'■' ' -1 ' Obituary. 523 



History ' took its present form, some idea can be formed of 

 the extent of his personal knowledge^ of the development of 

 our science during half a century. Sir William Jardine 

 during his life, contriljuted largely to ornithological litera- 

 ture, both as author and editor. One of his earliest works, 

 * Illustrations of Ornithology,' undertaken with the late P. J. 

 Selby, was commenced in 1825, and completed in four vol- 

 umes in ] 843. ' The Naturalist's Library,' a useful publica- 

 tion, to which Swainson contributed several volumes, others 

 being from Sir W. Jardine's own pen, was commenced in 

 1833, and continued during the following ten years. With 

 Selby and Johnston, he edited the ' Magazine of Zoology and 

 Botany,' which, after the publication of the second volume, 

 was merged into the ' Annals of Natural History.' He also 

 edited two editions of White's *■ History of Selborne,' and one 

 of Wilson's ' American Ornithology,' supplying notes to both 

 works. Several papers were also written by him in the ' Con- 

 tributions to Ornithology,' of which he was the editor. In 

 1855 Sir W. Jardine assisted his daughter, Mrs. Strickland, 

 in compiling -the memoir of the late H. E. Strickland, and 

 also in editing the first volume of ' Ornithological Synonyms,' 

 from Strickland's MS. This was his latest work ; for though 

 he retained his interest in his collections and library to the 

 last, he did not take the same active share in furthering the 

 study of ornithology as formerly. During the later years of 

 his life, however, he prepared a catalogue of his collection of 

 birds ; and this was on the point of completion and in the 

 printer's hands at the time of his death. Though ornitho- 

 logy was Sir William Jardine's favourite study, he interested 

 himself in other branches of natural science, several of which 

 he took an active part in advancing. He was one of the 

 original founders of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, th( 

 first of its kind established in this country ; he also took a 

 principal share in the discussions which led to the foundation 

 of the Ray Society. He was a FeUow of the Royal Societies, 

 both of London and Edinburgh, and also of many other So- 

 cieties, both in England and Scotland. 



SER. III. VOL. v. 



2 p 



