JOHN BLACKWALL, F.L.S. 147 



earlier of these papers were reprinted in ' Researches in Zoology'). 

 Contemporaneously with some of these, and also following them, 

 were six other- papers in Trans. Linn. Soc, vols, xvi., xviii., xix. 

 and xxi. (1833 — 1855). Meanwhile, with a view to stirring up an 

 interest in the study of our indigenous spiders, fifteen articles 

 from Mr. Blackwall's pen appeared in the Annals and Mag., N. H., 

 1851 — 1857, giving a catalogue of all the then known British 

 spiders, with remarks on their structure, functions, economy and 

 systematic arrangement. It was during the publication of some of 

 the later of these articles that — through Mr. R. H. Meade, of Brad- 

 ford, Yorkshire — I first became acquainted with Mr. Blackwall ; 

 in fact it was chiefly owing to an interest awakened by this series 

 of articles that I was myself first induced to take up the study of 

 spiders ; and from that time, to a short time only before his death, 

 our correspondence on this subject was constantly carried on. It 

 is scarcely necessary, at any rate for those who knew Mr. Black- 

 wall, to say that he never spared time or trouble, and frequently 

 cost also, in giving his most valuable, and valued, assistance. 



Besides the papers and articles already noted, thirty-three 

 others connected with spiders appeared in the Annals and Mag., 

 N. H., 1841—1847; three in Journ. Linn. Soc, vol. vii. (1864) 

 and vol. x. (1870). Mr. Blackwall also contributed papers to the 

 Proceedings of the British Association for the advancement of 

 Science in 1833, 1842, and 1844 ; the last of these appeared 

 under the title of " Some recent researches into the structure, 

 functions and economy of the Araneidea, made in Great Britain." 

 Among the latest publications from Mr. Blackwall's pen is one 

 on the spiders of the Seychelle Islands ; this appeared in the 

 Proc. of the Roy. Irish Acad., 2nd ser., vol. iii., 1877. It had, 

 however, been written in 1871 or 1872; and in 1877, in the then 

 declining state of the author's health, this paper was, by his own 

 wish, submitted to myself for such revision as might be needed, 

 owing to the changes in the state of araneological science since it 

 was penned. A short paper, entitled "A concise notice of 

 observations on certain peculiarities in the structure and 

 functions of the Araneidea," appeared in the Annals and Mag., 

 N. H., 1874. This is, I believe, the last that proceeded from 

 his pen. 



The above brief summary shows how constantly and actively 

 Mr. Blackwall was engaged in his favourite branch of natural 



