23 



of these atoms of creation ; and even these two had described comparatively a very small 

 number of species. 



In 1834 Mr. Walker, somewhat reluctantly, consented to undertake the editorial 

 management of the "Entomological ]\lngazine,"and resigned the office the following year, 

 yet continued a constant contributor to its pages. The same year he visited Lapland, in 

 company with two of our most distinguished botanists ; and in this extreme north of 

 Europe, and especially at Alten and Hammerfest, he assiduously collected insects, more 

 particularly the northern Diptera, the Satyrida? among Lepidoptera, and the Chalcididi* 

 amongst Hymenoptera. During this journey we have the first and only notice of his 

 prowess as a sportsman ; he shot wild grouse and ptarmigan ; and on one solitary occa- 

 sion was accessory to the death of a reindeer ; but as other rifles besides his own were 

 simultaneously discharged, it is difficult to say whose was the effective l)ullet. I am glad 

 to be able to record that Mr. Walker declined to give the poor creature the coup de 

 (/idee, and, for this especial purjiose, resigned to another his couteau de chasse. 



In May, 1840, he married Mary Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Mr. Ford, of EUell 

 Hall, near Lancaster, and spent the summer on the Continent, again collecting in Switzer- 

 land with his customary assiduity. 



In 1848 he explored the Isle of Thanet, the following year the Isle of Wight, and 

 succeeding years, 1850 and 1851, he visited Geneva and Interlachen ; and during the 

 former year commenced his great work on Diptera. This formed part of a projected 

 series of works on British insects, to be called " Insecta Britannica," a project in which 

 the late Mr. Spence took a deep interest. 



During the year 1851 was published the first volume of the " Diptera." This 

 work is printed in 8vo., and contahied 314 pages ; the second volume appeared in 1853, 

 and contained 298 pages ; and the third volume in 185G, and contained 352 pages. Tims 

 the entire work comprised nearly 1,000 pages of closely-printed descriptions. 



Another tour on the Continent occupied a considerable portion of 1857, Mr. Walker 

 visiting Calais, Rouen, Paris, Strasbourg, Baden-Baden, Heidelberg, Wiesbaden, Frank- 

 fort, Mayence, Cologne, Brussels, Aix-la-Chapelle and Antwerp. During the journey he 

 collected in the Black Forest ; and this is the only scene of his scientific labours, during 

 the tour, of which 1 have any intelligence. 



The summer of 18G0 was devoted to a thorough exploration of the Channel Is! inds. 

 Dr. Bowerhank was his companion during a portion of the time, and, as a consequence, 

 the sponges of these islands were a main object of research — the Gouliot caves in Sark, so 

 celebrated for their marine productions, were a great attraction to both naturalists. 



In 1861 Mr. Walker's excursions were chiefly confined to North Devon ; lie visited 

 Linton, Clovelly, Ilfracombe, Bideford, and Barnstaple ; and now his attention seems to 

 have been again chiefly occupied with Lepidoptera, at the scarcity of which he was 

 greatly disappointed, having expected, from the extensive woods, to have found moths 

 particularly abundant. 



In 1863 he toured the English lakes; and, in the spring of 1865, North Wales and 

 Ireland; and in the autumn he again visited Paris, Geneva, Lucerne, Interlachen, and 

 Altdorf, ascending the Righi, Mont Pilatus and the Miirren, and proceeding to Kander- 

 •steg, the Oc^chinen See, and the Gemnii Pass. 



In 1867 we finil him again in France and Switzerland, ascending the Col de Voza, 

 and examining the Jardin of the Mer de Glace ; thence over the Tete Noir to Mar- 

 tigny, Sion, and the Great St. Bernard ; returning by St. Maurice and the Villeneuve to 

 Geneva. 



In 1869 he made the tour of the Isle of Man, and returned by Holyhead ; in 1870 h« 

 paid another visit to Llanberis, as well as to all the more beautiful scenery in North Wales, 

 crossing over to Ireland, and touring that island from south to north ; and in 1871, he 

 examined entomologically the Scilly Islands, and the districts of the Lizard and the Land's 

 End. 



In 1872 he turned his attention to Italy, visiting Rome, Piza, Lucca, P'lorence, 

 Naples, Sorrento, (.'apri, Milan, and Venice, as well as the Lakes of Como and Mag- 

 giore. 



And, finally, in the present year, he had again proceeded as far as Al>eryst\viiii, on 

 his way to licland, wlicn his intention was frustrated by illness, which terminated fatally 



