AVM. THOMPSON, ESQ. XXVU 



on the niigralion of birds. His love of ornithology was indeed intense, and 

 the results of his labours in that department are narrated with full and charming 

 details in the volumes that have been published of his great work on ' The Na- 

 tural History of Ireland.' His name is associated with many discoveries, and 

 numerous species of new creatures have been named after him. His reputation 

 stood equally high on the continent and in America, and he had been elected 

 an honorary member of several foreign societies. Entirely devoid of any envious 

 feeling, loving to coijperate with others, and to assist in furthering their re- 

 searches, truthful and energetic, he spared neither time, labour, nor pains, to 

 help in every possible way all who were engaged in kindred jiursuits. He num- 

 bered among his intimate friends and correspondents all (we may say almost 

 without exception) the eminent naturalists of the day, and equally all those who 

 might be little known but were of good promise. His love of the tine arts was 

 only second to his love of science, and for many years he was one of the most 

 active promoters of tasteful pursuits, and especially of painting, in Ireland." — - 

 Literary Gazette. 



An obituary notice respecting him — one of their earliest and most con- 

 stant contributors — appeared in the Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History, for March, 1852, p. 246, which, after the previous quotations from 

 other London periodicals, it seems unnecessary to quote. 



(^Fro)n the Dublin University Magazine, April, 1852.) 



"It was only last month that we devoted a portion of our pages to a review 

 of 'The Birds of Ireland,' by William Thompson; and we then indulged in 

 pleasing anticipations of what we had yet to expect from the labours of the 

 author. A sadder task now devolves upon us ; the hopes we had then fondly 

 cherished, are destined never to be realized ; — the accomplished naturalist, the 

 high-minded man, the warm-hearted friend, has ceased from his earthly labours ; 

 and it now only remains for us to bid memory take the place of hope. There 

 were few more pleasing features in his character than the interest he always 

 took in the success of the several literary and scientific institutions of his native 

 towii. Imbued with a deep and genuine patriotism, and fully recognising in such 

 institutions the means of elevating the moral and physical condition of his fellow- 

 countrymen, he spared neither time nor labour in the promotion of their wel- 

 fiire ; and his purse was always freely open in their cause. Utterly free from 

 envy, he was always ready to help onwards in the same paths of science the less 

 experienced searcher after truth ; and many a living naturalist owes whatever 

 success has subsequently attended his career, to the encouragement thus cor- 

 dially given. ' The love of truth and the love of his country were inseparably 

 blended with his nature, and became the leading influences in his simple and 

 unostentatious life.' " 



When the British Association for Science assembled in Belfast, on the 

 1st of September, 1852, William Ogilby, Esq., President of the Natural 

 History Section, at the opening of the business, i)aid a just tribute to the 

 memory of his departed friend, and proposed a resolution, whicli was 

 unanimously adopted, to the effect that the members of the section de- 

 sired to 2}ut on record then- deep regret at the loss both science and 

 humanity had sustained by his sudden and premature death. 



Mr. Thompson differed from the generality of naturalists, in the Avide 

 range of his research. He gave attention not only to the long series of 

 vertebrate and invertebrate animals (excepting Insecta.and Infusoria), but 

 also to the vegetable kingdom in all its various i'orms. Some depart- 

 ments of Cryptogamic botany gave exercise to his powers of observation, 

 as shown by his ])aper " On a minute Alga, which colours Ballydrain 

 Lake," and more especially by the number of localities contributed by 

 him to his friend Professor Harvey's splendid work, the " Phycologia 



