MEMOIR OY WILLIAM YARRELL. Xlll 



on the production and migration of Eels, on the gesta- 

 tion of eggs by the male Pipe-fish, his investigations 

 into the route pursued by American birds in their casual 

 visits to England, and numerous other passages of his 

 works, show much originality of thought and a careful 

 examination of facts. 



One of his friends * says, " There was one trait in the 

 character of Mr. Yarrell which must not be passed 

 over in silence, a trait w T hich no one was better ac- 

 quainted with than myself, and that was his extreme 

 readiness to afford information. Often have I had occa- 

 sion to appeal to him in difficulties about specific 

 character or points of economy, and from the very 

 moment of mentioning the doubt or the object of 

 inquiry, his whole attention was absorbed by it ; books, 

 specimens, memory, every auxiliary was at his finger- 

 ends ; and no sacrifice of time or trouble was too great 

 for him to make ; neither was the subject ever left unde- 

 cided while diligence or a disposition to teach could 

 throw on it a single ray of light. No other subject 

 seemed to occur to him during the investigation ; he had 

 no other occupation ; that one inquiry was, for the time, 

 the object of his life. His power of concentrating his 

 attention on a single subject was most extraordinary, and 

 more extraordinary still was the facility with which that 

 concentrated attention was turned to any subject ; he 

 used it after the fashion of a burning glass, casting the 

 focus wherever he pleased. This faculty was at the ser- 

 vice of all ; and the attention of which I speak thus 

 gratefully from personal experience was given to every 

 truth-seeking inquirer." Zoologist, 5258. 



Another friend -J- writes as follows : " Mr. Yarrell's 



* Edward Newman, Esq., Editor of the Zoologist. 

 t Dr. R. G. Latham. 



