Obituary. 353 



but tills turned out to l)e the Black-Leaded Gull, and so far 

 the expedition was a failure. Nevertheless, a most interest- 

 ing campaign was carried on in the watery isle and adjacent 

 coast of Sweden — some of the results being recorded in 

 ' The Ibis ' (see " Narrative of the Discovery of some Nests 

 of the Black Woodpecker in Sweden/' Ibis, 1859, p. 264) 

 and in the ^Ootbeca Wolleyana/ 



Probably the most enjoyable excursion in which Simpson 

 shared was that undertaken by Tristram and Salvin in 

 the year 1857. The introduction was effected through 

 the good offices of Alfred Newton ; and Salvin and Simpson 

 started together from London early in February to join 

 Tristram, already in North Africa. The three met at Tunis, 

 and some time was spent in that highly interesting country, 

 where archaeology and ornithology were alternately in the 

 ascendant. 



At the latter end of March the " caravan " started 

 for Algeria, via the famous valley of Roman ruins, to Kef, 

 and thence over the somewhat lawless borderland to Souk- 

 harras in the province of Constantine. From the day of 

 their leaving Souk-harras, very early in April, to the day 

 of their arrival at Constantine, towards the end of June, 

 the party dwelt constantly in tents, and travelled on horse- 

 back from place to place. From an ornithological point 

 of view the country was almost a virgin one, and espe- 

 cially the upper valley of the Medjerdah, where operations 

 first commenced. The country was alive with birds of 

 prey, from the stately Griffon to the querulous Black Kite, 

 and other birds were equally interesting and demonstrative. 

 The wretched "Colon'-' had not yet potted everything, and 

 there were even lions, long since extinct, for the followers of 

 Jules Gerard to pursue. 



The early part of 1858 presents no particular features 

 of interest. Simpson passed a few weeks in Argyllshire, 

 looking out for shootings, and while thus engaged secured 

 nests of the Buzzard and Hen-Harrier. 



When the British Ornithologists' Union was formally 

 founded at Cambridge in November 1858, Simpson 



