4 MEMOIK OF IHE LIFE OF JOHN HANCOCK, 



birds, especially those of Northumberland and Durham; that 

 he began taxidermy, and frequented the workshop of Mr. E.. E. 

 "Wingate, then the well-known, respected, and skilful stuffer of 

 birds, etc., in IN'ewcastle. 



He joined a band of naturalists, friends who were in the habit 

 of making summer excursions to different parts of the district 

 surrounding Newcastle, favourite places being the seaside, Prest- 

 wick Carr, Tanfield, Tyneside, etc., where most of the objects 

 of their studies were to be found. The members used to meet 

 every "Wednesday evening at each other's house in rotation, to 

 enjoy each other's society, and discuss their discoveries and their 

 pet theories. The following are the names of those who com- 

 monly attended those pleasant evening meetings : — William 

 Hutton, Joshua Alder, George Burnett, W. C. Hewitson, George 

 "Wailes, William Eobertson, John Thornhill, E. B. Bowman, 

 the Eev. George C. Abbs, Albany and John Hancock, and occa- 

 sionally other friends. These excursions and evening meetings 

 were the forerunners of the Natural History Society of North- 

 umberland and Durham in 1829, and of the Tyneside Naturalists' 

 Pield Club in 1846. 



When quite a young man John thought it no trouble or fatigue 

 to start from home at three o'clock in the morning, walk to the 

 seaside and back, after a storm at sea or during the seasons of 

 the migrations of birds, to observe the forms and habits of those 

 which he was sure to find there ; and being an excellent shot, 

 he was enabled readily to secure specimens for his museum and 

 for study at home. By degrees, and through the encouragement 

 and indulgence of his mother and sisters, their house became a 

 real museum ; his treasures and those of his brother Albany not 

 only filled the single room which was at first devoted to their 

 collections, but overflowed into almost every other apartment of 

 the house. 



In January, 1829, he observed and pointed out, for the first 

 time in England, the specific differences between the Wild Swan 

 or Whooper, Cygnus ferus, and the then newly-noticed and 

 smaller Swan, the Cygnus Bewiclcii. In Vol. I., p. 1, Transac- 

 tions of the Natural History Society of Northumberland and 



