236 Obituary — Rev. J. D. La Touche. 



Commencing with a succinct but not very full account of the 

 geological formations, from Pre-Cambrian to Lias, which are repre- 

 sented in the county of Salop, a few pages are very usefully devoted 

 to the description of a number of routes by which these formations 

 may be seen and conveniently studied, the best localities for fossils 

 being pointed out. The remainder and much the greater part of the 

 work is paleeontological, consisting of descriptions of fossils, first of 

 the genera and then of the species, which are depicted on 22 plates. 

 A few new species are described and figured. 



In July, 1872, he conducted, with Prof. Morris and Mr. Lightbody, 

 an excursion of the Geologists' Association to the neighbourhood of 

 Ludlow and the Longmynds, which was highly successful. 



Geology was not his only scientific study; it was but one of many. 

 In 1875 he contributed a paper to the Meteorological Society 

 (a result of a visit to Natal, where he went in 1874 to assist 

 Bishop Colenso) ; he kept a rain-gauge and other meteorological 

 instruments ; and from the year 1876 the rainfall at Stokesay 

 A'icarage has appeared annually in Symons' " British Rainfall." 

 Through his astronomical work he became acquainted with Sir 

 William Herschel, grandson of Herschel I. He studied micro- 

 scopical petrology, making rock-sections with a machine of his 

 own designing and examining them under the microscope until 

 his eyesight became affected, when he turned his attention to the 

 practical study of electricity, constructing the necessary apparatus 

 himself. In Natural History his favourite studies were entomology 

 and botany ; he was expert in dissecting insects, and he made 

 a complete collection of the plants of his neighbourhood. In his 

 parish is the only British locality for Astrantia major, and he was 

 proud to show this plant growing to those whom he could trust to 

 look and not to take, but careful not to do so to the mere collector. 

 It may be that his taste for botany and love of flowers were acquired 

 from his intimate friend Sir Joseph Hooker. He had considerable 

 archasological knowledge, as his " Guide to Stokesay Castle " attests, 

 and at the time of his death he had just completed a history of his 

 parish intended for publication. 



With these diversified studies Mr. La Touche was also assiduous 

 in parochial work. His ancestors on both sides being of Huguenot 

 extraction, he appears to have inherited an intense desire, with the 

 needful ability, to help those around him to acquire useful know- 

 ledge and to become expert artisans. He not only taught daily in 

 his parish schools such subjects as Latin, French, mathematics, land- 

 surveying, and shorthand, but he also had a room built which he 

 fitted up with carpenter's bench, lathe, and. a chemical laboratory, 

 where he gave practical instruction in various useful arts, including 

 bookbinding. His fame as a tutor was worldwide, and amongst 

 his private pupils were sons of Bishop Colenso, of Professor Max 

 Miiller, and of Sir Joseph Hooker, and two nephews of Sir Charles 

 Lyell. 



As Vicar of Stokesa}' for the long period of 44 years, he had 

 endeared himself to his parishioners, who will miss his commanding 



