148 
Sn BWemoriam. 
NICHOLAS WEARMOUTH. 
SINCE writing upon the Birds inhabiting Upper Teesdale 
(Naturalist, October 1885, p. 353), one from whom a great 
deal of my information was acquired, has passed away—Mr. 
Nicholas Wearmouth. He was a bona-fide naturalist, who made 
many of his observations and shot numbers of specimens on the 
Yorkshire side of the Tees. He was born on July 16th, 1826, and 
lived for many years at Newbiggin, a small village two miles or 
more west of Middleton-in-Teesdale. Here the writer and every 
bird-student who knew him loved to call and learn what he had to 
teach respecting the wild birds which (especially some ten years ago) 
were sO very numerous in the dale. Mr. Wearmouth, though very 
constantly at work as a village grocer and provision dealer, 
frequently found time to ‘ ornithologise,’ and some of the happiest 
hours which the mind can recall were spent in his company by the 
Tees side, or in ‘Park End’ Wood. Mr. Wearmouth at an early 
period of his life showed a great interest in birds and animals, but 
was more especially fond of the former. For some years, however, 
circumstances prevented him from giving much attention to his 
hobby, but about 1860 he began to study in earnest, and continued 
to do so with increasing vigour until the time of his demise. By 
nature gentle and courteous, Mr. Wearmouth won the respect of 
those who knew him, and even to a comparative stranger his kindness 
and friendship will not easily be forgotten. Nor were his hospitality 
or intelligent conversation the mae attractions to his house at 
Newbiggin. For years, with untiring energy, Mr. Wearmouth 
(a self-taught taxidermist) soitesiad and stuffed a vast number of 
birds, both British and Foreign, but chiefly the former, amongst 
which were many rare specimens from his beloved valley. The 
Rough-legged Buzzard ( Archibuteo apes and Sanderling (Ca/idris 
arenaria), both shot close to the village, are among the number. 
a 
enhances the value of the collection, which is added to yearly by 
Mr. Wearmouth’s son Joseph, who, like his father, is a true lover of 
nature. A clutch of eggs of the Red-backed Shrike (Zamius collurio) 
from nearer Middleton, grace this extensive cabinet. Mr. Wearmout 
visited week by week the market at Barnard Castle, some seventeen 
milés away, and it was on one of these journeys that, through a slight 
mishap, an illness was brought on which terminated his useful life. 
Harrocate, 4th April, 1891. J. BACKHOUSE. 
Naturalist, 
