ORIGINAL IMEMBERS. 109 



1863/' Moreover^ this was the last time that Newton dated 

 from the paternal mansion, which was shortly to be occupied 

 W the Maharajah Dlmleep Singh. It must not be supposed 

 that Newton never travelled in subsequent years, but it is 

 probable that the period of his great travels was over at the 

 time that he was elected to tlie newly constituted Chair 

 of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at Cambridge in 

 March 1860. This event would act as a stay upon him, and 

 may naturally be regarded as the turning-point in his career. 



We must now, as in private duty bound, consider Alfred 

 Newton in his relations to the B. O. U. There may have 

 been some mistake lately made as to the precise share that 

 he took in its foundation, but we have only to read the 

 preface to the first volume of 'The Ibis,Mvhen the facts 

 were fresh in the Editor's (Dr. Sclater) recollection, in order 

 to perceive that it was not only founded at Cambridge, but 

 that it was to a considerable extent planned there ; and we 

 may feel sure that Alfred Newton's influence, as the leading- 

 ornithologist in the University, had its due weight in 

 establishing it. The question of founding an ornithological 

 union was certainly discussed at the meeting of the British 

 Association at Leeds in September 1858, where men from 

 Cambridge, including Wolley and Newton, enjoyed the 

 advantage of conferring with representatives of the sister 

 University, 



No sooner was the B. 0. U. founded than Alfred Newton 

 became an important contributor to 'The Ibis.' Not to 

 mention his joint paper on the '' Birds of St. Croix," we 

 find in the first two volumes certain unsigned communi- 

 cations which are in singular contrast to each other, and 

 which shew the different phases of his character. The first 

 of these is a review of Bree's ' Birds of Europe not observed 

 in the British Isles,' and this serves to illustrate the critical 

 side of Newton's mind, as he never could endure anything 

 like inaccuracy. But he Avent a step beyond what is usual 

 in criticizing in anticipation that portion of Bree's work 

 which had not yet appeared. The second communication, 

 viz. " A Memoir of the late John Wolley," displays the 



