igiQ. Nathaniel Colgan. 125 



leaning to the archaeological and historical side of any 

 subject which caught his attention, and his acquaintance 

 with several European languages enabled him to pursue 

 these studies beyond the limits set for most Irish naturalists. 

 One may instance his papers " The Shamrock in Literature " 

 {infra), " An Irish Naturahst in Spain in the Eighteenth 

 Century " (/. N., xx., i), and " On the Occurrence of 

 Tropical Drift Seeds on the Irish Atlantic Coasts " {infra), 

 which was published only four days before his death. In 

 science he called himself a sceptic, by which he meant the 

 adoption of a critical attitude towards many statements 

 which others were willing to accept as proven. " But is 

 it ? " was his frequent question, and many an entertaining 

 discussion followed. His kindly " scepticism " was one of 

 his most attractive traits, and often led to a critical 

 examination of premisses which shed valuable light on the 

 subjects w^hich he studied. 



One who knew him better than any of his friends 

 writes : — " It could be said of him, truly, hnmani nil a me 

 alienum puto. He loved his kind (hence his enjoyment of 

 humour in literature or society) ; he loved his country and 

 helped to know it and make it known in his own quiet 

 way ; he loved true knowledge, and followed its beck 

 along man}^ paths. His contribution therefore to humanit}^ 

 knowledge and culture is a real one, and worthy of 

 imitation." 



R. Lloyd Praeger. 



LIST OF THE PRINCIPA]. PAPERS PUBLISHED BY N. COLGAX, 

 OTHER THxVN THOSE IN THE IRISH NATURALIST. 



In preparing the following rough list, as also the foregoing memoir, 

 I have received much assistance from Mr. C. B. Moftat, which I would 

 like to acknowledge. A tolerably complete bibliography of Colgan's 

 writings can be obtained by adding to this list the entries imder 1 is rame 

 in the Author Index to the Irish Naturalist, vols, i.-xxv., published in 

 that Journal in December, 19 16, and in the subsequent annual indexes. 



1877. A day at the Odilienkloster in Alsace. Irish Monthly. 



1878. Notes on North Italy (six papers). Ihid. 



1879. Netherland genre pictures. Ihid. 

 A translation from Richtcr. Ihid. 



