarlair. — Falls from a Cliff, and is rescued. — Draws on his Savings-bank. Page 171

Chapter XI. Begins To Publish His Observations

The Rev. Mr. Smith. — The Bridled Guillemot. — Grammar. — Scraps from the Newspapers. — The Death's-head Moth. — Butterflies and Locusts. — Locustra migratoria. — Saw-flies. — The Spider. — Notes in Natural History. — Rare Birds. — The Bee -eater. — The Bohemian Wax-wing. — The Brown Snipe. — Edward's Pursuit. — The Snipe escapes.— Adventure on Gamrie Head. — The Fox's Lair. — The Precipice.— The Peregrine Falcon. — Feeds upon its Prey. — Flight of the Falcon. — Slides down the Rocks. — Discovers a Spinous Shark. — Returns Home 190

Chapter XII. Rambles Among Birds

Mr. Smith's Articles published in the Zoologist. — Edward's Power of Observation described. — The Beautiful Heron. — Cries of the Birds at Ness Bogie.— The Motherly Wild Duck.— Burial of the Wild Duck. — The Pickietars. — The Pickietar Fishing. — The Pickietar shot. — Rescued by his Friends. — Edward's Closeness of Observation.— The Turnstone. — Its Description. — Its Labors. — The Turn-stones turn over a Cod. — The Little Auk. — Sea-fowl Nurseries. — Pennan. — Sleeps in Hell's Lum. — The Sea-birds at Night 212

Chapter XIII. Literature And Correspondence

Death of the Rev. Mr. Smith. — Mr. Smith's Helpfulness. — Observation of the Partridge. — The Rev. Alexander Boyd. — Loch of Strathbeg. — The Water-fowl at Strathbeg. — Swans. — Geese. — Ducks. — Winter and Summer Birds. — The Ring Dotterel. — A Pursuit. — Mr. Boyd's Article. — Encouragement of Native Talent and Genius. — Death of Mr. Boyd. — Publication of "Birds of Strathbeg" in Naturalist. — Mr. C. W. Peach.— Writes Articles for the Zoologist.— The Goldfinch and Bullfinch. — Crows and Crab-shells. — The Heron and the Crows. — A Fight in the Air. — Crows, Hares, and Rabbits. — Cold and Whisky. — Edward's Health fails. — Again draws on his Savings-bank 230

Chapter XIV. By The Sea-shore

Marine Objects on the Shores of Banffshire. — Edward's Sea-traps. — Captures a Rare Fish, Bloch's Gurnard. — The Incoming Wave. — Big Fish the Best Dredgers. — Helped by the Fishermen. — Helped by his Daughters. — The Cod's Bill of Fare. — Haddocks. — Advice to the Fishermen. — The Fishers of Macduff. — The Blue-striped Wrasse. — The Saury Pike. — Yarrell's Blenny. — Black Goby. — Equoreal Xeedle-fish. — Edward's Self -education. — His Lost Letters. — How he got his Fishes named. — " Give him Books !" — Edward's Enthusiasm Page 250

Chapter XV. Discoveries Among The Crustacea

Mr. Bate, of Plymouth. — His Work on Crustacea. — Praniza Edwardii. — The Anceus. — Edward's Letter to Mr. Bate. — Entomostracea, — Parasites from Short Sun-fish. — Present of a Microscope. — A Possible Sub-curatorship. — Edward Disappointed. — Freemasonry among Naturalists. — Rev. A. M. Norman. — Fish Parasites. — Mysis spinifera. — New Species discovered. — Vibilia borealis. — Observation of Eurydice pulchra. — Edward's Difficulties. — Nest-building Crustacea. — New Shrimps and Parasites. — The Zoologists in Ecstasies. — The " Sessile-eyed Crustacea " published. — Mr. Bate's Eulogiums on Edward's Discoveries. — New Crustacea found by Edward in the Moray Firth 264

Chapter XVI. Discoveries Among Zoophytes, Mollusks, And Fishes

Edward brings Home Zoophytes to observe. — The Star -fish. — The Brittle Stars. — A Six-legged Star-fish. — Rosy- feather Star. — The Great Sea-cucumber. — Dead Man's Paps. — The Ascidians. — Want of Observers. — New Ascidian sent to Mr. Alder. — Drummond's Echiodon.' — Mr. Couch, of Polperro. — The Wrasses. — A Jumping Wrasse. — A New Midge. — Couchia Thompsonii. — Colonel Montague.— Montague's Midge. — Midges in Moray Firth. — Edward's Midge (Couchia Edwardii). — Other New Fishes. — Difficulties with the Museum. — Edward elected Associate of the Linnaean Society. — Other Societies elect him Member. — The " Prophet without Honor in his own Countrv " 284

CHAPTER XYn.

