THE NATURALISTS OF LAKELAND XXIX 



The limits of space unfortunately render it impossible to give 

 a more detailed account of the merits which this north- 

 countryman possessed as a scientific ornithologist. His singular 

 proficiency in every department of zoology was equalled, if not 

 surpassed, by the devotion with which he sought to advance the 

 labours of some of his contemporaries. Thus, when Denny pub- 

 lished his Monographia Anoplurosum in 1842, he included infor- 

 mation derived from Heysham, who sent him parasites taken 

 from the Little Auk, Bewick's Swan, Whooper, Shoveller, Scaup, 

 Common Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike, and fourteen other species. 

 Nor should it be forgotten that this singular man was an 

 excellent botanist. An undated draught is couched in the fol- 

 lowing words : ' Mr. Heysham presents his compliments to Sir 

 William Hooker, and has taken the liberty to enclose him 

 a specimen of the Whorled Caraway (Carum vertkillatum) , which 

 he gathered a few days ago on a Heath in the vicinity of 

 Carlisle, and which in all probability is the first specimen of 

 this plant Sir William Hooker has yet seen.' This record does 

 not appear to have been published at the time. Many years 

 later Mr. William Duckworth re-discovered the Whorled 

 Caraway on King Moor, and was not a little surprised to learn 

 that his researches had long been anticipated by Heysham. 

 Similarly, Heysham wrote to his old and valued collector, 

 Cooper, on September 29, 1840 : 'During the early part of the 

 month I made a short excursion to the Lakes in search of a few 

 Ferns, etc. The weather as usual proved unfavourable, and I 

 did not meet with much. I, however, contrived to reach the 

 summit of Skiddaw, and fell in with Hymenojphyllum wilsoni ; 

 and as I believe this is a plant you have not yet seen, I have 

 enclosed you a specimen.' That T. C. Heysham's researches in 

 middle life were hampered by physical indisposition is rendered 

 certain by the allusions to ill health which occur in some of the 

 draughts of his letters, as well as to the encroachments on his 

 time of family business. Thus, when Newman wrote to him 

 in October ] 842, asking that he would furnish a table of the 

 arrivals of migrating birds to the Zoologist, then upon the eve 

 of its birth, Heysham denied the request. ' A few years ago,' 

 he replied, ' I paid great attention to this subject, and annually 



