140 MEMOIK OF ALFKED SMEE. [CHAP. XII. 



BIRD-CATCHING EXTRAORDINARY. 



In " My Garden " a somewhat large collection of ericas is grown, and 

 many of their beautiful flowers are coated with a layer of sticky and viscid 

 material, the use of which is by no means apparent. It is somewhat similar 

 to the viscid material which is found on the so-called carnivorous plants. 

 During this summer a little bird, probably one of the hedge-warblers with 

 which the garden abounds, entered the greenhouse in which the plants 

 were located, alighted upon the heath, when the feathers adhered so 

 tightly to the plant that the bird was retained a prisoner. When the 

 gardener came, he could only set free the bird by detaching a number of 

 the feathers. Of course it is not to be supposed that the erica is a 

 carnivorous plant, and that it eats up little birds ! This remarkable event 

 has been twice noticed this year at " My Garden." 



Throughout his illness he took pleasure in seeing his friends, 

 and was vexed when any were denied him ; for so many would 

 come every afternoon to see him, that his family were sometimes 

 fearful lest he should he over-tired. In the mornings he would 

 drive with my mother, myself, and his dearly loved little grandson 

 along the Thames Emhankment. 



Throughout his last illness Alfred Smee showed himself a 

 true philosopher, and was most thoughtful and solicitous for the 

 comfort and welfare of others. He was soon to reap the reward 

 of his labours, for ahout 5 o'clock on the morning of Thursday, 

 the llth of January, 1877, amidst the wild storm of a raging 

 wind, he gently passed away without a sigh. The problem of his 

 life was now solved ; But how solved, he was unable to impart 

 to us. Many who mourned his loss came once again to see him, 

 and these, though parting in sadness, yet went away in a firm 

 and steadfast belief that to a righteous man death has no 

 terrors. 



A few days later, on Tuesday, the 16th of January, 1877, a 

 sad procession left 7, Finsbury Circus, and passed on its way 

 the Bank of England, Kennington, Clapham Common, Mitcham, 

 along the road which skirts that beautiful garden at Wallington, 

 which is delineated in the book ' My Garden,' and stopped before 

 the schools of St. Mary's, Beddington. Thence the mortal remains 

 of Alfred Smee were borne to the church by the gardeners and 

 by the men of my brother's yacht. Though the family wished 

 the funeral to be strictly private, yet so many testified their 

 respect to Alfred Smee that St. Mary's Church was full of 

 persons, that church which but four years before had been 



