OF CONCHOLOGT. 379 



OBITUARY. 



During tlie past few months, British naturalists have been 

 compelled to mourn the loss, by death, of two distinguished 

 men. 



DR. SAMUEL P. WOODWARD, F. G. S , Assistant 

 in the Geological Department of the British Museum, died at 

 Heme Bay, July 11th, aged forty-three years. 



Besides many smaller papers, published at different times 

 in the periodicals, Dr. Woodward is the author of " A Manual 

 of the Mollusca; or, a Rudimentary Treatise on Recent and 

 Fossil Shells," published by Weale, London, 1851 — 6. 



We believe we do no injustice to the authors of the many 

 excellent general works on Oonchology, in saying, that, for the 

 combined purpose of elementary instruction, with that of a 

 guide-book for the use of those who have not the leisure to 

 pursue the study extensively, this work is without a rival. 

 We scarcely can find in any publication of its size, so much 

 varied information on the subject as this little volume con- 

 tains; and we feel that in this "Manual," Dr. Woodward has 

 raised a monument to his own fame, such as will not perish so 

 long as there is a remembrance of the benefit which it has 

 conferred on Gonchological science, in rendering it popular. 



HUGH CUMING. F.L. S., &c., died at London, August 

 10th, full of years as of honors. To the great personal exer- 

 tion and liberality of this gentleman, conchologists through- 

 out the world are much indebted for the collection and distri- 

 bution of new species. 



As most of our readers are aware, Mr. Cuming spent many 

 years in personally collecting shells throughout the world, and 

 with such success, that he has added over five thousand new 

 species to Conchology, besides accumulating and diffusing a 

 vast amount of accurate knowledge of their localities, distri- 

 bution and habits. 



These shells he has, with great liberality, placed at the dis- 

 position of naturalists of character, who desired to study them. 

 They have been extensively distributed by a system of judi- 

 cious exchanges, which at length made the Cumingian Collec- 

 tion the finest in the world. This splendid cabinet, embracing 

 about thirty thousand species and varieties, has been be- 

 queathed to the British Museum. 



