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OBITUARY. 



In noticing the life and labours of the late Dr. Latham— a name which for 

 half a century has been quoted as an authority in Ornithology, not only in 

 England, but in every country where Natural History has been studied— 

 we shall seem, perhaps, to some of our readers, to be recurring to matters out 

 of date — the subjects of a former age. Perhaps there were not many, beyond 

 the limited range of his personal acquaintance, who were aware that this cele- 

 brated naturalist was living, until very recently, at Winchester, where 

 he was gathered to his fathers at the advanced age of 97* 



A life, however lengthened, spent amidst pursuits such as those of our late 

 venerable friend, is not likely to contain very much that is interesting to 

 the world at large ; yet we hold it to be our duty to place on record, to the 

 best of our power, the few memorials which can now be gleaned of such a 

 name as his. 



.John Latham was born June 27, 1740, at Eltham, in Kent. He was the 

 eldest son of John Latham, a surgeon and apothecary of that place, who 

 was descended from an ancient family in Lancashire. His mother was a 

 descendant of the Sothebys, of Yorkshire. When eight years old he was placed 

 at Merchant Tailor's school. Although his talents and acquirements gave 

 a fair promise of his sharing the honors and advantages of that foundation, he 

 was removed from thence at the age of fifteen, to prepare himself for his fa- 

 ther's profession, to which the turn of his own mind strongly inclined him. 

 He studied Anatomy under the famous Dr. William Hunter, and having 

 completed his education at the London Hospitals and Schools of Medicine, 

 he commenced practice at Dartford, in 1763, at the age of twenty two, and 

 married in the same year. 



Natural History must have engaged his attention and have been eagerly 

 pursued by him from an early age; for as soon as Feb., 1771> we find him 

 in correspondence with Mr. Pennant, who had just published his British Zo- 

 ology. Mr. Latham having at that time himself made a considerable collection 

 of zoological subjects, although a stranger to Mr. Pennant, was induced to 

 communicate to him some matter, the result of his own observations, which 

 he thought might be interesting to that gentleman. On this occasion Mr. 

 Pennant replies, '* It gives me inexpressible pleasure to have my poor en- 

 deavours to promote science approved by a gentleman so well versed in my 

 particular study as you appear to be : receive my best thanks, and grant me 

 the favour of your future correspondence." This correspondence was con- 

 tinued without interruption until the death of Mr. Pennant in 1799. 



In 1772 Sir Ashton Lever introduced himself by letter to him as a brother 

 collector, of whom he had heard so much, and proposed a correspondence 

 for their mutual benefit. Sir A. Lever was not a man of our day, but his 

 name is familiar to every naturalist, and the following letter, dated two 

 months only after the first, will, we think, be interesting to our readers, 

 making them acquainted with one trait at least of his character, while it is a 

 distinguished testimony to the frank and liberal disposition for which the sub- 

 ject of our memoir was most strikingly remarkable. 



»' Alkmgton^ Jan. 24, 1773. 



** Dear Latham Give me leave to call you by that familiar name, as I flat- 



