Miscellaneous. 215 



II = FolirlaWs and Oxford Limestones. 

 D2. 



Lonsdalia floriformis enters. 



Ill = Eelwell, Acre, and Four Fathom Limestones. 



D 2 — 3 presents in its main character a Zaphrentid phase. 



Iv"a = Great and Little Limestones. 

 D3. 



Dibunophyllum muirheadi. 

 Koninckophyllum magnificum. 

 Diphyphyllum dianthoides. 



IV b = Corbridge, Thornbrough and Robsheugh Limestones. 



The tendency in the Dibunophyllids towards Aspidophylloidal struc- 

 ture reaches its highest development. 



IV c = Fell Top Limestone. 



Characterized by the presence of Dihunophyllum muirheadi mut., cf. 

 Dibunophyllum i//, and Phillipsastrcea radiata. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Kichakd B. Sharpe, LL.D. 



The obituary notice of the late Dr. Sharpe which appeared in the 

 last number of the ' Annals ' does no more than justice to his devo- 

 tion and energy in the cause of ornithological science — qualities the 

 value of which to the British Museum no one could better appre- 

 ciate than myself, who for more than twenty years was in daily 

 personal contact with him and his work. I, besides, had occasion 

 of admiring the courage which sustained him under difficulties that 

 would have damped the enthusiasm and activity of most men. His 

 merits are sufficiently great not to require enhancement beyond 

 those due to him, and it will not be considered a detraction from 

 them when, in the interest of the history of the Zoological Depart- 

 ment, I supplement some remarks on two points referred to in the 

 Notice. 



When Dr. Sharpe entered the service of the Trustees he possessed 

 a miscellaneous series of British and European birds, which he 

 presented to the Museum, and a large and valuable collection of 

 African birds ; this latter was purchased of him for the depart- 

 mental collection. 



The formation of a series of nature-groups illustrating the nidifi- 

 cation of British birds was, like the preparation of a descriptive 

 general Catalogue of Birds, decided upon before Dr. Sharpe's appoint- 

 ment, and even the lines on which these two undertakings were to 

 be executed had been distinctly planned. To the former Dr. Sharpe 



