ORIGINAL MEMBERS. 11/ 



Sir EDWARD NEWTON. 



Sir Edward Newton -was one of the eight founders wlio 

 formulated the idea of the Britisli Ornithologists' Union 

 and ot" ' The Ibis/ and combined to make the original 

 twenty members, to whieh iinml)er tlie B. O. U. Avas for some 

 time strictly limited. Edward, the youngest son of William 

 Newton^ Esq., formerly ]M.P. for Ipswich, Avas born at his 

 father's seat, Elveden Hall, Norfolk, on the 10th of November, 

 1832. Very early in life he developed his innate love for 

 ornithology, ^timulated doubtless by the example and com- 

 panionship of his elder brother Alfred, and at the age of 

 twelve years peimed his first published paper on the subject, 

 Avhich appeared in the ' Zoologist ' for 1845 (p. 1024), shewing 

 that at that early age he knew his Yarrell, and also his Bewick 

 and Montagu. Delicate health as a boy necessitated his edu- 

 cation being conducted chiefly at home, a circumstance most 

 fortunate for the development of his zoological tastes. Eor 

 several years after his first essay he continued to contribute 

 notes to the ' Zoologist,' chiefly on the arrivals of migrants 

 and on nidifl cation at Elveden and elsewhere, and was 

 becoming an adept at discovering birds'-nests. This power 

 he obtained by close observation of the habits of the different 

 species, and no warrener could surpass him in the wav in 

 which, by watching the birds, he could find their nests or 

 make them shew him wh.ere their nests were. This lie did 

 as a true naturalist, for the love of Avatcliing his favourites 

 and learning their ways, much more than with the object of 

 taking their eggs. The writer well remembers, when, in 

 later years, during a walk with him. Sir Edward suddenly 

 turned round and stood still. On being asked what was the 

 matter, he replied, " Do you not see that Stonechat in the 

 bush ahead ? She has a nest, and we will find it. Do not 

 face her." He stood sideways for some minutes, but never 



