294 JOURNAL, BOMBAY XATUliAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XX]'. 



But thei"e were other splieres of his activit}' in ^\']lich he was- 

 .equally useful. He was a zealous and enthusiastic student of Natural 

 History and a prominent member of our Society almost from its 

 very beginning. He contributed some interesting notes to tlie 

 earlier volumes of our Journal and the very first plate published liy 

 the Society belongs to an article on " An Undescribed Hamalopsida" 

 from the pen of Fr. Dreckmann. He was a member of the 

 jNIanaging Committee, acted as one of the Vice-Presidents for a 

 number of years, and was President of the Reptile and Fish Section. 



I'rom early youth he took a delight in watching reptiles and 

 birds and later in life he made a special study of the snakes of the 

 Bombay Presidency. Dui'ing his holidays, which he alwaj^s spent at 

 Khandala, he would wander about in the wild romantic ravine that 

 stretches out between the '• Reversing Station " and the " Duke's 

 Nose," and study its fauna and flora. Bloodsuckers, scorpions, 

 spiders, jungle cats, snakes and other interesting denizens of the 

 wilds of nature were the most favourite objects of his observations. 

 He knew how to catch alive the most deadly snakes, with an almost 

 uncanny calmness, and would watch their habits in captivity. A 

 considerable part of the biological collections of St. Xavier's College 

 consists of reptiles Avhich he had caught and prepared himself, 

 b'r. Dreckmann was not a writer and very little has been published 

 itnder his name ; but many a scientific article written by others, 

 has been enriched by his valuable accurate observations. 



In 1910, Fr. Dreckmann retired from the post of Principal which 

 he had occupied for a full quarter of a century-. He would lui\e 

 no farewell meeting or ceremonies of any kind. He disappeai-ed 

 from Bombay and took refuge in his favoui-ite place, Khandala. 

 Biat the loneliness of St. Xavier's Sanatorium, and the piercing- 

 winds that blew there from the Deccan during the cold season, were 

 too much for him, and by the middle of Febriuar}^ 1911 he returned 

 to the College. There he spent some quiet years, till about 18 

 months before his death the sufferings of old age confined him to 

 his room. This was a severe trial for one of so great natural energy 

 and intei'est. 



Fr. Dreckmann died on the 7th June of this year. We liave 

 lost in him a man of deep conviction, transparent sincerity, and 

 unflinching courage in expressing liis opinion. He would stand no 

 nonsense, there was no humbugging with him, lie hated cant and 

 Jiypocrisj^, he liked to deal with men who were sincere and upriglit 

 and anything savouring of underhand dealing was detestable to him. 

 All who have met him will remember his robust figxu-e, his dee])-set 

 piercing blue eyes, his l)lutt manner, and at times his scowling 

 looks, but they will, at the same time, never forget, that under the 

 grim exterior there beat the kindliest of hearts. 



E. R. 



