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IN MEMORIAM—DAVID ROBERTSON. 35 
the season, without counting the larger extra donations frequently 
given to the attendant for his own perquisite. Mr. Robertson 
sometimes ventured to hint-to single visitors that it would be more 
appropriate and in accordance with precedent if they came to the 
Ark in pairs. Since the fee was expressly intended to keep out 
such idlers and disreputable persons as deserve to be classed under 
the name of the ‘Great Unwashed,’ he might have gone further 
and suggested that clean animals should enter by sevens. He is 
not averse to telling the story that one day, while he was himself 
working in the Ark, with no other companions but its marine 
_ treasures, a stranger came in and looked inquiringly round. The 
gentleman was invited to inspect the various curiosities, and he 
listened with attention to all that was said about them by one 
who was no unwilling expounder of their various merits. When 
all the wonders had been duly displayed, and the tale of their 
virtues fitly told, the stranger expressed himself much pleased, and 
with very polite and often-repeated thanks withdrew. But this 
was not all, for Mr. Robertson concludes, with a pleasant twinkle, 
‘he slippit also a shilling into my hand.’” 
Although the weight of advancing years had gradually been 
imposing its physical restraints upon him, his capacity for scientific 
research remained almost unimpaired. In a busy life such as his, 
there were no periods ofidleness. His own accumulated stores of 
marine treasures might alone have afforded abundant materials for 
continuous work, but he still found time for research in more 
extended fields. Portions of the material dredged in the Challenger 
Expedition were examined and reported on by him. Frequent 
demands on his time were also made by other workers who desired 
to avail themselves of his experience, and to all such he was ever 
ready to afford assistance and encouragement. Among his most 
recent undertakings was an examination of the shell-deposits of 
Clava, in the North of Scotland, and Kintyre, in the West. Last 
May he attended a geological excursion to the latter district, and 
afterwards compiled part of an elaborate report on the deposits, 
which was submitted in September to the meeting of the British 
Association. 
Throughout the period of forty-five years during which his 
attention was directed to the marine fauna and flora, he corres- 
q ponded with the most eminent specialists in Britain and on the 
