The Presidents of the 
Lincolnshire Naturalists’ Union. 
JOHN CORDEAUX, J.P., F.R.G.S., M.B.O.U. 
It was not on actount of his fame as an ornithologist that 
the late John Cordeaux was elected first President of our Union. 
His ‘ Migration Reports,’ ‘Birds of the Humber District,’ ‘Anseres’ 
in’ Fowhawk’s ‘British Birds, or later ‘Humber District 
Pamphlet, good though they are, do not appeal alike to all 
Naturalists, but the kind, wide-hearted sympathy of the all-round 
worker did. Such a man naturally set many chords of interest 
vibrating when he was amongst us in the field, andhe ever was there 
when he could be, for the Naturalist pure and simple, found time 
also to be geologist, anthropologist, antiquary and lover of dialect 
and folk-lore. Yet with all his student love of nature and man- 
kind, the man himself far over shadowed his published works or 
momentary interests. He was the friend of a life time to those 
who were his intimates. 
He knew our county and loved it, as it has been loved by few. 
When he took up his pen and wrote, the local reader could find 
the Tothill and Gayton-le-Marsh neighbourhood delineated in 
every paragraph of his work. It was into the willing ears of his 
intimates alone that his marvellous knowledge of “ the clays” 
or true “ marsh” of the Lincolnshire coast line was freely poured. 
Men and manners, beast and fowl, the history and anecdotes of 
the dead past, or illuminating flashes of wit on the eccentricities 
of the living present, always pertinent always kindly, made up his 
converse to those who thoroughly knew him. Well did Mr. 
Burton of Gainsborough, suggest the last time he was with us in 
the field, that “if a new name were ever required for the Louth- 
Saltfleet district, he had studied so thoroughly and knew so well, 
_he would suggest Cordeaux-land as an appropriate appellation.” 
“ Cordeauxia,” he chortled later as he referred to the not unpleasing 
compliment, “we must leave it to others—Rhodes for instance— 
to found new states. We must ourselves be content to observe 
simple facts, and as truly record them. We cannot all be 
