18 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
-OBITUARY. 
MR. A. E. WALKER. 
In his eighty-second year, Mr. Alfred E. Walker passed away 
April 17th, 1902, respected and beloved by all who knew him. Al- 
though a gentleman of retiring disposition, and of by no means 
robust health, he nevertheless took a keen interest in affairs of the 
Hamilton Scientific Association, and did much work to promote its 
welfare. 
. Mr. Walker repeatedly occupied the office of Vice-President of 
the Association, and was also President of its Geological Section. 
Blessed, as he was, with a sympathetic disposition and versatile tal- 
ents, the specific work of no Section of the Society was altogether 
foreign to him, or devoid of interest. He was not unmindful of the 
grain of wise counsel in the adage which enjoins us “to know some- 
thing of everything,” and took still greater heed of the complement 
to that adage which bids us ‘‘ know everything of something.” Geol- 
ogy, and the fossil life of the strata exposed in the Hamilton escarp- 
ment, were his favorite study. Col. Grant, his collaborator for more 
than a third of a century, pays touching tribute to the memory of his 
friend, and gives unequivocal testimony to the thoroughness and 
value of his study of the rocks and fossils of this district. 
Mr. Walker, Col. Grant writes, ‘‘ possessed a thorough know- 
ledge of the Paleontology of several Geological formations. An 
outline of two of his addresses on Coral and Stromatoporoids was 
published, though their most interesting portions were verbal and 
not reported. He skilfully prepared sections of the recently discov- 
ered Niagara Chert Sponges, and was the first to point out internal 
differences among the genera Aulocopina, a family of fossil sponges 
named by Billings, and found as yet only in this vicinity. Dr. Head, 
of Chicago, lately named a newly discovered fossil sponge Aucolopina 
Watlkeri, in honor of our friend.” 
Like all generous men, Mr. Walker took delight in sharing with 
others the results of his own investigation, and his enthusiasm for 
the study of nature influenced for good all his friends. 
