XVI MEMOIR OF THE LATE 



])ao-es he enriched with many vakiable articles, took place in 1836, and 

 did not cease until a few months prior to his death. 



The London men of science were not slow in appreciating the value of 

 these papers on the Natural History of the Sister Isle, nor the unassum- 

 ing worth of the yoimg Irishman wlio was their author. The consequence 

 was, that acquaintance thus commenced ripened in many instances into 

 permanent friendships. What wonder, then, that an annual visit to 

 London should be one of ]Mr. Thompson's greatest pleasures ! There he 

 mingled with that variety of intellectual fellowship Avhich the great metro- 

 polis alone can afford. There he not unfrequently had difficulties re- 

 moved and doubts cleared up, such as every Naturalist who critically 

 examines species has at times experienced. To London he brought for 

 comparison, specimens which seemed to him ill-defined, and which could 

 not be satisfactorily determined, except by reference to books and spe- 

 cimens which were not accessible in a provincial town. The meetings of 

 the London societies, the conversaziones where the devotees of science, of 

 literature, and of art. mingle so happily together, had peculiar attractions 

 to a refined and cultivated mind such as Thompson possessed, and which 

 was not narrowed by a too exclusive attention to one pursuit. He took 

 pleasure in every ennobling eff'ort of the intellect, in the fair creations of 

 the artist — the bright imaginings of the poet, in every discovery within the 

 wide domain of physical science, and in the applications of its laws to 

 lessen the labour or minister to the happiness of man. 



From about the year ] 833 he went steadily on recording the occurrence 

 of species previously unknown as L'ish, and gradually accumulating the 

 materials for a Fauna of Ireland. As his labours became better known, 

 correspondents in every province of Ireland sprang up, and information 

 of the most varied character poured in upon him. This was sifted with 

 exemplary care. Questions were asked, and if not answered with suf- 

 ficient perspicuity, new interrogatories followed, until his own mind was 

 perfectly satisfied as to the accuracy of the statement. It occasionally 

 happened, that the communication related not to something in relation 

 to the habits of a well-knoMU species, but to the capture of a species 

 which was either rare or known only as the denizen of other lands. In 

 such cases he sometimes did not rest content, until he had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining the specimen, and determining the species by actual 

 inspection. That being done, then all details were given, especially the 

 date, the locality, and the name of the correspondent to whom he was in- 

 debted for the information. Detached observations, each separately of 

 little account, assumed a new character when combined, and bearing the 

 stamp of his scrutiny and approval. Parties residing in widely scattered 

 localities felt gratified at their observations being ])ei'manently embodied 

 in Mr. Thompson's papers, and were thereby stimulated to co-operate by 

 every means in their power. Thus a body of observers sprang up, who 

 made choice of Mr. Thompson as the channel for what they wished to 

 announce, in connexion with the Natural History of Ireland ; and never 

 was such assistance more scrupulously acknowledged than by him. Per- 

 haps no one of his mental characteristics was more uniformly manifested 

 than his anxious desire to record any assistance he had received, and to 

 express his gratitude for facts communicated or specimens sent for his 

 inspection. 



In the busy community amid which Mr. Thompson lived, he was the 

 only one who was devoted to Natural Science, and whose time Avas so 

 entirely at his own disposal as to be given up to its cultivation. Among 



