232 Notes and News. LApril 



Henry Eeles Dresser ' an Honorary Fellow of the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union, died at Cannes, France, on Noveniber 28, 1915, where he 

 had gone in the hope of recovering his health. Mr. Dresser's* name has 

 been closely associated with bird study in England for over half a century 

 and he was one of the last of a generation of systematic ornithologists to 

 whom the science is largely indebted for its present advanced position. 



Mr. Dresser was for years a member of the Linniean Society and the 

 Zoological Society of London and joined the British Ornithologists' Union 

 in 1865, serving as secretary from 1882 to 1888. His most notable work 

 was the monumental ' Birds of Europe ' in nine quarto volumes with colored 

 plates, with which his name will ever be associated. This appeared from 

 1871 to 1881 with a supplementary volume in 1895-6. He later published 

 an octavo 'Manual of Pahearctic Birds,' which was an invaluable reference 

 volume to many who were unable to obtain the larger and far more expen- 

 sive work. Mr. Dresser *was also the author of an illustrated work on 

 the eggs of European birds and monographs of the Rollers and Bee-eaters, 

 besides many shorter articles. 



He accumulated a large collection of birds and eggs and an extensive 

 library, all of which have come into the possession of the Manchester 

 Museum. 



In spite of the extent of Mr. Dresser's ornithological activities and the 

 magnitude of his achievements, his time was not devoted exclusively to 

 his favorite study. For many years ornithological investigations were 

 incidental to a busy business career, though for many years before its pub- 

 lication was begun he had definitely planned his 'Birds of Europe' so that 

 his observations were made with that object in view. 



He was born in London, May 9, 1838, and was educated in England, 

 Germany and Sweden. In 1856 he entered the office of a lumber firm in 

 Finland, this being his father's business, and for eight years was engaged 

 in lumber industry in various parts of Europe and in New Brunswick. 

 In 1863 he took a cargo to Texas consigned to the Confederate government 

 and during some months' residence near San Antonio was intimately associ- 

 ated in ornithological investigation with Dr. A. L. Heermann then residing 

 there. From 1864 to 1871 he was engaged in the iron trade in London 

 travelling extensively meanwhile in many parts of northern Europe, 

 Turkey and the Balkan States. His wide experiences and his familiarity 

 with a number of languages gave him a fund of knowledge which was always 

 placed cheerfully at the service of his friends and correspondents and several 

 of his translations have made available to English speaking ornithologists 

 important papers in Russian, Swedish, etc. 



Mr. Dresser was noted for his cheerfulness and sweetness of temper, 

 qualities which even those who knew him as did the writer, only as a corre- 

 spondent, can readily appreciate. — W. S. 



1 For most of the facts contaiued in this notice, acknowledgment is made to an obituary 

 by Mr. J. E. Harting in 'The Field' for Dec. 11, 1915. 



