XXXVl . PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



in the county of Leicester, was elected a Eellow of the Linnean 

 Society in 1821, and died at his house in Upper Gower Street, 

 London, on the 13th of June, 1858, at the age of 63. 



Major Edmund Sheppa/rd, B.A., entered the service in 1806, 

 became Lieutenant in 1808, and served at "Walcheren in the fol- 

 lowing year. From 1814 to 1816 he served in Canada, and was 

 present at several actions. In 1821 he became a Fellow of the 

 Linnean Society ; in 1825 he received his commission as Captain, 

 and in 1838 that of Major ; and in 1840 he retired upon half-pay. 

 He died on the 6th of November last, at his residence, Eutland 

 House, Kingston-upon-Thames, at the age of 68. 



The Bev. Edward Tagart, F.S.A., EG.S., was born at Bristol 

 in 1804 ; he was educated at the school of Mr. Evans in that city, 

 and subsequently at the Grrammar-school, Bath, where he mani- 

 fested great aptitude for learning. His parents giving him the 

 choice of a vocation in life, he fixed upon the Ministry, and at 

 the age of 17 was placed at Manchester College, York, the most 

 eminent theological school in the Unitarian connexion, then con- 

 ducted by Mr. "Wellbeloved and Mr. Kenrick — names well known 

 to all classical scholars. Having there completed his education, 

 at the early age of 20 he went to Norwich, and was chosen pastor 

 of the congregation then assembling in the Octagon, one of the 

 oldest and most important in the Presbyterian denomination. 

 Some of the most beautiful of the hymns used there were con- 

 tributed by the late Sir James E. Smith, President of our Society. 

 Sir James frequently attended Mr. Tagart's ministrations ; and the 

 acquaintance thus established ripened into friendship. In 1828 

 Mr. Tagart removed to London and took charge of a congrega- 

 tion in York Street, St. James's. Supported and strengthened 

 by his efforts, they built for him the chapel in Little Portland 

 Street, where he laboured to the end of his days; and in the 

 religious body to which he belonged no name was more widely 

 known or highly esteemed. He devoted himself zealously to his 

 pastoral duties ; and among his hearers were many eminent scien- 

 tific men. Nor was his influence confined to his own denomina- 

 tion ; for his position brought him, politically and socially, into 

 contact with distinguished men of all churches. His pursuits 

 naturally partook of a literary rather than a scientific character ; 

 but he contributed some papers to the ' Zoologist.' He was also 

 the author of several works, chiefly biographical ; but he parti- 

 cularly devoted himself to the study of Moral Philosophy, and 

 was an ardent disciple of Locke, whose school he vindicated in a 



