298 Obituary. 



Europe in Dec. 1852^ on the edge of the Newfoundland 

 banks be watched for some time a Great Auk, which was 

 within 30 or 40 yards o£ the steamer ; and as he had his 

 field-glasses, and could distinctly note the bill and white ear- 

 patches, he felt he could not be mistaken. He heard also 

 from a friend in Newfoundland that in the following year a 

 dead Great Auk had been washed ashore in Trinity Bay. 

 This is the last trace of the giant of the Alcidcs. Shortly 

 after his return. Col. Drummond joined the Perthshire 

 Rifles, and commanded the regiment when embodied during 

 the Crimean war, retiring as full colonel in 1872. On his 

 marriage with the heiress of Seggieden, he took her name of 

 Hay. For the last twenty years of his life he devoted him- 

 self to the natural history of Perthshire and Tayside, and 

 especially to the formation of the Perth Museum, sparing no 

 pains to enrich it with specimens of every bird found in the 

 district, together with its nest and eggs, but always refusing 

 to admit any specimen which was not undoubtedly local. 

 He had the satisfaction of seeing his darling wish accom- 

 plished, and could boast that, as a local museum, that of 

 Perth had few rivals. His last public appearance was at the 

 opening of the new museum buildings by Sir W. H. Plower 

 in November last, and his end came peacefully on the 

 4th January, within three days of his entrance on his 83rd 

 year. 



In these days of specialists. Colonel Drummond- Hay was 

 a noble specimen of the true field-naturalist, as well as of 

 the soldier and country gentleman, a keen observer of nature 

 in every department. He was a good botanist, devoting 

 himself especially to lichens. Few gardens could rival his 

 in its show of rare herbaceous plants. And he found time 

 to take an active part in public life in his county, and not 

 least in ecclesiastical affairs, being for many years Treasurer 

 of the Episcopal Church Synod. Long may our land pro- 

 duce sons like our first President, worthy successors of the 

 Vigorses, Jardines, and Selbys of an earlier generation ! 



