THE LATE MORRIS YOUNG, F.E.S. 3 



or three times a month in his schoolroom in Old Sneddon 

 for the identification and classification of the captures which 

 had been made in their collecting excursions. To these 

 meetings some of his own cases of insects were brought to 

 help the members in their work. As the result of his 

 exertions, a splendid society of active workers was gathered 

 together. Not one of the members of that early society will 

 soon forget those experiences and the delight and enthusiasm 

 which his untiring efforts infused into them. Many of those 

 members afterwards became known to science as earnest 

 workers. His knowledge of the habits and peculiarities of 

 beast, bird, and insect was simply wonderful, and his clear 

 and enthusiastic observations appeared to the minds of his 

 hearers more like some story from the " Arabian Nights," and 

 could not fail to make lifelong converts to the study he 

 loved so well. This society increased in membership and 

 made great progress, chiefly in entomology, till it was incor- 

 porated with the Paisley Philosophical Society. The meet- 

 ing-place was then transferred to the School of Design 

 Buildings, and every encouragement was given to the 

 members by that wealthy and influential society. Under 

 Mr. Young's direction, lists of the Mammals, Birds, and 

 Insects of Renfrewshire were compiled, and additions were 

 made to these from time to time. In 1867 the Philo- 

 sophical Society held an exhibition of the various collections 

 belonging to the Society and to private members. It was 

 open to the public for a week, and each evening papers on 

 a variety of subjects were given. Mr. Young's large collec- 

 tions of insects nearly filled one of the halls. It was then 

 that the late Dr. Frazer, the president, first intimated the 

 intention of the late Sir Peter Coats to provide his native 

 town with a suitable building as a Museum and Library, for 

 the reception of the vast number of specimens shown in 

 Natural History, Antiquity, and Art. 



When Mr. Young was unanimously appointed Curator 

 of the Museum in 1871, it was felt that no better choice 

 could have been made. He was not only a man of consider- 

 able education, but was by disposition an enthusiastic 

 naturalist who loved his work. His own collections were at 

 once gifted to the Museum, and he entered with heart and 



