96 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



OBITUARY. 



With much regret we have to announce the death of Mr. John 

 Emmerson Robson, of Hartlepool, and also of Mr. William John Cross, 

 of Quayside, Ely. 



We understand that Mr. Robson had been failing in health for 

 some time past, but it was not until about two montbs ago that 

 his illness assumed a serious form, and he passed away on February 

 28th, aged seventy-four years. He occupied a high position among 

 the lepidopterists of this country, and was also interested in other 

 branches of Natural History. With the object of cultivating and 

 fostering a taste for Nature Study he founded and conducted the 

 ' Young Naturalist,' which in 1879 was started as a penny weekly 

 magazine, and was furnished with the sort of information that the 

 beginner could appreciate. At the conclusion of the third volume, 

 in October, 1882, the weekly issue was discontinued, and vol. iv. 

 commenced in December, 1882, as a monthly magazine, and the 

 plates which had hitherto been plain were coloured in this and the 

 succeeding volume. At the end of 1890 the publication had reached 

 the last number of vol. xi., and the concluding one of the 'Young 

 Naturalist,' the number for January, 1891, being the first of the 

 ' British Naturalist.' Under the latter title three volumes were con- 

 ducted by Mr. Robson, and he then determined to discontinue publica- 

 tion with the part for December, 1893. In January, 1894, the magazine 

 was carried on, as a new series, by Messrs. J. Smith and L. Greening, 

 assisted by Mr. Robson, but we believe for that year only ; our copy 

 stops short at No. 10. 



An exceedingly careful and well annotated " Catalogue of the Lepi- 

 doptera of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne," by 

 Mr. Robson, was published in the 'Transactions' of the local Natural 

 History Society for those counties. The first part, dealing with the 

 Macro -Lepidoptera, was issued in 1899, and the second part in 1902. 

 Part i. of the Micro-Lepidoptera, comprising the Pyralidina and Tortri- 

 cina, was produced in 1905. He was elected a Fellow of the Entomo- 

 logical Society of London in 1890. 



Mr. Robson was a member of the Town Council, and held, or had 

 held, many other important offices in Hartlepool, in the affairs of 

 which town he took a deep interest, and especially in educational 

 matters. 



Mr. W. J. Cross passed away on March 20th, aged 73 years. For 

 the last four years his health had been undermined in consequence of 

 a series of operations, and it was from the effects of the last of these 

 that he succumbed. He was a keen entomologist, and the very fine 

 collection of Lepidoptera that he formed represents over forty years 

 of enthusiastic collecting. All who were privileged to associate with 

 Mr. Cross found him a man of kind and gentle disposition, and one 

 who was always anxious to assist his fellow-entomologists. Many young 

 beginners have to thank him for his kindly help, whieh was ever 

 extended to them most willingly. As a collector, he was well known 

 in the New Forest, where he spent many months during nearly every 

 summer. His death will be deplored by a very large circle of friends. 



