FREDERIC MOORE 



This vvell-known Indian lepidopterist passecl away on May loth 1907. 

 at his résidence, ^Nlaple-road, Pengc, S.E. He was born on May i3th. 

 1830, at T,^,, Bruton-strcet, Berkeley--;quar(', and was introduced as a 

 youth to Dr. J. E. Gray, who then r('C[uired someone to draw Tortoises 

 for him. Wliilc so engagcd he attract"d thc attention of Dr. Horsfield, 

 who was also in nced of one capable (if making natural liistory drawings, 

 and shortly afterv.ards joined the staff ot the East India Muséum, then 

 located in Leadenhall-street. City of Eondnn. He remained in this 

 institution till its absorption with tlie National Muséum, and then pass<^d 

 the remaining days of his bvisy leisure in following his favourite pursuit. 

 He was an indefatigable worker, and, beyond numerous pa])ers published 

 by différent scientific societies, his jjrincipal works are — "A Catalogue 

 of the Lepidopterous Insects in the Muséum of the Hon. East India 

 Company," two vols. (1857-59), which was written conjointly with 

 Dr. Horsfield, whilst he alone wrote " Thc Lepidoptera of Ceylon, " in 

 three vols. (1880-87), and was engagée! in his great work, " Lepidoj^tera 

 Indica, " to the actual time of his death, and of which six volumes havc 

 appeared. 



Dr. Moore was an ardent and old-time naturalist. His path was remote 

 from the stream of evoIutir)nar\' conception; to him it was sufïicient to 

 describe the vast host of species which still awaited récognition, and to 

 this work he brought an eye so trained for observing the most minute 

 différences, that his species were not always accepted by his colleagues. 

 The lumpers considered him a splitter. He thus incurred during his 

 latter years a considérable amount of severe criticism, b\it possessing 

 that dogged détermination found only in quiet men — and he was one 

 of the quietest of men — it left him practically unaffected, and he 

 conscientiously continued his work according to his light to the end. 

 He was pioneer in the study of Indian Lepidoptera^ and he knew 

 the insects intimately better than any man living. In private life 

 he was an upright man, with a serene disposition which trouble did 

 not impair. His career was self-made and w ithmit reproach. — Copied 

 from " Zoologist, " June 1907. 



