NOTES AND QUERIES. 



115 



of Porto Eico; Washington, 1900, p. 140). In Texan waters "the 

 Oyster has but few enemies, the Druinfish* being the only one 

 dreaded " (Proc. Nat. Fish. Oongr. Florida, 1898, p. 314).— Ed.] 



OBITUARY. 

 Charles Berry. 



Although little known, save by West of Scotland naturalists and 

 geologists, Charles Berry, who died Feb. 1st, 1909, is well worthy of 

 some brief commemoration in the pages of ' The Zoologist.' Destined 

 to spend fifty-three years of his life in the small and secluded village 

 of Lendalfoot on the Ayrshire coast, engaged in the arduous occupa- 

 tion of a sea-fisherman, he " found himself " in quiet, patient, and 

 continuous natural history observations and pursuits, winning a well- 

 deserved reputation for first-hand local knowledge and accuracy. 

 Perhaps the proximity to Lendalfoot of the great bird-station, of Ails 

 Craig had some effect in making ornithology his favourite pursuit. 

 His information was always at the disposal of inquirers, and year 

 after year his observations and returns were amongst the most 

 valuable included in Mr. John Paterson's "Reports on Scottish Orni- 

 thology," published in the 1 Annals of Scottish Natural History.' 



So far as writing is concerned, he was, however, of the " mute, 

 inglorious " class, and it is only now, at the time of his death, that 

 ornithologists in general have the opportunity of learning something 

 of his work. In the 1 Glasgow Naturalist ' (the new journal of the 

 Natural History Society of Glasgow, issued last month — February), 

 an article by him on the " Birds of Lendalfoot " appears (pp. 5-23), 

 the only writing of his ever published, I believe. It is one of the 

 most remarkable examples of purely personal and strictly local orni- 

 thological work ever done, confined as it is to a four-mile radius and 

 the adjoining waters, and, as the writer says, " I thought it better not 

 to add a single bird but those I have myself seen and in most cases 

 handled." In these circumstances, to be able to enumerate one 

 hundred and sixty-two species, ninety-five of which nest (including 

 the Ailsa Craig records), shows that Mr. Berry came very near 

 making the utmost possible out of his opportunities. Unfortunately 

 he did not live to see his work in print, but it has secured his position 

 and repute high amongst Scottish local ornithologists. — H. B. W. 



:; ' Fogon-ias cromis !. 