ANTIQUITIES — KITCHEN-MIDDENS.

Edward's Illness. — Studies Galvanism. — Curator of Banff Museum. — Practices Photography. — Antiquities of Banff. — The Old Town Cross. — The Drinking-fountain. — The Kjokken-modding at Boyndie. — Early Population, Lapps or Fins. — Shelly -bush. — Investigates the Shell-mounds at Boyndie. — Loch of Spynie. — Contents of the Shell-mounds. — The Stone Period. — The Old Bone. — Conjectures about it. — The Old Bone condemned. — Sir Roderick Murchison. — The Bone, Part of the Plesiosaurus dolichodeiras. — Banff Museum Page 303

Conclusion

Edward's Labors drawing to a Close. — Still craves after Nature. — His Wife accompanies him to Huntly. — Traps at Tarlair. — Another Discovery to announce. — Nilsson's Goby. — His Numerous Discoveries. — His Observations at last accredited. — His Self-reliance and Perseverance.— His Sobriety. — His Family. — His Power of Will. — Pride. — Never Despair. — Money Considerations. — Things he has not done. — Edward at Home. — His' Outside Helpers. — His Failures. — "Here I AM still " 320

FAUNA OF BANFFSHIRE.

Mammals 33*7

Birds 341

Fishes 367

Crustacea 381

Addenda 389

ILLUSTRATIONS

By GEORGE REID, A.R.S.A.

Portrait of Thomas Edward . . . Etched by P. Rajon. Frontispiece.

Engraved by

Banks and Braes o' Don J.W. Whymper.

Aulten Links, Aberdeen r"

Brig o' Balgownie * w

The Spires of St. Machar "

Charles Begg's Shop, Gallow-) u

gate i

Grandholm Mdlls "

Ruins of Dunnottar Castle .... J. D. Cooper. Distant View of Montrose J.W. Whymper.

Castlegate, Aberdeen, on Fri-) , _ „

> J. D. Cooper. days )

Boyndie Church- yard J.W. Whymper.

The Castle of the Boyne J. D. Cooper.

Fraserburgh J.W. Whymper.

Bay of Aberdour J. D. Cooper.

Mouth of the Don J.W. Whymper.

The Shore at Aberdeen "

Tarlah* — View of North Coast) _ _ _,

> J. D. Cooper. of Banffshire )

Gamrie Head J.W. Whymper.

Village of Pennan J. D. Cooper.

" " 65

" 73

" 75 " 77

"- 88

" 118

" 133

" " 200

24 Illustrations.

Engraved by

Red Head of Pennan J.W. Whymper.

Bay of Boyndie, from Banff) u

Links , . . . j

Broadsea, near Fraserburgh ... J. D. Cooper.

Spynie Castle and Loch J. W. Whymper.

Banff Museum "

"And Here I am Still "

Edward's House, Low Shore,

Banff

Page u u

310 319 i J. D. Cooper. Page 390

OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS.

Map of North Banffshire Page 136

137 265

275 298 317

" North Aberdeenshire

Praniza Edwardii

Nests of Nest-building Crustacea . . .

Edward's Midge (Couchia Edwardii).

The "Auld Been" in Banff Museum r>

BANKS AND BRAES o' DON.

LIFE OF A NATURALIST.

Chapter I. Early Years

Thomas Edward was born at Gosport, Portsmouth, on Christm as-day, 1814. His father, John Edward, was a private in the Fifeshire militia. Shortly after his enlistment at Cupar, he went to Aberdeen to join his regiment. While stationed there, he became acquainted with, and afterward married, Margaret Mitchell, a native of the place.

Not long after John Edward's marriage, his regiment was ordered to Portsmouth. Toward the close of the Continental war, militia regiments were marched hither and thither, from one end of the country to another. The regular troops had mostly left England, to meet the armies of Napoleon in the Peninsula and the Low Countries. The militia were assembled in camps along the coast, or were stationed in garrisons io hold watch and ward over the French prisoners confined there. Hence the appearance, of the Fifeshire militia at Gosport, where the subject of our story was born.

