EDWARD WALTER HUNIS'TBUN 249 



University of Cambridge, and it was there decided to make them the 

 hasis of a work which should take rank as the standard authority on 

 British plants. In this action the precedent of English Botany was 

 followed ; it will be remembered that that work, although its value is 

 mainly due to J. E. Smith, was initiated by James Sowerby, its 

 illusti-ator, whose name stands alone on the titlepage of the first three 

 volumes ; an explanation by Smith of his connection with the book, 

 which was popularly known as " Sowerby's English Botany " is given 

 in his preface to the fourth volume, which bears both names. 



In our review of the first issued volume of the Flora (Journ. Bot. 

 1914, 184) we paid tribute, not unmixed with criticism, to Hunny- 

 bun's work, and there is no need to repeat what is thus readily 

 accessible. It may, however, be noted that the fact that his figures 

 were always drawn from actual specimens was not altogether an un- 

 mixed advantage : Hunnybun had not the comprehensive knowledge 

 which enabled him to produce a drawing which gave a view of the 

 species as a whole, and which characterizes the plates of Cm'tis's 

 Flora Londinensis : " I only draw what I see," he was wont to say, 

 and, so far as the specimens actually before him were concerned, his 

 representations were always correct. He was indefatigable in his 

 endeavours to obtain material for his drawings, often taking long 

 bicycle jovirneys from Huntingdon in the early morning, in order to 

 collect specimens, before his professional work began. He carried on 

 a large correspondence with I3ritish botanists in connection with the 

 desiderata which they were alwaj^s glad to supply ; from time to time 

 he issued a circular containing a list of these, with practical instruc- 

 tions as to the best method of sending : from the last of these, issued 

 early this ^^ear, a paragraph may be cited : — 



" I am not willing to send out this list without a few words of 

 apology for doing so at a time of so great national stress. I am in 

 my seventieth year and not very robust, so that I personally cannot 

 undertake any war- work either as a substitute or otherwise. I am 

 anxious to complete an undertaking which for the last 20 years and 

 upwards has occupied all my leisure and I rely on the sympathy of 

 my correspondents to enable me to do so. Throughout the war 1 

 have continued to receive much help from field botanists, but as the 

 time they have spent in getting ine plants has been taken from their 

 hours of necessary recreation such assistance has not in any way 

 hindered war- work. What remains for me to do is chiefly to sub- 

 stitute good for poor drawings and to add to good but incomplete 

 drawings." 



This was followed by a brief intimation that specimens should not 

 be forwarded, as the artist's state of health would not permit him to 

 attend to them : this indication of serious illness was shortly followed 

 by the announcement of his death, which took place at Ventnor, Isle 

 of Wight, on the 3rd of last month. 



For the following ])articulars of Hunnybun's life we are in- 

 debted to The Hunli nfjdonshire Post. He was educated at Norwich 

 under Dr. .lessopp, was. articled to his father, Mr. Martin Hunnybun, 

 who practised as a solicitor at Huntingdon. In 1872 he passed the 

 Ihial law examination, was placed second in the honours list and 



