2 26 Journal of Travel and Natural History 



FALCONERS PAL^ONTOLOGICAL MEMOIRS:' 



THE death of Dr Falconer on the 31st January 1865, left a 

 gap which will not soon be repaired in the always scanty 

 ranks of British Mammalian Palaeontologists, who could ill spare one 

 so justly regarded, both here and abroad, as among the first of 

 living authorities. And the deep regret with which the announce- 

 ment of his premature decease was received, was, if possible, 

 heightened by the thought that with him had also perished tbe 

 greater part of the extensive stores of knowledge he had acquired 

 in many years of constant study. Of this knowledge, though at 

 all times willingly and freely imj^arted to those who sought for 

 information, it was feared that but little had been committed to 

 paper in an available form. And some reason existed for this 

 impression. His acute and penetrating intellect, his unwearied 

 zeal in the collection of facts, and quick perception of their bearings, 

 associated moreover as these qualities were with an ever active and 

 fertile speculative disposition, were so completely subordinated to 

 an inflexible love of truth and certainty, and accompanied with such 

 a constant dread of loading science with avoidable errors, that it was 

 at all times with difficulty, and more especially in the latter years 

 of his life, when his knowledge more than ever shewed him how 

 much he had still to learn, that Dr Falconer could be induced to 

 commit himself to the final publication of his views. Nor did he 

 ever do so until tliey had undergone a long and critical ordeal 

 in his own mind, and been viewed in every possible aspect. 

 Gifted also as he was with an uncommonly retentive memory, he 

 scarcely seemed to require the use of written notes to secure for 

 himself the retention of facts. The facility with which he could 

 at will recall the minutest particulars of any sul)ject upon which 

 he might be engaged, was truly remarkable, and in this power may 

 be sought perhaps an additional reason for the delaying or entire 

 omission to place upon paper, things of wliich a [icrmanent record 

 would have been of inestimable value to others. 



But this feeling, that with his life had also jjcrishetl the greater 



* Palceontological McniDirs and Notes of the Into lliii;h I'alconer, A.M., 

 M.D. Compiled and edited liy Charles Murchison, M.U., Ilanhvickc. 

 London. 1868. 



