ROBERT SERVICE. 39 



Such, then, is a brief outh'n(3 of the more noticeable 

 events in his hfe. This is hardly the place to refer to his 

 keen and active Conservatism in politics (he was at one 

 time offered the editorship of the local party-newspaper), 

 to his public services on town and parish councils, to 

 his connexion in his earlier days with the Dumfries 

 volunteers, or to the interest he took in the Dumfriesshire 

 and Galloway Horticultural Society. The district which 

 knew him best will miss him most, and can alone appreciate 

 to the full the loss it has sustained by his death. Personally, 

 I realize a blank that can never be filled ; but I shall 

 always remember above all other lessons I learned from 

 him, one which he taught me not long before his first 

 illness. We were discussing the relentless way in which 

 death seems to cut off lives before they complete their 

 purpose, and how little any of us can leave behind us 

 Avhen Ave die. " Yes,'' he replied, smiling, " but we 

 always leave our example.'" Robert Service has left 

 us his example of generosity, of a stern sense of duty, 

 of an untiring energy, of patient and loving stud}^ of the 

 beauties and mysteries of Nature. 



Among other societies he was, at the time of his death, 

 a member of : — 



The Andersonian Society of Glasgow (elected 1901, 



resigned 1910). 

 The British Association for the Advancement of Science 



(elected 1901). 

 The British Ornithologists' Union (elected 1900, resigned 



1910). 

 The Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and 

 Antiquarian Society (original member 1876, secre- 

 tary 1876-82, vice-president 1901-6, honorary vice- 

 president 1907-10, honorary life-member 1910). 

 The Edinburgh Field Naturalists' and Miser oscopical 



Society (elected 1904). 

 The Natural History Society of Glasgow (elected 1885.) 

 The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (elected 

 1904). 



