him to earth for a demonstration on murine osteology, but no 

 man ever took criticism in better part. As a rule he forestalled 

 it by a genial counter attack : — " You are so polite this morning, 

 that I know you are going to tear my drawings to pieces," was 

 his typical opening to a discussion. Like all geniuses, he was 

 full of contradictions ; a delicate man, he yet went to the 

 Antarctic "for his health," and when asked to explain this 

 paradox, remarked that he never felt the joie de vivre till he 

 was on a sledge journey. His unselfishness resulted in his 

 undertaking during the first expedition the odious but necessary 

 duty of daily slaughtering a sledge-dog to be devoured by the 

 rest of the team ; it was no less characteristic of his nature 

 to find philosophical reflections on canine psychology in that 

 unpleasant task. 



Wilson has gone ! His long, lean figure will no longer stalk 

 down the galleries of the British Museum of Natural History 

 to a conference on Mammal illustrations, but we, his fellow- 

 workers, will treasure his memory, proud that for a brief 

 space he journeyed with us, lightening our labours with the 

 encouragement of the truest good-fellowship. 



Gerald E. H. Barrett- Hamilton. 



The accompanying signed portrait was presented to the 

 publishers by Dr Wilson on the eve of his departure to 

 the Antarctic. 