When the Battle of Waterloo had been fought, and peace fell upon Europe, the English army returned from abroad. The militia were no longer needed for garrison duty, and the greater number of them were sent home. The Fifeshire militia were ordered to Fife, and took up their quar-

28 The Green at Aberdeen. [chap. i.

ters at Cupar. During that time, John Edward's wife and family resided at the village of Kettle, about six miles south-west of the county town. They lived there because John was a native of the place, and had many relatives in the village.

At length the militia were disembodied. Edward returned to Kettle, and resumed his trade of a hand -loom linen-weaver. After remaining there for some time, he resolved to leave for Aberdeen. His wife liked neither the place nor the people. Kettle was a long, straggling, sleepy village. The people were poor, and employment was difficult to be had. Hence Edward did not require much persuasion to induce him to leave Kettle and settle in Aberdeen, where his wife would be among her own people, and where he would be much more likely to find work and wages to enable him to maintain his increasing family.

Arrived at Aberdeen, John Edward and his wife " took up house " in the Green, one of the oldest quarters of the city. Their house was situated at the foot of Ronnie's Wynd, near Hadden's "Woo mill." There was really a Green in those days, lower down the hill. The Denburn ran at the foot of the Green. There were also the Inches, near the mouth of the Dee, over which the tide flowed daily.

Since then the appearance of that part of Aberdeen has become entirely changed. Railways have blotted out many of the remnants of old cities.* The Green is now covered

* Some antiquarian writers are of opinion that the Green was the site of ancient Aberdeen. For instance, Sir Samuel Forbes, of Foveran, in his "Description of Aberdeenshire^' (17^5), says, "From the end of the last-mentioned straight street [the Upper Kirkgate], there runs another southward and obliquely [the Nether Kirkgate], leading also to the town churches, and terminates in a pretty broad street, lying flat, and called the Green, the seat of the ancient city; where the river Dee receives a small rivulet, called the Denburn, covered with a bridge of three arches." — Turreffs's Antiquarian Gleanings, p. 290.

chap, i.] The Unruly Child. 29

with houses, factories, and the Aberdeen Railway-station — its warehouses, sidings, and station rooms. A very fine bridge has been erected over the Green, now forming part of Union Street ; the Palace Hotel overlooking the railway-station and the surrounding buildings.

Thomas Edward was brought up in his parents' house in the Green, such as it was sixty years ago. Tt is difficult to describe how he became a naturalist. He himself says he could never tell. Various influences determine the direction of a boy's likings and dislikings. Boys who live in the country are usually fond of birds and birdnesting ; just as girls who live at home are fond of dolls and doll-keeping. But this boy had more than the ordinary tendency to like living things ; he wished to live among them. He made pets of them ; and desired to have them constantly about him.

From his birth he was difficult to manage. His mother said of him that he was the worst child she had ever nursed. He was never a moment at rest. His feet and legs seemed to be set on springs. When only about four months old, he leaped from his mother's arms, in the vain endeavor to catch some flies buzzing in the window. She clutched him by his long clothes, and saved him from falling to the ground. He began to walk when he was scarce ten months old, and screamed when any one ventured to touch him. And thus he went on, observing and examining — as full of liking for living things as he was when he tried to grasp the flies in the window at Gosport.

When afterward asked about the origin of his love for natural history, he said, " I suppose it must have originated in the same internal impulse which prompted me to catch those flies in the window. This unseen something — this double being, or call it what you will — inherent in us all, whether used for good or evil, which stimulated the unconscious babe to get at, no doubt, the first living animals he had ever seen, at length grew in the man into an

30 The Sow Bet. [chap. i.

irresistible and unconquerable passion, and engendered in him an insatiable longing for, and earnest desire to be always among, such things. This is the only reason I can give for becoming a lover of nature. I know of none other."

While living at Kettle, the child began to walk. He made friends with the cats and dogs about the house. He was soon able to toddle out-of-doors. At first he wished to cultivate the acquaintance of the cocks and hens and ducks, of which the village was full ; but they always ran away before he could get up to them and caress them.

There was, however, another and a much more dangerous creature whose acquaintance he sought to make. This was a sow called Bet, with a litter of pigs. Whenever he was missing, he was found looking in at the pigs. He could not climb over the paling, but could merely look through the splits.

The sow was known to be ferocious, and she was most so when she had a litter of pigs. Edward's mother was afraid lest the sow should injure him by biting his hands or face through the bars of the cruive.* Therefore she warned him not to go near the beast ; but her warnings were disregarded. When she asked, " Where's Tarn ?" the answer invariably was, " Oh, he's awa wi' the pigs."

