glaucus-or the wonders of the shore(格劳高斯)-第31部分
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out； at least for England。 The only attempt； I believe； in that direction
is one made by a charming book； 〃The Fly…fisher's Entomology；〃 which
should be in every good angler's library； but why should not a few
fishermen combine to work out the subject for themselves； and study for
the interests both of science and their own sport； 〃The Wonders of the
Bank？〃 The work； petty as it may 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
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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
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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
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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 Introduction is
excellent； while； as a specimen of the way in which a single district may
be thoroughly worked out； and the universal method of induction learnt
from a nar
