112 The hish Na tu ; a list. 



In the old days, before the present National lyibrary was 

 built, most of the works on Natural History were collected 

 in a lofty square well-lighted room, and here More often spent 

 hours working at some moot point for the benefit of a friend 

 down in the country. The trouble he took was amazing. For 

 a quarter of a century, scarcely a pamphlet, paper, or book 

 was published on the flora or fauna of Ireland in which the 

 author did not acknowledge his assistance or advice. It 

 always gave him greater pleasure to help others to write than 

 to undertake the task himself. There was no lack of mental 

 energy, but ill-health frustrated many a plan which would 

 have been carried out had he been more vigorous. 



In 1 88 1, on the death of Dr. Carte, he was appointed Curator 

 of the Museum, and occupied this post till a protracted illness 

 caused him to retire on pension in 1887. His residence at 

 Rathmines now became the frequented resort of botanists and 

 zoologists, with whom he kept up a constant correspondence, 

 making systematic entries of their notes in the " Cybele 

 Hibernica", and in other books and papers which he had in- 

 terleaved and annotated. 



He was not a scientist of the modern type ; the correct 

 identification of a species, its habits, and geographical distribu- 

 tion were studied by him rather than its morphology and 

 histology. He revelled in minute distinctions between well- 

 marked varieties, and his critical opinion was respected in 

 England and abroad. Familiar with every pamphlet and book- 

 on his favourite studies, he held a unique position as a referee 

 in the bibliography of Irish and English Natural History, for 

 he knew both zoological and botanical literature. 



The short notes and papers which he has written are 

 numerous, but, unlike many, he wrote less than he knew, 

 rather than err by making unfounded statements. His " Out- 

 lines of the Natural History of the Isle of Wight," the 

 valuable papers in the Ibis for 1865, the Supplement to the 

 '* Flora Vectensis", the *' Cybele Hibernica " and its Supple- 

 ment, and last but not least his " List of Irish Birds " are the 

 best known of his writings. From the Royal Irish Academy 

 he received, from time to time, several grants for scientific 

 purposes. 



The errors which he corrected and saved others from mak- 

 ing are scarcely less numerous than those many additions to 



