THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[April 



35. M. fasciata, Meig. Common amongst nettles, &c. 



36. M. stigma, Curt. Common amongst nettles, &c. 



37. M. centralis, Meig. Generally distributed. 



38. M. phalerata, Hoff. Generally distributdd. 



39. Bolitophila fitsca, Meig. Common even in winter. 



40. B. cinevea, Hoff. Rare. Glanvilles Wootton. 



41. Sciara Tliomce, Linn. Common in August. 



42. S. vuficaiida, Meig. Rare. Of this rare and red abdomened 

 species I took two specimens in October, 1880. 



43. S. morix, Fab. Generally distributed. 



44. 5. pallipes. Fab. Generally distributed. 

 .45. S. fas cipes, Meig. Generally distributed. 



46. vS. hrunnipes, Meig. Generally distributed. 



47. Zygoneura sciarina, Meig. Rare. Glanvilles Wootton. 



48. Bradsia hrevipeimis* Walk. Rare. 



Obituary. 



ROBERT CALVERT. 



By the death of Mr. Robert Calvert, of Bishop Auckland, the North of England, and the 

 County Palatine in particular has lost one of its best known all-round Naturalists, one of 

 those hardworking practical field observers and ardent lovers of nature who have done so 

 much to increase the stores of knowledge of local floras and faunas. Born at Bishop 

 Auckland, in the early teens of the present centuary, he had witnessed a developement of 

 the natural resources of his native county which has completely altered many of its natural 

 features and characteristics, so that the records of his collectings, extending over a period 

 of more than fifty years, and published some seven years ago in his " Notes on the Geology 

 and Natural History of Durham," forms a repertory of facts of the greatest possible interest 

 to both the student and collector. Born of humble parentage, and receiving only the 

 scantiest rudiments of early education, Mr. Calvert ma}' be classed as a self-taught man. 

 Although able to discourse in terse graphic and vigorous language on his favourite themes, 

 he never aspired to be a public teacher and the book alluded to was the sole product of his 

 pen. By assiduous industry he amassed a comfortable competence and his later years j 

 were spent in comparative retirement, but up within a week of his decease his walks, if 1 

 shorter, were none the less frequent, and his brisk alert step and quick nervous action gave j 

 no indication of the sudden close of his career. Equally familiar with Geology, Ento- 1 

 mology, Ornithology, and Botany it would be difficult to say which was his favourite study, t 

 His large collections of Fossils, Birds, and Insects were chiefly the results of his own | 

 explorations and are exceptionally valuable as showing the richness of our county. But | 

 many of the habitats of his captures are now so altered, physically, that their denisens are ; 

 extinct and may be hunted for in vain. Mr. Calvert could not be classed as a systematic , 

 scientist, indeed he had an unconcealed contempt for the arm-chair naturalists, but inspired j 

 by an ardent love of nature, and actuated by a restless activity, he explored every nook and { 

 cranny of his neighbourhood, and acquired a knowledge of nature in her various moods j 

 and methods which was equalled by few and excelled by none of his compeers.— ' 

 J. P. S. , 



