HERLUF WINGE MORTENSEN 521 



fortunately, also was so nearly ready that it can be published quite 

 unaltered, in full accordance with his plan. Winge himself paid 

 the expenses of the publication, and he has also seen to it that the 

 necessary means for meeting the remaining expenses are available. 

 It is to be regretted that the work is written in Danish (without any 

 summary in a foreign language), because it will thus be cut off 

 from gaining the recognition in international science that it ought 

 to have as the comprehensive presentation of the results that one 

 of the most eminent of mammalogists had reached through the inde- 

 fatigable and conscientious work of a long life, and through a 

 unique mass of learning and an acute valuation of all characters. 

 In an obituary of Winge in "Nature" (29.XII.1923) this work is 

 characterized as " the finest, most comprehensive and most inspiring 

 technical account of the class mammalia that has ever been written.'' 

 Not being a specialist in Winge's domain, I have great satisfaction 

 in being able to lay before you the opinion of one of the most promi- 

 nent foreign authorities in this field, namely of our member, Prof. 

 Max Weber, of Holland. He wrote me, immediately after my 

 informing him of the death of Winge, a letter that I beg to quote 

 in extenso (in translation) : " Your letter has filled me with sorrow 

 through the deeply sad news that Winge has suddenly departed 

 from life. A few days before receiving your letter I had received 

 from Winge himself Part I of ' Pattedyr-Slaegter.' I was greatly 

 delighted thereby, because, although the book is in great part a 

 reprint of the comprehensive main sections of his extremely valuable 

 mammalogical studies in ' E Museo Lundii,' these main sections are, 

 however, worked up to date, whereby they become of very imme- 

 diate importance. * * * j ^^^g j^^g^ about to thank Winge for 

 his gift when your letter came. It gives me, at least, the hope 

 that the material for the following volumes lies ready. It would 

 gladden my heart for the sake of mammalogy, if it were so. For 

 our knowledge of mammals is exceedingly indebted to Winge. 

 Through the originality of his mind, his extensive knowledge, his 

 sharp criticism, the logical working out of his views, he decidedly 

 belonged among the first mammalogists of our day. * * * j^q a 

 young graduate I frequently visited Norway; I was then interested 

 in the writings of the Sars, fatlier and son, and learned to read Nor- 

 wegian. In this way also Danish zoology was opened up to me, and 

 I discovered how many treasures lay concealed in Danish garb. 

 I thus became an admirer of Danish zoological work. It was there- 

 fore a source of gratification to me to be able to bring H. Winge's 

 ' Om Pattedyrenes Tanclskifte ' of 1882, which was practically un- 

 known in non-Scandinavian circles, into full daylight, as it de- 

 served, and to point out that Winge is the real forerunner and origi- 



