148 ORIGINAL MEMBERS. 



British Association met in September. During this meeting 

 Wolley and Simpson occupied the same quarters^ and they 

 liad frequent opportunities of conferring with well-known 

 ornithologists on the subject. 



Ultimately the British Ornithologists' Union was formally 

 founded at Cambridge in November 1858^ and Simpson 

 w^ell remembers that he and F. D. Godman, with others 

 of the brotherhood, stayed for some little time at the Bull 

 Hotel, in order to take part in the proceedings. 



Simpson's latest expeditions in the pursuit of ornithology 

 took place during the years 1859 and I860, chiefly in Greece, 

 but also to a less extent in that part of Turkey known 

 as the Dobrudscha, which has since become a portion of 

 the State of Rumania. In Greece he had the advantage of 

 the company of Dr. Kriiper during part of the time, especially 

 in the neighbourhood of Mesolonghi, where some interesting- 

 captures were made. He was able to study the country 

 both in its summer and its winter aspect, and the results of 

 his experiences are recorded in some of the earlier volumes 

 of ' The Ibis.' In the Dobrudscha he was twice the guest of 

 the late John Trevor Barkly and his brothers, then engaged 

 in making the railway from Kustendji to the Danube. The 

 Dobrudscha at that time was a comparatively virgin country, 

 and might have yielded great results to less hurried visitors. 

 Some particulars as to the Avork done are to be found in 

 the second and third volumes of ' The Ibis.^ During the 

 winter of 1859-60 in Greece Simpson maintained a cor- 

 respondence Avith the brethren at home, though delivery of 

 letters was uncertain and the country had a bad character. 

 For some considerable period there were no letters, and 

 Tristram in a fit of despondence wrote as follows : — 



" Eheu ! a Tliraco latrone 

 Actum est de Siiupsune." 



This epitaph was communicated to the supposed defunct 

 by Alfred Newton. 



Shortly after his return from Turkey, viz. in June 1860, 

 Simpson attended the memorable meeting of the British 

 Association at Oxford, where there was a considerable 



