154 Obituary. [Ibis, 



collieries, but at the age of 23 lie was appointed an 

 Assistant Inspector of Mines. In 1893 lie became Chief 

 Inspector for the Manchester and Irish areas, and held this 

 post until 1914. Perhaps his most important scientific 

 work was his investigation of the causes of coal-dust 

 explosions ; after the terrible explosion at the Pretoria pit 

 he was amongst the first who descended to the rescue. 



His interests, however, were not confined to engineering 

 or geology, although he was one of the leading geologists in 

 the North. He was keenly interested in ornithology and 

 certain branches of entomology, and during trips to the 

 west coast of Scotland, the Orkney, Shetland, and Faroe 

 Islands, he accumulated interesting collections of birds 

 and eggs, which, through the kindness of his sister. 

 Miss E. M. Gerrard; have found a home in the Wigan 

 Mining and Technical College. He supported any move- 

 ment which he considered would further science; thus he 

 was a member of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and for 

 many years served on the Committee of the Manchester 

 Museum. He was elected a member of the British Orni- 

 thologists' Union in 1892. 



He was always genial, always sympathetic, and his advice 

 when sought was willingly given and sound. — T. A. C. 



Charles William Sheppard. 



We regret to have to record the death on the 20th of 

 September last of one of the oldest Members of the Union — 

 the Rev. Chas. William Sheppard — at the age of 84. He was 

 elected a Member of the Union in 1863, Canon Tristram 

 being his projjoser. He had been rector of Trottescliffe, near 

 Maidstone, in Kent since 1875. 



Mr. Sheppard was born at Trottescliffe Rectory in 1838, 

 where his father, the Rev. Edward John Sheppard, was 

 rector before him from 1827 to 1875 ; so that father and sou 

 held the same benefice for over 90 years. He was educated 

 at Merchant Taylors' School (then in Thames Street) and 

 also at Charterhouse, and subsequently at Trinity College, 



