 He was educated at Downside School (1854-60) and the University of London and spent much of his youth traveling on the Continent, spending time at the Museums in Paris and Leiden.Passing all the exams for a solicitor except for criminal law, he worked at his profession from 1868 to 1878, then turning to natural history and writing.He wrote his first article for "The Field" on 13 March 1869 and remained on the staff for fifty years, becoming editor of the Naturalist Department in 1871 and later editor of the Shooting Department.