THE LATE WE. LODDIGES. 225 



microscopical observer. His collection of humming-birds, which 

 lias a great European reputation, is unique. It contains more 

 than 200 species in all states of plumage and age, set up with his 

 own hands, and disposed in a manner unrivalled for beauty and 

 good taste. In this occupation he was engaged for twenty years ; 

 and it was his intention to have published a splendid folio work 

 on the subject, when his acquisitions were more complete. But 

 he was not satisfied with the extent of his materials when arrested 

 by the hand of death ; and yet they were larger than could be 

 furnished by all the museums in Europe put together. 



Mr. Loddiges was one of the earliest members of the Micro- 

 scopical Society, and was himself the possessor of one of the 

 finest microscopes ever made by Tully. Armed with this mag- 

 nificent instrument, aided by that singular manual dexterity in 

 the preparation of objects of natural history which was so con- 

 spicuously manifested in the display of his humming-birds, and 

 supported by a patience which nothing seemed able to exhaust, 

 he must have been possessed of a store of information which few 

 men ever gained, but which, alas ! has departed with him, for he 

 left behind no papers fit for publication. 



In his relation to the Horticultural Society his services were 

 long, constant, and valuable. As a member of the Council or 

 Garden Committee, he was always ready to give the Society the 

 advantage of his long practical experience, as well as to enrich 

 the collections at the garden with whatever was most rare and 

 difficult to procure. But this was his invariable conduct towards 

 all public bodies or public objects which met with his approval, 

 as is well known to the many eminent personages who have held 

 colonial governments or been placed in charge of scientific expe- 

 ditions. 



VOL. I. 



