3700 The Zoologist— September, 1873. 



and dealings with the natiyes of Central Africa, but nothing particularly 

 interesting to the naturalist except the above extract, which it will be 

 observed is in direct antagonism to what Mr. Stanley has published as to 

 the survey of the northern extremity of Tanganyika. — E. Newman. 



Death of Dr. Saxby. — Our readers will share the regret which we feel in 

 recording the death of one of our best ornithologists, Dr. Henry Saxby, late 

 of Balta Sound, whose communications to the ' Zoologist ' have so often 

 borne witness to his unwearied assiduity in the cause of Science. Owing 

 to failing health, partly the result of prolonged suffering from a badly 

 broken arm, his contributions to its pages had latterly become infrequent ; but 

 his note-books, written up to within three weeks of his death, which occurred 

 at Inverary on the 4th of August, show to the last that minute vigilance 

 and conscientiousness as an observer for which he was so remarkable 

 throughout. A memorandum, which we have pleasure in issuing with the 

 current number of the ' Zoologist,' will show that his long-announced book 

 on the Birds of Shetland is soon to appear, the materials for the small 

 portion not yet in order for the printer existing abundantly in his well- 

 indexed journals. The testimony of competent judges who have examined 

 the MSS., among them the Duke of Argyll, who has taken much interest 

 in the work, is such as to warrant us in hoping for a valuable accession to 

 our knowledge of the birds which visit the northern part of Great Britain, 

 no fewer than fifty-seven species previously unrecorded having been added 

 by the author to the Shetland list. In addition to the MSS. has been left 

 a series of drawings of eggs of birds breeding in the islands, beautifully 

 executed in water-colours, together with a very fine collection of skins and 

 of eggs of assured British origin. Those who knew and loved our brother 

 naturalist for his gentleness aud kindly nature in private life will be well 

 prepared to learn that he died in quiet faith, commending to God's care his 

 widow and five Uttle children, the youngest of whom was born but a few 

 hours before his death. Dr. Saxby was only in the thirty-seventh year of 

 his age, but for twenty-five years he had kept an almost daily register of the 

 birds whicli came under his notice; and by residence in the south of 

 England, in Belgium, and in North Wales, he had acquired a familiarity 

 with the appearance and habits of arboreal and other land birds, which 

 enabled him to identify them at a glance wherever they occurred. — S. II. 8. 

 [I am indebted to an old aud valued correspondent for a second obituary 

 notice of my lam.ented contributor : it is written in the same kindly spirit 

 as the above, bearing ample testimony to the merits of the deceased, but is 

 not quite so complete in those details which it is desirable to preserve. — 

 Edward Newinan.] 



