103 



OBITUARY NOTICES. 



JOHN HOPK2NSON, F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.G.S., F.R.M.S., 



Secretary of the Ray Society. 



(1844—1919.) 



It is with great regret we have to record the death of Mr. John 

 Hopkinson, which took place suddenly from heart failure on the 

 morning of July 5th, at his home in Watford. He was in his 

 74th year. 



Born at Leeds in 1844, he came south while still young, residing 

 for the greater part of his life in Hertfordshire, first at St. Albans, 

 and afterwards at " Weetwood," near Watford, the home of his 

 grandfather. He was engaged in business in London as a partner 

 in the well-known firm of J. and J. Hopkinson, piano-manu- 

 facturers. 



As an indefatigable worker in the pursuit of natural history, 

 and as a promoter of its interests in many and varied ways, one 

 would find difficulty in naming his equal. It is so far back as 

 1875 that Mr. Hopkinson founded, in conjunction with the late 

 Dr. A. Brett, the Watford (now Hertfordshire) Natural History 

 Society, and the eighteen volum.es of Transactions empha- 

 sise the 7,eal with which he laboured ; his own contribu- 

 tions are numerous, and the whole series has been issued 

 under his painstaking editorial care. The Herts County 

 Museum at St. Albans arose from his proposal, and he was the 

 originator (1880) of the annual conference of delegates from 

 provincial scientific societies held in connection with the British 

 Association. 



Perhaps his most important work in the interests of natural 

 history was as Secretary of the Ray Society. He held this posi- 

 tion for fifteen years, and during that period the monographs that 

 appeared were issued under his editorial care. In addition, the 

 preparation of valuable bibliographies to the volumes was under- 

 taken by him, and only those who came intimately in contact 



