on the Biononics of Southern Nigerian Insects. 325 
CHARLES OGILVIE FARQUHARSON, 1888-1918. 
By Prof. E. B. Poulton. 
THE fine and accurate observer whose letters and collected 
material form the subject of the following memoir was 
born on February 13, 1888, on a farm at Murtle, in the 
valley of the River Dee, a few miles west of Aberdeen. 
At the age of about eleven he went to Robert Gordon’s 
Secondary School, where it is remembered that he worked 
well and took a good place; also that country walks were 
a greater attraction to him than games. 
In October, 1905, he entered the University of Aberdeen, 
at first as a student of English, Latin and Greek, but 
changing to Natural Science in July, 1907. His letters 
supply plenty of evidence that the two years at Classics 
had left a strong and lasting impression. Out of many 
passages I select the following because it also brings out 
his love for the insects he was studying. The name 
“ narsimon,” which filled him with horror, was given to 
a West African Lycaenid butterfly by no less an authority 
than Fabricius, the favourite pupil of Linnaeus. 
“* Parsimon’ calls only for compulsory Greek for science 
students : [see also p. 398]. There ought to be a sub-com- 
mittee of the * Entomological’ for the protection of the 
good name of nice insects, with special reference to such 
fair masterpieces of Nature’s handiwork as the Lycaenids. 
Yesterday I saw a beautiful ‘Copper,’ probably only a 
few hours after emergence [see p. 380]. It was simply 
too beautiful to capture. I hoped that one day I might 
breed a few out, to keep some and let the others away, 
just in case there might not be enough to keep the race 
going [Dec. 9, 1917].” 
After graduating as M.A. in 1908, Farquharson con- 
tinued his scientific work for the B.Sc. which he took 
“with special distinction in Botany,” in 1911. He entered 
upon this science in April, 1908, and then first came under 
the influence of the great and inspiring teacher, the late 
Prof. James W. H. Trail, one who did not treat Botany 
as an isolated subject but always brought the relation 
between plants and animals before his pupils. Prof. Trail 
remembered that Farquharson, when a student, possessed 
“unusual power in distinguishing the essential from less 
