VOL. VI.] WILLIAM B. TEGETiMEIER. 249 



habits, food, and migrations, with hints as to its utiUty 

 and a plea for its preservation," wliich however appeared 

 too late to prevent the extermination of the flocks which 

 visited us. 



In 1895, in collaboration with the late Charles Suther- 

 land, he published Horses, Asses, Zebras, Mules, and Mule 

 Breedi)ig, with, a special view to the uses of mules for 

 Army Transport. In 1890, he contributed an article to 

 the Ibis on the principal breeds of domestic poultry, 

 and in 1889 he published a little book on the House 

 Sparrow, with special reference to the food of this bird, 

 from observations made by Miss Eleanor Ormerocl. 



Special mention should be made of the fact that for 

 over fifty years Tegetmeier was editor of the " Poultry 

 and Pigeon " department of the Field, and of his wonderful 

 journalistic record of having contributed a leader for 

 nearly twelve hundred consecutive weeks to the Queen 

 newspaper. 



The above record of Tegetmeier's hterary work must 

 in no way be taken as a comprehensive hst of the many 

 articles and books which emanated from liis pen, but 

 merely as a guide to show how varied was the field of 

 his activities. 



I have purposely refrained, until the close, from 

 alluding to what must, I think, ever remain the most 

 lasting memento to his name — I refer to his connexion 

 with Darwin and the latter's work. It is interesting to 

 note that he was first introduced to Darwin by that great 

 ornithologist Yarrell, an introduction which led to his 

 rendering Darwin invaluable aid in the preparation of 

 his Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication 

 such aid including, besides numerous breeding-experi- 

 ments, the tabulation of the births of race-horses, covering 

 a period of twenty-one years and taken from the Racing 

 Calendar, and a similar tabulation of the births of grey- 

 hounds for a period of twelve years from the records in 

 the Field. Tegetmeier had over one hundred and 

 sixty letters from Darmn in connexion \^'ith the subject in 



