AN OBITUARY ARTICLE. 



Reprinted from " THE IRISH NATURALIST," Vol. IV., No. 5, May, 1895. 



ALEXANDER GOODMAN MORE. 



F.R.S.E., F.L.S., M.R.I.A. 



IRISH Natural History has sustained the severest blow it could well 

 receive in the death of Alexander Goodman More, for it may be truly 

 said that no naturalist ever had the same reliable grasp of the flora as 

 well as the fauna of this country as he possessed. 



A. G. More was born in London on September 5, 1830. He was the 

 son of Alexander More of Malvern, and grandson of Alexander More, 

 Collector of Customs, Aberdeen, great grandson of Gilbert More of 

 Readen, Aberdeen, and, on the grandmother's side, of Alexander Innes 

 of Breda and Cowie. 



From 1836 to 1841 he resided at Renens near Lausanne with his 

 parents, and also with M. Germond, who was his tutor at Yvonnandand 

 Echallens. At Renens he became acquainted with the Shawe-Taylors 

 of Castle Taylor, Co. Galway. This intimacy, which was continued 

 through life, was probably the primary cause of his coming to live in 

 Ireland. 



While in Switzerland his taste for Natural History early showed itself 

 in the collection of butterflies. In 1841 he went to Mr. Bailey's school 

 at Clifton, and there prepared for Rugby, to which he went in 1844, his 

 parents residing in the Isle of Wight. Five years were spent at Rugby. 

 More became head of his house (Rev. Robert B. Mayor's), and first 

 Grecian Scholar. 



In 1846 he tells us in a brief private diary which will, hereafter, be 

 frequently quoted " Taste for birds first began from being anxious to 

 know all about a Nuthatch I had shot, which I compared with, and 

 found out in Bewick." In 1848 Eyton's supplement to " Bewick," 

 Selby's "British Ornithology," and St. John's "Highland Sports," 

 were purchased, and More " began to study birds more carefully." 



He was now eighteen, and Westwood's " Butterflies," Jenyns' 

 " British Vertebrates," Temminck's " Manual." and Turton's "British 

 Land Shells," formed the nucleus of a well-read library which was 

 rapidly enlarged by presents from friends who admired his ability and 

 genius. 



