Alouishasbeenoverlookedinacornerofthedrawer。Icanspenditwithoutseriouslyjeopardizingthedomesticbalance。Letmemakethisgifttoscience，who，Ifear，willbenonetoomuchobligedtome。Agorgeousequipmentmaybeallverywellforlaboratorieswhereinthecellsandfibersofthedeadareconsultedatgreatexpense;butsuchmagnificenceisofdoubtfulutilitywhenwehavetostudytheactionsoftheliving。Itisthehumblemakeshift，ofnovalue，thatstumblesonthesecretsoflife。
Whatdidthebestresultsofmystudiesofinstinctcostme？
Nothingbuttimeand，aboveall，patience。Myextravagantexpenditureoftwentyfrancs，therefore，willbeariskyspeculationifdevotedtothepurchaseofanapparatusofstudy。
Itwillbringmeinnothinginthewayoffreshviews，ofthatIamconvinced。However，letustry。
Theblacksmithmakesmetheframeworkofacageoutofafewironrods。Thejoiner，whoisalsoaglazieronoccasion——for，inmyvillage，youhavetobeaJack—of—all—tradesifyouwouldmakebothendsmeet——setstheframeworkonawoodenbaseandsuppliesitwithamovableboardasalid;hefixesthickpanesofglassinthefoursides。Beholdtheapparatus，complete，withabottomoftarredsheetironandatraptoletthewaterout。