HENRY EELES DRESSER 3 



having been carried some distance from its point of origin, so 

 the dispersal of the species is accomplished. This method of 

 reproduction is confined to the genus Dicoryne, and the 

 researches of the authors lead them to amalgamate with this 

 the genus Heterocordyie, found so long ago as 1868 in the 

 neighbourhood of Oban. 



HENRY EELES DRESSER. 



It is with the deepest regret that we have to record the 

 death, which occurred at Cannes on the 28th of November, 

 of this distinguished ornithologist, in his 78th year. Few 

 men have done more for the advancement of ornithology 

 than Dresser. His great work on the Birds of Europe gave 

 an impetus to the study of that science in this country which 

 has not been excelled by any other publication, and has 

 received world-wide recognition as the standard work on the 

 subject. Those who remember the state of our knowledge 

 regarding the bird-life on the Continent prior to the appear- 

 ance of this famous book will never forget the deep debt of 

 gratitude that is due to its author. It is very remarkable 

 that a busy city man should have been able to accomplish 

 such a stupendous task, for the work forms nine quarto 

 volumes, and contains some 5500 pages and 742 hand-coloured 

 plates. The book is a perfect treasure-house of information, 

 culled from the writings of the leading European authorities, 

 and enriched by the author's extensive personal knowledge 

 gleaned in many parts of the Continent visited for the special 

 purpose. But Dresser's contributions to European orni- 

 thology do not end here. As a corollary to his viagimvi opus, 

 he published, in two volumes. The Eggs of the Birds of Europe. 

 In this valuable contribution to Oology, the figures for 

 the 106 coloured plates were taken, by photographic 

 process, direct from the eggs themselves, in order to ensure 

 exact reproductions of the originals. This indefatigable 

 worker was also the author of a Llanual of PalcEarctic Birds, 

 Monographs on the Bee-eaters and Rollers, and a long series 

 of papers in the Ibis, and other serial publications. 



