xviii MEMOIR. 
to the delays which were occasioned by his desire of 
embracing every opportunity which presented itself, 
not only of adding a new specimen to his collection, 
but also of noting any fresh fact with regard to the 
country and its inhabitants which came before his 
notice. For, in addition to his natural history 
pursuits, he was, as above intimated, engaged on this 
journey in taking observations of the country which 
he passed through, and laying down his route, and also, 
wherever possible, in seeking intercourse with the 
natives, and gaining knowledge of their character. 
This same tendency of his — to attempt too 
much — had once before also served him in evil 
stead when at the University in earlier life. Born 
on the 6th of April 1840, a son of the late Mr. 
Edward Oates, of Meanwoodside, near Leeds — 
himself a lover of nature, and a man of literary 
tastes — Frank Oates entered at Christ Church, 
Oxford, at the close of i860. And here his love of 
nature and her teachings soon ' displayed itself by 
his choice of reading for a class in the Natural 
Science Schools. His work, however, in this 
direction did not keep him from study in many 
other departments of knowledge ; and, besides his 
studies, all out-door pursuits had each their respect- 
ive fascination for him. Of these, riding held with 
him, as it had always done, the foremost place ; and 
when the time of year or incidental circumstances 
