SHROPSHIRE NATURALISTS. IQ 



of natural history, and in after life was most fortunate in 

 having a great deal of leisure time, which he spent in the 

 pursuit of his favourite study. He will always be best 

 known for his accomplishments as an ornithologist, but 

 his knowledge of other branches of natural science, 

 especially botany, was extensive. Birds he studied all 

 his life, in season and out of season, in the cabinet and 

 at large, on land and water, by night and by day ; and 

 he thus gradually became known all over the County as 

 an authority on the subject, and all who happened to 

 come across any rare bird, or remarkable occurrence, 

 would write and tell him about it. He was exceedingly 

 careful in recording such things, and would travel any 

 distance to verify a doubtful observation or to visit one 

 of his correspondents. He made copies of anything that 

 struck him when reading books on Birds, etc., and filled 

 many scrap-books with cuttings from the Field and 

 similar publications. He frequently contributed short 

 notes to the columns of that paper, and wrote in it a 

 highly interesting article on the Sea Birds that visit 

 Shropshire. His important writings on Shropshire Birds 

 have already been mentioned. It is much to be regretted 

 that these never appeared as a book, with the numerous 

 other particulars which he would, doubtless, have added 

 from his inexhaustible stores of information . The author 

 also regrets that he is unable to give any portrait of Mr. 

 Beckwith, for he never would sit for his photograph, and 

 there is not even a sketch of him in existence. He was 

 a very big man, and of a florid complexion, with 

 brown hair, and light coloured eyes. He was so enthu- 

 siastic about his favourite pursuit that all who had 

 similar tastes courted his society, and were charmed by 



