'930 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol XXVII. 



Survey of India, in the course of whicli some half a dozen trained collectors 

 were sent in succession to selected parts of the Indian Empire, and collections 

 firmed of perfectly prepared specimens, to a number now approaching 20,000, 

 Tvhile at the sametime a series of systematic reports on the material so obtained 

 were prepared in London and printed in the Society's Journal. This Survey is 

 undoubtedly the finest thing of the sort that has ever been done, if we except the 

 American Survey of their own Territories, done out of Government funds, while 

 the Bombay Survey has been mainly carried out by private generosity. 



Altogether the' Survey, the materials obtained by it for the benefit of the 

 J^^ational and Bombay Museums, and the papers written on this material, together 

 form a monument to Wroughton's memory which will remain as long as Zoology 



exists. 



The number of papers, mostly in the Society's Journal, that Wroughton 

 Tvrote, is very considerable, and he described something like 200 new species and 

 subspecies of African and Indian Mammalia. 



•When, owing to the war, material began to fall off in quantity Wroughton 

 took the opportunity of preparing a summary of the work done in Indian Mamma- 

 logy during the course of the Survey. This Avas fortunately completed before 

 illness overtook him, and would have been the precursor to a new edition of the 

 mammals of British India, which it was arranged that he should prepare in con- 

 junction -with M. A. C Hinton of the Xatural History Museum. 



It was typical of Wroughton's indomitable energy of spirit that he should, 

 •after 70, and suffering already from the grave illness of Avhich he died, have 

 light-heartedly planned and started on such a monumental work as a new 

 Blanford. 



But this' was the key to the character of the man. No work was too labori- 

 ous, too great or too difficult for him to start on, and, if life were given him, to 

 carry through to a successful conclusion. His mental energy was astounding, 

 and he never recoiled from any task on account of the labour it w-ould involve, 

 v/hether it were the Avriting of a book, the preparing of reports, the handling of 

 any amount of specimens, or the taking of unending measurements in groups 

 that he was working out. And the readiness vith which, to the end of his life. 

 Tie assimulated new ideas, whether of nomenclature, storage-methods, or any- 

 thing else was quite rmusual for a man of his age. 

 The following are formal details of his life : — 



Born at Nusserabad, 15th August 1849. Educated at Bedford School and 

 King's College, London. Trained at L'Ecole Forestiere, Nanc;,-, France. 

 Appointed to Indian Forest Service, 10th December 1871, as Assistant Con- 

 servator of Forests, Bombay Presidency, eventually becoming Inspector of 

 Forests for India. Retired 1904. 



Married in 1877 Mary, daughter of Captain Freeman of the Indian Navy. 

 Died at Chiswick, Middlesex, 15th May 1921. 



Of liis personal characteristics it is difficult to speak in unexaggerated terms. 

 ■Of a splendidly robust physique, he was as keen and energetic over games as over 

 work and was the greatest favourite with everyone A^dth whom he came in con- 

 tact. Most striking were his simplicity of character, his keen humour and his 

 power of attracting volunteer help, such as that so willingly given him by Miss 

 Kathleen Ryley, and above all by Mr. Thomas Fry. During the 17 years that he 

 worked in London he earned the affection of all the mammal staff though his 

 modesty and retiring disposition prevented his taking any prominent part in 

 the general scientific life of London. But to those, young and old, who 

 v/ere in touch with him his loss is a very severe blow and as a friend and 

 helper he will be deeply missed by all of us at the Natural History Museum, 

 -svhere he was so regular an attendant. 



OLDFIELD THOMAS. 



