In Memoriam—fohn Farrah. 413 
would not allow his name to appear, nor would he permit the 
committee to record their thanks on the minutes. On _ such 
occasions he characteristically remarked that he gave the money 
to help the society’s work, not to advertise John Farrah. 
Whilst he was a good ‘all-round’ naturalist and antiquary, ’ 
botany seemed to have the greatest charm for him. On the 
memorable and exceedingly successful excursion to Bowes in 
1903, Mr. Farrah took a prominent part, and wrote the account 
of ‘The Flowering Plants of Bowes,’* one of the few occasions 
on which he could be persuaded to put pen on paper, and even 
then he would not allow ‘his stuff’ to be any cost to the Union. 
The first paragraph is so typical of the man that we quote it: 
‘It is not my intention to write a string of dry scientific names 
in the body of this article ; if these appear at all it will be at the 
end, in a list to themselves, where they will stand in stern 
forbiddingness, the bug-bear of many a would-be botanist. 
Bowes is delightfully quiet and peaceful, and I pray God that it 
will for ever remain so. The motor car—the latest curse 
inflicted upon the country—is comparatively rare. I used to 
have a contempt for cyclists; now I am beginning to respect- 
them. They glide along noiseless and stinkless, and com- 
paratively dustless, and the tinkle of their bells is heavenly 
music compared with the horn of the motor.’ + 
Mr. Farrah took a leading part in connection with the 
Botanical Section of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, of which 
he held the office of President. He also took a practical interest 
in the ‘Committee of Suggestions for Research,’ and acted for 
several years on the Executive Committee of the Union. He 
attended the annual Fungus Foray of the Mycological Com- 
mittee, and on the Terrace at Rievaulx Abbey in 1903, he 
found a large indigo-blue fungus, new to science, to which the 
name Endoloma Farraht has been given. { 
Mr. Farrah was at one time Honorary Meteorological Recorder 
for Harrogate, and in the capacity of Secretary and President 
took an active interest in the old Harrogate Naturalists’ Society. 
Perhaps next to plants the birds were his favourites, and, in 
company with Mr. Riley Fortune, he was frequently in the field 
by 3 a.m. in the spring and early summer months, in order to 
* *Nat.,’ Sep. 1903, pp. 359-369. He also wrote the ‘ Flora of Nidder- 
dale’ for Harry Speight’s work on that valley. 
+ Accompanying the general report of the Bowes excursion, appearing 
in the same issue of the ‘ Naturalist,’ is a plate from a photograph of ‘ Four 
F.’s L.S.,’ one of whom is John Farrah. 
+ See ‘ Naturalist,’ January, 1904, where a coloured representation of 
the specimen is given. 
1907 December 1. 
