Memoir of the Rev. R. H. Williamson. 157 



Of late years it has been observed that the Common Owl 

 has become much scarcer in the Duns Castle Woods than 

 formerly ; and though it would be rash to attribute the 

 increase of the Vole to such a cause, the coincidence deserves 

 to be noted. It is also worthy of remark that hawks — 

 especially Kestrels — and Weasels have been more frequently 

 observed in the affected parts of the woods during the past 

 summer than iu former years, and it is hoped that they 

 may be of service in the mitigation of the pests. 



Memoir of the Rev. R. H. WUllamson, M.A. By the 

 Rev. E. H. Adamson, M.A., St. Alban's Vicarage, Felling- 

 on-Tyne. 



Tnis estimable clergyman was born July 12th 1813, at 

 Killingworth, Northumberland, where his father, of the same 

 name, the Rev. Robert Hopper Williamson, M.A., afterwards 

 Rector of Hurworth-on-Tees, was then residing. His grand- 

 father was Robert Hopper, Esq., a provincial lawyer of great 

 ability and eminence, who held the ofl&ces of Recorder of New- 

 castle-upon-Tyne, and Temporal Chancellor of the Diocese of 

 Durham. He belonged to a family long seated at Shincliffe, near 

 Durham, and assumed the name of Williamson, in addition to 

 his own, on marrying Ann, daughter and heiress of the Rev. W. 

 Williamson, D.D.. sometime Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, 

 and Rector of Whickham, a younger brother of the fourth 

 Baronet Sir Hed worth Williamson of Monkwearmouth. Mr 

 Williamson received his early education at Hazelwood, near 

 Birmingham, under the Messrs Hill — one of whom, we believe, 

 became afterwards so much distinguished as the originator of 

 the Penny Postage scheme. Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.B. and 

 D.C.L. Among his co-temporaries at the school were Montague 

 Villiers, afterwards Bishop of Durham ; Sir William Bowman, 

 Bart., the celebrated oculist; and Grathorne- Hardy, Earl of 

 Cranbrook, who still survives. After reading for a time with a 

 private tutor iu Yorkshire, he was entered at Gonville and Caius 

 College in Cambridge, whence he graduated B.A. in 1835, and 

 M.A. in 1838. 



