24 
The Irish NahiralisU 
February, 
It is to be deplored that his hardworking life left him 
neither time nor opportunity to put on record much which 
would have been of lasting value. That two such naturalists 
as More and Williams, with whom all knotty points in iden- 
tification and in Irish field natural history were discussed, 
should have left unwritten a large proportion of the special 
information they possessed as to the distribution and habits 
of birds, beasts, fishes, and plants, in Ireland, is lamentable. 
A keen eye, a quick musical ear, and a retentive memory, 
grafted on to a cautious and truthful nature, free from any 
tendency to exaggeration, made Williams an almost ideal 
field naturalist, but the physical health and strength, so 
necessary for prolonged or adventurous excursions, was 
lacking, and he was thus prevented taking advantage of 
numerous invitations and opportunities for observing nature 
in her wildest aspects. This deficiency was partly consti- 
tutional, and partly due to the constant strain of an occupation, 
the success of which depended in a special degree on his own 
handicraft, and his personal attention to the detailed and 
minute requirements of his individual clients. Often, when 
urged to take holidays, he would reply " You cannot under- 
stand the fascination my work has for me ; I love it." 
In private, his amiable and retiring divSposition, his talent, 
and his absolute freedom from conceit, endeared him to all. 
Without being " religious " in the ordinary sense, he was 
filled with reverence towards the great Creator and Architect 
of all things. His Sunday mornings were frequently devoted 
to walks in the country, his evenings to public worship or to 
hymns sung at his own fireside. His sudden and painless 
death was probably just such as he would have desired, but its 
unexpectedness emphasised his loss both to his friends and 
relatives. When Edward Williams' mother was being buried, 
the ground deep in snow, a Redbreast alighted on the edge of 
the grave and sang for a short while. This incid^ent appealed 
forcibly to one whose life had been devoted to the study of 
nature, and Edward expressed a strong desire to be buried 
where the birds could sing over his grave. His wish has been 
gratified. 
Richard M. Barrington. 
Fassaroe, Bray. 
