VOL. XVI. (1) OBITUARY 89 
Although tied to his office by the routine of daily work, it was as 
a field-naturalist that Mr Witchell was at his best ; and it was in the 
country lanes or on the Cotteswold Hills that his keen eye, his 
observant ear, and his enthusiasm for Nature found their full scope. 
His knowledge of birds and of bird song was unrivalled, and found 
expression in two of his most interesting works—‘‘ The Evolution 
of Bird Song, with observations on the influence of Heredity and 
Imitation,” published in 1896, and ‘‘Cries and Call-notes of Wild 
Birds,” published in 1899. 
But the works which brought him into wider notice as an all- 
round student of natural objects, were: ‘‘The Fauna and Flora 
of Gloucestershire,” brought out in conjunction with Mr W. Bishop 
Strugnell in 1892, and more especially ‘‘ Nature’s Story of the Year,” 
published in 1904—a volume which has received the distinction 
of being adopted for use in the German Schools, a special Glossary and 
Appendix (anhang) having been added. 
It would be impossible to enumerate here the many pamphlets 
and papers which have issued from Mr Witchell’s versatile pen, 
but readers of the ‘‘ Cheltenham Examiner” will remember the 
striking series of articles on ‘‘ Ideals of Animals,” which appeared not 
long since in the columns of that paper. Others have found a place 
in the ‘‘ Stroud Journal,” under the Pseudonym of “ Field Cricket ” ; 
in the ‘‘ Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists’ Field Club,” and 
in the pages of ‘‘ Knowledge.” 
True field- observers are only too rare; Mr Witchell was 
eminently one, and his loss will be felt, not only among his many 
friends, but in the wider fields of Science. 
E. T. WILSON, F.R.C.P. 
PRESENTED 
30 SEP 1907 
