OBITUARY. 469 
thus lived under the reigns of six sovereigns. In the days of his 
boyhood he kept wild birds, and afterwards was a well-known 
authority on Pigeons, and it was largely owing to this knowledge 
that through Yarrell he made the acquaintance of Darwin, who was 
then pursuing his epoch-making researches in the variation of plants 
and animals. Tegetmeier’s name frequently appears in the writings 
of the great evolutionist. He was on the staff of the ‘Wield’ for about 
fifty years, for over forty years wrote leading articles for the ‘ Queen,’ 
and contributed the article on Poultry to the ninth edition of the 
‘Encyclopedia Britannica.’ His separately published works are well 
known as relating to Pheasants, Poultry, and the House-Sparrow. 
Other landmarks in his long life were his being the oldest holder 
of a reading ticket at the British Museum; he secured that privilege 
in 1833, at the age of seventeen. He was an original member of the 
Savage Club, and its first Joint Secretary with Andrew Halliday. 
