IKTRODXTCTIOir, »wi 



great advances were made in British natural history, and the fathers of 

 English botany issued a number of notable books. Amongst these 

 Dillwyn's Confervaa, Sowerby's English Botany, Tum»'s Fuci, Tur- 

 ner's Muscologia Hibemica, and the Muscologia Britannica of Hooker 

 and Taylor -were indebted to Cranmore for many of the specimens 

 figured, and species catalogued. Mr. Templeton also contributed to 

 the Belfast Magazine a monthly Nat\iralists' Report, and a Meteorological 

 Report. To Dubourdieu, and to Sampson he furnished information on 

 natural history matters for the Surveys of Down, Antrim, and Derry. 

 It is to be regretted that in the latter instance this was mixed with notes 

 by less reliable informants, and the value of the work thereby diminished. 

 He was also expected and urged to prepare a general Natural History of 

 Ireland, but, although some progress was made in this direction, the scheme 

 was never carried out. That such was the case is not surprising, as even at 

 the present day, when so much more information is available, such a 

 work would seem too much for one man to accomplish with any degree of 



Mr. Templeton was a patriot of the purest type. Amongst the foremost 

 of the pioneers of intellectual progress in his native town, he gave an 

 ungrudging support to every movement having for its object the advance- 

 ment of his fellow-countrymen. An early member of the Belfast Society 

 for Promoting Knowledge, he continued through life to take a warm 

 interest in its work. He was also one of the first supporters of the Belfast 

 Academical Institution, and was one of the Visitors named in the act of 

 incorporation. When, in 1821, the Belfast Natxiral History Society was 

 founded, Mr. Templeton was in failing health, and unable to take the active 

 part in its proceedings which otherwise he would have done. He was, 

 however, ere the Society was one month old, elected an honorary member, 

 and was the first on whom that distinction was conferred. When the now 

 defunct Mechanics' Institute was established he was absent through ill 

 health, but he heartily sympathised with the project and he advocated its 

 cause with his pen. Mr. Templeton, in common with all genuine 

 naturalists, was conspicuous for his humanity to the lower animals, and 

 it is related of him that he relinquished the sport of shooting on 

 witnessing the agonies of a wounded bird. This was in keeping with the 

 intelligence as well as the gentleness of his nature. 



His researches were confined almost entirely to Irish soil, and mainly 

 to the province of Ulster, his furthest journey being probably that to 

 Wicklow, if we except a trip to Scotland, of which, however, little record 

 remains. Nearly all the great groups of the vegetable kingdom were 

 included in Templeton' s work, and his knowledge of nature did not end 

 there, but was extended to the native fauna ; not excepting sponges, of 

 which little was then known. His death occurred near the close of 

 the year 1825, and his burial, which was attended by the members 

 of the Natural History Society, took place on Saturday morning, the 17th 

 December of that year. The Natural History Society desiring to com- 

 memorate the genius and worth of their late aesociate, decided to institute 



