THE LATE Mr. R. A. STERNDALE. 



The death of His Excellency Mr. R. A. Sterudale, late Governor of 

 St. Helena, which was recently announced, removes one of the oldest 

 and most honoured names from our roll. Mr. Sterndale came to 

 Bombay soon after the Bombay Natural History Society was founded 

 and at once joined it„ and worked for it with characteristic enthusiasm. 

 That it rose so rapidly from the littleness and obscurity of its origin 

 must be attributed, in a great measure, to its good fortune in having 

 among its members a naturalist of Mr. Sterndale's distinction aud one 

 so exceptionally qualified by his versatile gifts to popularise its work. 

 The list of contributions from his pen, which will be found in the Index 

 to our Journals, gives no idea of the extent to which the Society was 

 indebted to him. The idea of starting a Journal originated with him and 

 proved practicable only because of the way in which his ready pen and 

 pencil solved all difficulties. He continued to edit the Journal till he 

 left Bombay in 1887. Mr. Sterndale's presence at the monthly 

 meetings also added much to their interest. He was not a museum 

 naturalist, but a lover of animals, and he imparted a living interest 

 to every creature about which he discoursed. As Governor of St. 

 Helena he was too busy and too far removed from us to help 

 us much, but he retained his interest in the Society to the last. While 

 recording its sense of the great debt it owes him, the Society desires 

 also to express its sympathy with his widow and daughters in their 

 sorrow. 



THE LATE Mr. CHARLES MARIES, v.m.h. 



in the death of Mr. Charles Maries, the Superintendent of the 

 Gwalior State Gardens, the Natural History Society has also lost a 

 member who had for many years contributed valuable specimens to the 

 Society's collection. Mr. Maries, in addition to being one of the 

 leading gardeners in India, had, amongst many other accomplish- 

 ments, the art of successful taxidermy, and by studying the birds and 

 animals whilst alive, wa- able to mount them as specimens in the most 

 life-like attitudes. The three cases of Wild Ducks aud Wading-birds 

 in the Museum, which are so much admired by members and visitors, 

 were mounted and presented by Mr. Maries, and there are also 

 many other specimens which he had from time to time contributed. 



