ilvi PBOCEEDETGS OF THE 



spring to the latest days of autumn, for several years in succes- 

 sion, he devoted himself exclusively to the collection of species 

 belonging to this family, whilst iu the examination of a species 

 he never rested satisfied so long as the possibility of a doubt 

 remained. "Wliatever he did, he did thoroughly. The most 

 valuable portion of his collection was ultimately deposited in the 

 British Museum. 



!>Ir. "Walton was elected a Fellow of this Society on the ISth of 

 Febroary 1815, and was long an active Fellow of the Entomolo- 

 gical Society. He died on the 3rd of January 1863, at Knares- 

 borough. 



Simon Wilkin was bom at Cossey, near Norwich, July 27th, 

 1790. He lost his parents in his childhood, and was educated by 

 his guardian, the Eev. Joseph Einghom, an eminent and learned 

 dissenting minister of that city. 



He devoted himself, even in his youth, to the study of natural 

 history, under the guidance of his early friends Messrs. Joseph and 

 "WOliam Hooker — ^the former long since deceased, the latter now 

 Sir "Wflliam Hooker of Kew. At their suggestion, he purchased 

 the cabinet of British insects belonging to Dr. Beckwith, which 

 became the nucleus of his collection. 



On the attainment of his majority and consequent introduction 

 to his property, he devoted his leisure and resources very largely 

 to the encouragement of natural history, entomology being the 

 branch which especially engaged his attention. He soon after 

 purchased the entire collection of insects formed by Sir WiUiam 

 Hooker, when that gentleman relinqiiished all other branches of 

 natural history for the pursuit of botany. He also had collectors 

 in various parts of the country, constantly adding rare or new 

 insects to his cabinet, which soon became one of the best private 

 collections in the kingdom. It was afterwards purchased by Mr. 

 Vigors, the naturalist, and subsequently passed into the possession 

 of the Zoological Society. 



'Mr. "Wilkin became early acquainted with Sir James Edward 

 Smith, at whose instance he joined the Linnean Society, and by 

 whom he was introduced to the eminent circle of men connected 

 with science and literature, of which that naturalist was himself 

 the centre. He formed a local Entomological Society, which held 

 its meetings at his residence at Cossey, and of which Dr. Leach, 

 Mr. BrightweU, and other Norfolk naturalists were members. 

 He also established, in his own grounds, a botanical garden, having 

 purchased the collection originally formed by Eev. Mr. Jewell, a 



