IN MEMORTAM — DAVID ROBERTSON. 35 



the season, without counting the larger extra donations frequently 

 given to the attendant for his own perquisite. Mr. Robertson 

 sometimes ventured to hint to single visitors that it would be more 

 appropriate and in accordance with precedent if they came to the 

 Ark in pairs. Since the fee was expressly intended to keep out 

 such idlers and disreputable persons as deserve to be classed under 

 the name of the ' Great Unwashed/ he might have gone further 

 and suggested that clean animals should enter by sevens. He is 

 not averse to telling the story that one day, while he was himself 

 working in the Arh^ with no other companions but its marine 

 treasures, a stranger came in and looked inquiringly round. The 

 gentleman was invited to inspect the various curiosities, and he 

 listened with attention to all that was said about them by one 

 who was no unwilling expounder of their various merits. When 

 all the wonders had been duly displayed, and the tale of their 

 virtues fitly told, the stranger expressed himself much pleased, and 

 with very polite and often-repeated thanks withdrew. But this 

 was not all, for Mr. Robertson concludes, with a pleasant twinkle, 

 ' he slippit also a shilling into my hand.' " 



Although the weight of advancing years had gradually been 

 imposing its physical restraints upon him, his capacity for scientific 

 research remained almost unimpaired. In a busy life such as his, 

 there were no periods of idleness. His own accumulated stores of 

 marine treasures might alone have afforded abundant materials for 

 continuous work, but he still found time for research in more 

 extended fields. Portions of the material dredged in the Challenger 

 Expedition were examined and reported on by him. Frequent 

 demands on his time were also made by other workers who desired 

 to avail themselves of his experience, and to all such he was ever 

 ready to afford assistance and encouragement. Among his most 

 recent undertakings was an examination of the shell-deposits of 

 Clava, in the ISTorth of Scotland, and Kintyre, in the West. Last 

 May he attended a geological excursion to the latter district, and 

 afterwards compiled part of an elaborate report on the deposits, 

 which was submitted in September to the meeting of the British 

 Association. 



Throughout the period of forty-five years during which his 

 attention was directed to the marine fauna and flora, he corres- 

 ponded with the most eminent specialists in Britain and on the 



