IN MEMORIAM JOHN SANG. 



53 



the Darlington Choral Society while he was secretary of it, without 

 the score. In entomology his memory was truly wonderful. He 

 knew the particulars of the occurrence of every rare species, where, 

 when, and by whom each was taken, and in whose collection they 

 now were. He knew the markings of even the most minute species, 

 and would unhesitatingly point out an error in the figure of any of 

 them. He knew the food of each, and was familiar with the earlier 

 stages of many. These may not seem to be difficult of accomplish- 

 ment when this is read, but no one who had witnessed any of John 

 Sang's feats of memory can help wondering, not only at the accuracy 

 of it, but at the quickness and readiness with which he could reply 

 to any point that was raised. The writer first made Mr. Sang's 

 acquaintance in the year 1859, when he called upon him with some 

 insects he could not name. Mr. Sang took the box, and named 

 them, one after the other, as fast as their names could be written 

 -down till he came to the last one. ' That one,' said he, ' I do not 

 know. I never saw it before, but I'll tell you in a minute.' A book 

 was produced, a page or two examined carefully, and the capture 

 pronounced to be Eninielesia imifasciata^ then a great rarity. The 

 book, of course, was ' Stainton's Manual of Butterflies and Moths, 

 then just published. 



In 1852 Mr. Sang commenced a diary, which he continued with 

 more or less fulness till the year 1881. This diary is not by any 

 means a model, for it is merely a list of species occurring at various 

 localities at certain dates. To say there are no notes would be 

 untrue, but they are very few indeed. ' May 15th, 1872 — Coniscliffe 

 Lane, Gregsonella flying in sun, 3 to 4 p.m., worn,' is one of the 

 very few where any record is made of the habits of an insect. 

 'Worn,' 'much worn,' Mate,' 'early,' and such like, are not of 

 unfrequent occurrence. Under May 27th, 1874, there is — 'Tees- 

 side, Coniscliffe, Tanacetana flying freely in afternoon ; try a week 

 earlier still' 'May i6th, 1869 — Hellkettles, (too small to 

 take).' 'July nth, 1869 — Hellketlles, larvae of Respkndellum^ large 

 mine on i8th' The fact evidently was that his memory was so 

 thoroughly trustworthy that he did not need to make notes ; he 

 certainly was a very close observer, and could tell the habits of any 

 species he had been in the habit of taking. Occasional notes are 

 given on weather, thus : ' April 14th, 1875, Good Friday — last snow, 

 a very severe week,' is a sample of many such notes. Once or twice 

 he has been in too great a hurry to record the last snow, thus on 

 April 22nd, i860, he writes Mast snow '; then on May 29th the same 

 year he records : ' Whit Monday, last snow, very heavy from 5.30 a.m. 

 to 10 a.m.,' and to make the entry of April 22nd correct, he inter- 



Feb'. ]888. 



