With advancing years came, naturally, a disinclination for 

 further collecting, and in 1890 the collection was advertised for 

 sale in * The Entomologist.' The authorities of the South Ken- 

 sington Natural History Museum were anxious to become its 

 possessors ; but, to the beneiit of the City of Hull and of all York- 

 shire lepidopterists, the purchase was not effected, and in the month 

 of December, 1902, the collection was formally transferred to 

 the keeping of the Museums Committee of the Hull Corporation. 



Mr. Dobree's connection with Hull was severed by the purchase, 

 on the part of the Corporation, of ' Wilberforce House ' in 1906, 

 and he lived in retirement at his house in the New Walk, Beverley, 

 from that time till his death, at the age of seventj^-seven, on 

 January 8th, 1908. 



