1874 141 



more specific) names. Tlie incvitfible coiisoqnences soon followed. The author, and 

 the authorities of the British Museum who permitted the scandal, came under tho 

 lash of such criticism as has happily seldom been directed against scientific men. 

 Tliis criticism had no other effect than (apparently) to increase the evil. Walker, 

 by nature, appeared to be utterly indifferent to anything that could be hurled at him, 

 and the only apparent answer on the part of the ruling power at the Museum was 

 the commencement of Catalogues of hitherto unassailed gi-oups or orders. With no 

 courage to resist such commands, the duties were accomplished, each part meeting 

 the like yerdicfc at the bar of scientific opinion as its predecessor ; though we heartily 

 believe that Walker was inwardly conscious of his inability to perform the tasks 

 imposed upon him. 



The evil did not stop here. Possessors of rich private collections who desired 

 names for their insects, and travellers wishing to have Natural History appendices 

 to the narrations of their adventures, naturally thought there could be no better 

 authority than the semi-official compiler of Catalogues for the chief entomological 

 collection in the world ; and Walker was probably never known to decline any 

 request from such quarters, so that, eventually, he may be said to have become a, 

 mere desorihing machine ; and, not content with inflicting upon entomoi ,^j the 

 damage caused by his Catalogues, the pages of every available medium were filled 

 with his lucubrations. To their honour, be it said, tlie Linnean and Entomological 

 Societies long ago declined to publish some of his papei's, so that the evil was 

 somewhat mitigated, and of late his publications were few, outside the Catalogues. 

 With regard to these latter, and much of his later work, he had not even the excuse 

 of pecuniary need, for we believe his circmnstances were such as to place him beyond 

 the suspicion of being influenced in this way. 



We earnestly hope that never again will it fall to us, nor to our successors 

 in entomological journalism, to have to write such an obituary notice as this. That 

 the motto, ' De mortnis nil nisi bonum,' will be directed against us we fully expect ; 

 and we answer before-hand that we have only judged AValker as an entomologist. In 

 his social relations he was amiability itself, and probably there arc few men who have 

 lived to the age of 65 (his age at the time of his death), and made so few enemies. 

 Even those who felt most keenly the disrepute into which he brought the entomo- 

 logical section of our great Natural llistory Museum, will miss with i-egret his 

 courteous salutation and simplicity of manner. 



Mr. Walker died at his residence. Elm Hall, Wanstcad, Essex, on the 5th of 

 October, after what must have been a short illnc.'<s. lie was, wo believe, of Scotch 

 descent, and of an originally quaker family. Ho leaves one son, a clergyman (known 

 as a collector of exotic butterflies), and several daughters. 



William Leila. Tliis gentleman was born in Shropshire, but at an early ago 

 settled in Liverpool, wiiere, until his death, he was engaged in very active commcix'ial 

 pursuits, liis short leisure being entirely devoted to the study of entomology and its 

 liandmaiden botany, often leaving himself without that rest aiul earo (or health 

 which are necessary for a continuance of successful study. Although of strong 

 constitution, possibly to this cause may, in a great measure, be traced the source of 

 a very rapid illness which proved fatal, somewhat suddenly, on tho 19th September 

 la.Ht, at the age of 41 years. Being of reserved temperament, he never courted a 

 large acquaintance, but those wiio knew him fully appreciated his active, generous, 

 and undenionstral ive friendship. Ho leaves a very considerable collection of Lepidop- 

 /' ra, fornifd uiitler dilficidlics which wuidd have daiiiilcd many. — [J. T. C] 



