3 
him to earth for a demonstration on murine osteology, but no 
“man ever took criticism in better part. As a rule he forestalled 
it by a genial counter attack :—‘‘ You are so polite this morning, 
that I know you are going to tear my drawings to pieces,” was 
his typical opening to a discussion. Like all geniuses, he was 
full of contradictions; a delicate man, he yet went to the 
Antarctic ‘‘for his health,” and when asked to explain this 
paradox, remarked that he never felt the joze de vwre till he 
was on a sledge journey. His unselfishness resulted in his 
undertaking during the first expedition the odious but necessary 
duty of daily slaughtering a sledge-dog to be devoured by the 
rest of the team; it was no less characteristic of his nature 
to find philosophical reflections on canine psychology in that 
unpleasant task. 
Wilson has gone! His long, lean figure will no longer stalk 
down the galleries of the British Museum of Natural History 
to a conference on Mammal illustrations, but we, his fellow- 
workers, will treasure his memory, proud that for a_ brief 
space he journeyed with us, lightening our labours with the 
encouragement of the truest good-fellowship. 
GERALD E. H. Barretr-HAmMILTon. 
The accompanying signed portrait was presented to the 
publishers by Dr Wilson on the eve of his departure to 
the Antarctic. 
