Nov.-Dec- 1919. The Irish Naturalist. 121 



NATHANIEL COLGAN. 



Irish science is poorer for the death of Nathaniel Colgan, 

 who passed away on October 2 at the age of 68. Developing 

 an interest in natural history comparatively late in life, 

 unequipped with a scientific training, and diffident, moreover, 

 about seeking information from fellow- workers, Colgan 

 nevertheless found himself — almost against his will, as one 

 might say — drawn into the scientific life of Dublin. 

 Courteous, humorous, and a real lover of nature, he earned 

 the friendship and respect of a large body of Irish naturalists, 

 and his death will be deplored widely. 



If he acquired knowledge of many places and things 

 outside of the daily round, this was due to his enquiring 

 spirit and restless initiative, for fate had decreed for him 

 an uneventful life. Born in Dubhn, 28th May, 1851, he 

 was educated at the Incorporated School, Aungier Street, 

 and at the age of 20 obtained by examination a clerkship 

 in the Dublin Metropolitan Police Court. In that service 

 he spent his life, retiring under the age limit in 1916. It 

 was characteristic of him that though offered several posts 

 in London, he selected the only Irish post which was vacant. 

 Throughout his life " his first, best country ever was at 

 home," and the continental excursions which he undertook 

 in later years had for their object not only the seeing of 

 foreign lands, but the elucidating of problems of Irish 

 interest by study of cognate questions in adjoining regions. 



Long before science claimed him, he displayed an active 

 interest in local literary matters. In 1873 he joined a 

 little band who produced and circulated a manuscript 

 magazine called " Varieties," his first contribution being a 

 paper on Sir Thomas Browne and the " Religio Medici," 

 which was followed a year later by one on Francois Rabelais. 

 Later he saved the paper from extinction by assuming the 

 editorship, in which he continued for several years. He 

 had a facile pen, and succeeding years saw many contribu- 

 tions to the " Irish Monthly," " Tinsley's Magazine," and 

 " Hibernia." These were largely sketches of European 

 travel, for in 1875 he had undertaken the first of a series 

 of summer tours which added greatly to the interest of 



