438 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Ornithologists' Union, and took a leading part in its conduct, being 

 still Secretary at the time of his death. He was twice Editor of the 

 < Ibis,' from 1883-1886, and again from 1895-1900. From 1880-1885 

 he was Honorary Secretary to Section D of the British Association 

 for the Advancement of Science. He was a Fellow of the Zoological, 

 Linnean, and Royal Geographical Societies, and served on the Councils 

 of all of them, and from time to time contributed valuable papers to 

 their ' Proceedings.' He was also a Member of the Societe Zoologique 

 de France, Honorary Member of the American Ornithologists' Union, 

 and of various other European societies. 



It is impossible to estimate too highly the value of his life's work 

 in the cause of Palsearctic Ornithology, but he did not devote himself 

 solely to the study of birds, for he took the deepest interest in 

 geographical research, more especially in that relating to the Arctic 

 and Antarctic regions. 



His ornithological writings were noted for their excellence rather 

 than for their number, for Mr. Saunders was by no means a voluminous 

 writer. In 1882 he took over from the late Professor Newton the 

 editorship of the fourth edition of Yarrell's ' British Birds,' and in the 

 most admirable manner re-wrote the third and fourth volumes which 

 were still required to complete the edition. Subsequently he con- 

 ceived the idea of writing his greatest work, the ' Manual of British 

 Birds,' mentioned above, which was published in 1889, and passed 

 through a second edition ten years later. On this subject we have 

 already touched, as also on his monograph of the Gulls. On these 

 latter, to the study of which he had devoted the greater part of his 

 life, he was undoubtedly the greatest authority in the world, and he 

 possessed a remarkably fine collection of their skins, which was 

 acquired by the Trustees of the British Museum in 1894. He pre- 

 sented to the nation his fine collection of eggs of Gulls and Terns, 

 and, from time to time, numbers of skins of birds from Southern Spain 

 and other parts of the world. 



He was always ready to place at the disposal of others his great 

 store of information, and a large number of books written by his friends 

 passed through his hands for revision. He was a man of singularly 

 sound judgment, and possessed of a wonderful sense of proportion, 

 consequently his help and sympathy in both public and private diffi- 

 culties were constantly sought and invariably forthcoming. The loss 

 of such a man and such a friend has plunged the little community of 



British ornithologists into heartfelt sorrow. 



W. R. Ogilvie-Grant. 



