CONTRIRUTDKS TO THE FIKST SICHIKS OF ' THE IBIS.' 191 



distinguish a Common from a Lesser Kestrel at any distance 

 M'lien seen from a passing train " ! 



An invaluable work to Students of Ornithology in these 

 Islands is Colonel Irby's ' British Birds : Key-List/ Avliich 

 he wrote in 1887-88, and a Second Edition of which appeared 

 in 1892. A list of his papers in 'The Ibis ' will be found in 

 the General Subject-Index, beginning from the year 1861. 



As is well known, he had exceptionally strong views on 

 the subject of what lie ever described as "the needless 

 multiplication of species/' and denounced the same in no 

 uncertain language. Of this he once wrote : — " The un- 

 fortunate part of ornithology, as at the present practised, is 

 that it is chiefly confined to the slaughter of birds, whose 

 skins, when compared and examined by table naturalists, 

 are, upon the slightest variation of plumage, made into 

 a new species without anj^ knowledge of their habits, 

 notes, &c." 



As a Member of the Zoological Society of London, Irby 

 took a keen interest in the management of the Gardens and 

 served on the Council from 189.2 to 1900. Many of the 

 beautiful Life-groups of Birds and their nests at the British 

 Museum of Natural History, Cromwell Road, were obtained 

 by Colonel Irby, some of the earliest having been taken in 

 1884. 



The writer of this notice first made Colonel Irby's ac- 

 quaintance when quartered at Gibraltar in May 1877, twenty- 

 eight years before his death, and from that time, and indeed 

 until within a few^ weeks of his decease, made numerous 

 expeditions Avitli him in Southern Spain, as well as to many 

 wilder portions of the British Isles. Added to his thorough 

 acquaintance with all appertaining to bird-life, Colonel Irby 

 had a considerable knowledge of Lepidopterous Insects and 

 of Plants. A most interesting and amusing companion, he 

 was also a warm-hearted and staunch friend, whose quaint 

 habits and forcible sayings will long be remembered by all 

 who knew him. — Willoughby Verner. 



