248 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
OBITUARY. 
JOHN GARDNER. Diep Juty 21st, 1921. 
One of the last of the old school of entomologists passed away on 
July 21st, leaving a great gap in the small circle of north country 
collectors. 
A native of Teesdale and born about the year 1840 he would be 
over eighty years of age at the time of his death, he removed in 
early life to West Hartlepool, where he went into business as a timber 
merchant and rarely left his native county during his long life, 
preferring to collect and study the local fauna to making trips to the 
more celebrated localities. 
His work, in consequence, was somewhat circumscribed, but with 
splendid collecting ground on the cliffs at Blackhalls, Greatham 
marshes and the wooded denes all close to hand he was never at a 
loss for interesting work, and to within a year or two of his death he 
was still turning up species new to his taking. 
He was never inclined to write much, and the record of his work 
is chiefly to be found in the Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of 
Northumberland and Durham, of which he became the Editor on the 
death of John E. Robson in 1907 ; its pages are scattered over from 
one end to the other with his records and captures, and for local insects 
there is no one left possessing his intimate knowledge. 
Barrett, Buckler and many others were indebted to him for help 
in their work both with regard to the habits of the perfect insects 
and for larvee which he discovered, the latter being at all times his 
favourite method of collecting—indeed if an insect was seen he would 
never be satisfied till he had done his best to turn up and breed its 
larva as well. 
He was always eager to help the younger generation with 
information, naming specimens and types, and the writer owes a deep 
debt entomologically speaking to him for advice and encouragement 
given freely for over twenty years. 
His cabinets were given just before he died to the Hancock 
Museum, Neweastle-on-Tyne, where the contents will be available in 
the future for students who may wish to examine the long series of 
many species which they contain, together with types of nearly all 
the British species, except a few of the rarest. 
His interests were not confined to Lepidoptera as he had a fine 
collection of local and rare Coleoptera, also at Newcastle Museum, 
and his garden, though small, was one of the best in the district. 
Mr. Gardner was elected a Fellow of the Entomological Society 
in the year 1890, and continued his Fellowship until the time of his 
death. 
A few years ago threatenings of heart trouble compelled him to 
give up active work, and he finally passed away through an attack of 
angina pectoris. He left no children, and the writer's deepest 
sympathy goes out to his widow after so many years of married life. 
JamMES W. CORDER. 
