ORIGINAL MEMBERS. 135 



the world in 1873^ at the request of his frieiid, the late Sir 

 Wyville Thomson, he agreed to A^ork out all the birds. 

 Soon after the return of the expedition in 1877 the speci- 

 mens of the birds collected were placed in his hands, and 

 with the assistance of his ornithological friends were speedily 

 reported upon in a series of papers contributed to the 

 Zoological Society's ' Proceedings.' The whole of these 

 papers Avere reprinted with additions and illustrations, and 

 now form part of the second volume of the " Zoology '' of 

 the ' Challenger ' Expedition. 



Geography, being very closely connected with zoology, 

 has always commanded Sclater's hearty interest. He became 

 a life-member of the Royal Geographical Society in 1880, 

 and has attended its meetings regularh^ ever since. Pie has. 

 also served two years on the Council, and is a member of the 

 Geographical Club. He has assisted in promoting manv 

 researches in foreign pai'ts, chiefly, however, with a view to 

 obtaining collections in natural history from strange places^ 

 Among these may be especially mentioned Sir H, H. 

 Johnston's expedition to Kilima-njaro in 1884 and Professor 

 Balfour's visit to Socotra in 1880. He also took a leading- 

 part in sending out naturalists to Kerguelen Land and 

 Rodriguez, along with the Transit-of-Venus Expeditions of 

 1874-75, and in many other similar efforts to explore little- 

 kuoAvn parts of the earth's surface. 



In 1884 he took advantage of the opportunity of the visit 

 of the British Association to Montreal to cross the Atlantic 

 a second time, and after the meeting to visit the United 

 States. He was not in good health at that period, and did 

 little, if anything, in the way of zoology. But he had the 

 pleasure of seeing several of his former friends, especially 

 Lawrence and Baird, and of making the personal acquain- 

 tance of INIr. Ridgway, Mr. Allen, Mr. Brewster, Dr. INIerriam, 

 and many other naturalists. 



One of his closest friends was the late Professor Huxlev, 

 long a member of the Council of the Zoological Society, 

 where he was one of Sclater's most constant supporters. 

 Professor Huxley, it may be said, was the chief advocate of 



