BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 209 



It may be conceded that much worthy of consideration was said in support of their views, 

 but it is believed that all students of nature will finally concur in the opinion that the 

 decision made was a wise one. 



Dr. Thomas Mayo Brewer. 



At the general meeting of the Society on February the fourth, the President, Mr. T. 

 T. Bouv^ said : 



Since we last met, the Society has lost one of its oldest and most valued members. Dr. 

 Thomas M. Brewer. 



It grieved me as an old personal friend to learn when in a distant state, that the disease, 

 by which as I knew before leaving home he was prostrated, had terminated fatally, and 

 that I should not again receive his pleasant greeting on earth, or even have the sad satis- 

 faction of being present at the funeral services following his departure. The long inter- 

 course between us had always been of the most agreeable character, and I feel that I have 

 reason to mourn that it has so unexpectedly and mournfully terminated. This is not the 

 place, however, for me to indulge in the expression of personal bereavement, but rather 

 to dwell on the great loss the Society and community have met in the death of our beloved 

 associate. 



Dr. Brewer was born in Boston, Nov. 21st, 1814. He graduated at Harvard College in 

 1835, and in the Medical School in 1838. He labored in his profession for several years, 

 but his tastes and inclinations were stronger for other pursuits. He was fond of literary 

 labor, and, haviag strong political tendencies was early led to write for one of the lead- 

 ing Whig papers of the period, the Boston Atlas, and at length to become one of its edi- 

 tors, in which capacity he manifested marked ability both as a writer and close observer. 

 Subsequently he became interested in the firm of Swan and TUeston, a publishing house 

 which was afterwards changed to that of Brewer and Tileston. He retired from business 

 in 1875 and then visited Europe, where he remained two years. He had become well 

 known by his ornithological labors and received consequently very gratifying attention 

 from many distinguished scientific men whilst abroad. 



In the cause of popular education he was very zealous, manifesting at all times great 

 interest in the public schools of the city. He was long a member of the Boston School 

 Committee, and served in this capacity with great devotedness. His last election to this 

 ofl&ce was in 1879, for the term of three years. 



Dr. Brewer was elected a member of this Society October 7th, 1835, and soon became 

 well known by his valuable contributions, mostly upon his favorite subject of ornithology. 

 It is pleasant to recall the fact that his first communication to the Society was in defence 

 of Nuttall and Audubon, the distinguished naturalists, the latter his warm personal friend, 

 against some unjust attempts in a foreign magazine to detract from their well earned and 

 deserved reputation. Not long after he presented a highly interesting paper upon the 

 Birds of Massachusetts, in which he gave an account of over forty species not embraced 

 in the State report of Dr. Hitchcock upon the Geology and Natural History of the State. 

 From that early period, now nearly half a century since, he never ceased to manifest great 

 interest in the welfare of the Society, by frequent communications and in such other ways 

 as his health would admit. 



