II4 IN MEMORIAM—JOHN MAW KIRK, F.R.M.S. 
Mr. Kirk was married in April, 1882, to the youngest daughter 
of Mr. S. Meacock, J.P., formerly mayor of Doncaster. On this 
occasion, in recognition of his long and meritorious musical services, 
the congregation of St. George’s (Doncaster Parish Church) 
presented him with a very fine and handsome binocular microscope, 
an instrument he was justly proud of and with which he was never 
tired of exhibiting, whenever he had the opportunity, those lower 
forms of life which were his especial delight. 
When the Doncaster Microscopical Society became affiliated to 
the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, Mr. Kirk took great interest in 
present at its meetings whenever he conveniently could do so. 
On these occasions his burly i and familiar face were always 
welcome, and any remarks he had to make were attentively 
listened to. When he spoke it was to the point; his language was 
terse and well chosen, his delivery impressive, and his voice clear 
and good. It was thus also with his papers: what he attempted to 
do he did well. A series of lecturettes on the lower forms of animal 
life will ever live in the minds of those who heard them and who 
saw the exquisitely beautiful drawings with which they were illustrated. 
In addition to his other gifts, Mr. Kirk was an artist of no mean 
capacity, and was equally at home with the brush or the pencil. 
Some of his natural history sketches in. colour were wonderfully 
accurate and good, and exhibited a wealth of detail which was 
surprising to those who knew not what infinite pains and care he 
took in his work. 
For illustrating his papers he adopted a particularly effective 
method, sketching the enlarged object in Chinese white on black 
cardboard, thus simulating the beautiful result produced by black- 
ground illumination with the microscope. 
It would scarcely be true to say that Mr. Kirk did any original 
work, at least there is no record of such. For some years he was 
secretary of the Micro-Zoological and Micro-Botanical Committee of 
e Y.N.U., and in this capacity reported on gatherings made during 
some of the excursions; but I am not aware that he ever engaged in 
any special investigation. 
The business to which he succeeded at his father’s death was not. 
prosperous in his hands, and after a few years he gave it up and 
sought occupation as a teacher of singing. This did not answer his 
expectations ; so when in 1891 the post of librarian to the Doncaster 
Free Library became vacant, he applied for and obtained it. The 
occupation was a thoroughly congenial one, and though compelled 
to give up private teaching, he was able to retain his appointments 
Naturalist, 
