Pilchard," which gained a Prize offered by Mr. John Buller of Morval. 

 In his larger sphere of publication, his maximum opus was his " History 

 of the Fishes of the British Islands," the result of the patient and un- 

 remitting labour of a life-time ; occupying four volumes of careful de- 

 scription of the habits and structure of British fishes, and illustrated by 

 upwards of 250 portraits drawn by the author. In early life he largely 

 assisted Bewick in his projected " Natural History of British Fishes," 

 and Yarrell in his "British Ichthyology"; and he also edited an 

 annotated translation of "Pliny's Natural History." Another of 

 his works — a very readable and suggestive book — was entitled " Illustra- 

 tions of instinct deduced from the habits of British Animals." He also 

 contributed to the Imperial Magazine, to Loudon's Magazine of Natural 

 History, the Intellectual Observer, The Student, and the Transactions of 

 the Linnasan, Zoological, and other Societies ; besides all which, he 

 kept a MS. Journal of observations in Natural History, which, continued 

 until his death, now consists of several volumes. — Mr. Couch received 

 his early education at the Bodmin Grammar School, and afteinvards be- 

 came a student in medicine, at first under Dr. Pace of Looe, then under 

 Mr. Lawrence of Liskeard, and finally at the united hospitals of Guy's 

 and St. Thomas, where, as in early years, he was a diligent student, and 

 gave proofs of more than ordinary ability. He then returned to his 

 native village, Polperro, and residing there in one and the same house 

 during a period of 55 years, he continuously devoted himself to his pro- 

 fessional duties and scientific labours with an unflagging enthusiasm 

 that ended but with his last day of life ; still, however, finding or making 

 time to take active part in promoting the material and moral welfare of 

 his neighbours, and rendering much valued help in protecting and ad- 

 vancing the interests of Cornish fisheries and fishermen. 



In 1856 Mr, Couch was honoured by a presentation copy of the 

 "Natural History of Deeside and Braemar," privately printed for Her 

 Majesty. In 1867 he received a gold medal and a diploma for a com- 

 munication on Ichthyology, from the Committee of the Exposition Inter- 

 nationale des Peches, &c., at Arcachon. 



We understand that his eldest surviving son, Mr. T. Q. Couch of 

 Bodmin (to whom this Institution is largely indebted, especially for his 

 frequent and valuable communications to its Journal), becomes, by will, 

 the possessor of his father's literary and scientific remains. We may 

 therefore hope to receive from him, as the result of his researches 

 amongst those treasures, the communication of many recorded facts and 

 observations, valuable in themselves, and as further illustrating the 

 character of one of the most remarkable of modern Cornish Worthies : 

 but we have thought it right to avail ourselves of the veiy earliest oppor- 

 tunity of devoting a commemorative page to his honour and our regret 

 for his loss. 



