26 The late Mr. O. A. Sayce, A.L.S. [%,n'^'"- 



(conveyed on a post-card) was curt but inspiring — " (iood. (io 

 on. — G. B. H." Sayce never forgot these words. 



Some ten years ago he turned his attention to the Crustacea, 

 and became a recognized authority on the smaller forms, and 

 published a number of papers, especially in the " Proceedings 

 of the Royal Society of Victoria." 



He took an active part in the formation of the Hawthorn 

 and Camberwell Microscopical Society, and appears to have been 

 permanent president. Here, as in every other sphere in which 

 he was engaged, his wide knowledge was freely placed at the 

 disposal of any who wanted it. 



In 1906 Mr. Sayce was apj:)ointed Demonstrator and 

 Assistant Lecturer in Bacteriology in the University, and, 

 though he found time to publish his important papers on 

 Koonunga, which represented a new family of Anaspidse, the 

 heavy calls of his new work turned his thoughts into other 

 channels, and led to the publication of a few brief papers on 

 bacteriological questions in the Austfalian Medical Journal, 

 and he is understood to have recently sent an important paper 

 on an obscure disease of children to an English journal, but 

 at the time of writing nothing further is known of the 

 article. 



Last year the Linnean Society of London elected him as 

 one of its associates, in recognition of his valuable research 

 work. This distinction, it may be remarked, is limited in the 

 number of holders, and was entirely unsought. 



Early in April Mr. Sayce was appointed first Director of 

 the Bacteriological Institute of South Australia, just established, 

 but did not live to take up his new duties. After only a few- 

 days' illness he died of pneumonia, at the age of 49, on the 

 29th April, the very day he had intended being in Adelaide, 

 and was laid to rest on ist May, the day he was to have taken 

 up his fresh responsibilities. He has left a wife and three 

 children to battle with the world bereft of a father's help. 



The outstanding feature of Mr. Sayce' s character was his 

 unfaltering honesty. He never posed. He worked hard and 

 continuously, as his list of papers will in part show : but, 

 besides publishing, he spent a large amount of time and energy 

 in guiding the scientific work of others, and many of those 

 interested in microscopic work in Melbourne owe a great deal 

 to his voluntary aid. 



All who knew him were his friends, and they will miss his 

 ready jests and his resourceful help, while the Field Naturalists' 

 Club has lost one of its ablest supporters, always ready to 

 smooth away difficulties, to adjust mutual misunderstandings, 

 or to suggest fresh fields of work. Few men pass away so 

 sincerely loved, so deeply mourned. H. 