One day the boy disappeared. Every hen-house, every stable, every pig-sty, and every likely corner of the village, was searched ; but in vain. Tom was lost ! He was then little over a year old. He could not have gone very far. Somebody raised the cry that he had been " stolen by the gypsies !" It was remembered that some tinkers had been selling their brooms and pans in the village that afternoon ; and it was immediately concluded that they had kidnaped the child. It was not so very unreasonable, after all. Adam Smith, the author of " The Wealth of Nations," had

* Cruive, a pig-sty.

chap, i.] /Stolen by Gypsies. 31

been kidnaped by a gypsy woman when a child at Kirkcaldy, many years before ; and such things live long in popular recollection.

A hue and cry was accordingly got up in Kettle about the bairn that had been stolen by the gypsies. Their camp was known to be in the neighborhood, about three miles off. Tom's uncle and three other men volunteered to go early next morning. The neighbors went to their homes, except two, who remained with the mother. She sat by the fire all night — a long, wretched, dreary night. Early in the morning the four men started. They found the gypsy camp, and stated their grievance. They " wanted the child that had been kidnaped yesterday." "What?" said the chief gypsy; "we never kidnap children: such a dishonest deed has never been laid to our charge. But, now that you are here, you had better look for yourselves."

As the searchers were passing through among the carts and tents, they were set upon by a number of women and girls, and belabored with every kind of weapon and missile. Those who had neither sticks nor ropes used their claws. The men were unmercifully pummeled and scratched before they could make their escape. They reached Kettle in a deplorable state — without the child !

All hopes of his recovery in that quarter being ended, another body of men prepared to set out in another direction. But at this moment they were amazed by a scream outside the house. All eyes were turned to the door, when in rushed the pig-wife, and, without the least ceremony, threw the child into his mother's lap. " There, woman, there's yer bairn ! but for God's sake keep him awa frae yon place, or he may fare war next time." "But whar was he?" they exclaimed in a breath. " Whar wud he be but below Bet and her pigs a' nicht !"*

* The question occurred, How did the child get among the pigs ? He could not have climbed over the paling ; he must have been lifted

32 Fondness for "BeastsP [chap. i.

When the family removed to Aberdeen, young Edward was in his glory. The foot of Rennie's Wynd was close to the outside of the town. He was enabled to roam into the country by way of Deeside and Ferryhill. Close at hand were the Inches — not the Inches of to-day, but the beautiful green Inches of sixty years ago, covered with waving algae. There, too, grew the scurvy - grass, and the beautiful sea-daisy. Between the Inches were channels through which the tide flowed, writh numerous pots or hollows. These were the places for bandies, eels, crabs, and worms.

Above the Inches, the town's manure was laid down, at a part now covered by the railway-station. The heaps were remarkably prolific in beetles, rats, sparrows, and numerous kinds of flies. Then the Denburn, at the foot of the Green, yielded no end of horse -leeches, powets (tadpoles), frogs, and other creatures that abound in fresh or muddy water. The boy used daily to play at these places, and brought home with him his "venomous beasts," as the neighbors called them. At first they consisted, for the most part, of tadpoles, beetles, snails, frogs, sticklebacks, and small green crabs (the young of the Carcinus mcenas) ; but as he grew older, he brought home horse-leeches, asks (newts), youngrats — a nest of young rats was a glorious prize — field-mice and house - mice, hedgehogs, moles, birds, and bird'snests of various kinds.

The fishes and birds were easily kept; but as there was no secure place for the puddocks, horse-leeches, rats, and such-like, they usually made their escape into the adjoining houses, where they were by no means welcome guests. The neighbors complained of the venomous creatures which the young naturalist was continually bringing home. The horse-leeches crawled up their legs and stuck to them, fetchover. There was an old sweetheart of the quondam militia-man, whom he had deserted in favor of Margaret Mitchell. It was believed that she had maliciously lifted the child over the palings, and put him among the pigs, most probably from spite against her old lover.

chap, l] An Incorrigible Boij. 33

ing blood ; the puddocks and asks roamed about the floors ; and the beetles, moles, and rats sought for holes wherever they could find them.

The boy was expostulated with. His mother threw out all his horse -leeches, crabs, birds, and bird'snests; and he was strictly forbidden to bring such things into the house again. But it was of no use. The next time that he went out to play he brought home as many of his " beasts " as before. He was then threatened with corporal punishment ; but that very night he brought in a nest of young rats. He was then flogged ; but it did him no good. The disease, if it might be so called, was so firmly rooted in him as to be entirely beyond the power of outward appliances. And so it was found in the end.