This is a memoir by Henry Augustus Ward, an American naturalist and geologist who lived from 1834 to 1906. In the book, Ward recounts his experiences growing up in a small town in rural New York State, and his early fascination with the natural world. He goes on to describe his travels and adventures as a young man, including his time as a student at Harvard University, his travels in Europe, and his expeditions to collect fossils and other specimens in the western United States. This is a captivating and well-written memoir that will appeal to anyone interested in the history of science or the natural world. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.