7 
three winters many local mosses, collected by Mr. Needham, 
about Sketon gira Su and oh ee ooppnt i in gid eed = ee 
parish h 
We well remember his eagerness to visit the birth-place and 
local hunting grounds of that famous Todmorden botanist — 
that Prince of British artisan moss gatherers—John Nowell. 
With his strong kindred natural history tastes he appeared as 
if he could adore the very house where Nowell and his friends, 
four or five decades ago, used to look over and discuss their 
moss treasures. He stood long, reverently gazing at 
_ Nowell’s monument in Todmorden old Church-yard. In 
1894 he left Bradford and settled in Halifax, where he was 
employed in the order department in the wholesale druggist 
business of Mr. W. C. Hebden. He became a member 
of the Halifax Scientific Society, and was a much valued 
contributor to the Halifax Naturalist. For many years he had 
been a member of the Executive of the Yorkshire Naturalist 
Union. He was an original member of the * British 
Mycological Society,” and was present at the last meeting, 
held in Dublin, October, 1898. His last paper was in con- 
junction with myself and appeared in the Naturalist for 
January, 1899. It contained a description of five species of 
Discomycetes new to Britain and two new to science. All 
were found in the Halifax district except one of the latter. 
This, Saccobolus granulospermus, Sopp. and Crossl., was dis- 
covered at Harewood, near Leeds, during the Yorkshire 
Fungus Foray held at East Keswick, September, 1898. 
He had great powers of observation. He seemed to know 
exactly where to look for the things-he went in search of. He 
~was-always a-welcome addition to-any of thenaturalist excur- 
sions, and will be missed by naturalists in every part of the 
country, and especially by those of his native county. His 
memory will long be cherished by many who had the good 
fortune to work with him. Our district was dear to him, as 
here he could, during his leisure hours, roam the fields, woods, 
and moorlands to his heart’s content without any hindrance. 
One friend says of him, ‘‘ It was impossible to know Mr. Sop- 
pitt and not to respect his simple honest life and his whole- 
hearted devotion to science.” 
In the Naturalist for May, Mr. A. H. Pawson, of Farn- 
ley, with whom, and Mr. Stansfield, a Southport, Mr. Soppitt 
visited Switzerland, says— 
“Mr. Soppitt was a man of a thoroughly human and amiable disposi- 
