iv In Memoriam. 



He was awartled by the Royal Commis.sioners the silver iiiedal 

 of the New Zealand Exhibition for an " Essaj' on the Ornithology of New- 

 Zealand," which was published by command, and afterwards reprinted 

 with other essays in the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." 



In 186G he was appointed Resident Magistrate of Wanganui, whicii 

 position he held till 1871, when he went to England as secretary to the 

 Agent-General (Dr. Featherston). Before Ms jeturn to the colony, three 

 years later, he was called to the bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner 

 Temple, and had produced, his well-known work "A History of the Birds 

 of New Zealand," every copy of tliis beautifully illustrated book having 

 baen subscribed for before the last page went to press, several crowned 

 heads being amongst the subscribers. 



He also -took an active part in the Vienna Exhibition of 1872, and 

 Dr. Featherston, in his official report to tJhe Government, declared that 

 th« great success wliich had attended the New Zealaml Court was mainly 

 owing to his individual zeal and energy. 



But it will be by reason of his researches in New Zealand ornithology 

 that the name of Sir Walter BuUer will be best remembered, and we believe 

 it was his pticuUar distinction to be the first native-born New-Zealander 

 to gain recognition throughout the world for his exertions in the field of 

 science, just as he was also, as we believe, the first native-born New- 

 Zealander to receive the honour of a title from the hands of his Sovereign. 



The University of Tubingen conferred on him the honorary degree 

 of Doctor of Science, and he received decorations from the Emperor of 

 Austria, the King of Wurtemburg, and the Grand Duke of Hesse ; and the 

 London Dailij Telegraph in a leading article described the author of the 

 " Birds of New Zealand " as " the Audubon of New Zealand." 



On his return to New Zealand in 1874 Dr. Buller was admitted a 

 barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, and for some years was actively 

 engaged in the practice of his profession. He devoted himself largely to 

 Native work, and on one occasion received from Mr. Justice Gillies the 

 graceful tribute of being " the supreme advocate foi" the Maori race." 

 In 1875 Dr. Buller was made a C.M.G., in recognition of his labours, and in 

 1870 he achieved the " blue riband of science " by election as a Fellow of 

 the Royal Society. 



In the midst of pi'ofessional business he continued to make contri- 

 butions to zoological hterature, besides pubUsliing some interesting papers 

 on Maori subjects, and in 1882, at the invitation of the New Zealand Go- 

 vernment, he prepared for official pubhcation a " Manual of the Birds 

 of New Zealand," illustrated by photo-lithographic prints from the plates 

 in liis larger work. In 1883 he received from the New Zealand Exhibition 

 the gold medal for science and literature. 



In 1886 he returned to England as New Zealand Commissioner at 

 the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, and in the same year was jjromoted 

 to the rank of K.C.M.G. In 1887 he was awarded the Galleian medal by 

 the Royal University of Florence, and in 1888 he published a much largei- 

 edition of the " Birds of New Zealand " (two volumes). 



Besides the honours already mentioned. Sir Walter Buller held the 

 rank of Officier of the Legion of Honour, besides being Officier of 

 rinstruction Publique (Gold Palm of the Academy), Knight First Class 

 of ths Order of Francis Joseph of Austria, and Knight Commander of the 

 Ci'own of Italy. For many years he represented the colony on the per- 

 manent governing body of the Imperial Institute. 



