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Obituary: W. Ackroyd, F.I.C, F.C.S. 



to the ground, very rarely ' crossing',' and then only when 

 another rabbit or bird track intercepted the scent. Its quarry 

 was a half-gfrown rabbit, which constantly came into the open 

 for a run of a few yards, and then threaded the rather open 

 hedge into the cover again. The actions of the rabbit and 

 Weasel were usual under the circumstances, and must have 

 been viewed by every student of nature. What was quite new 

 to us both was the indifference showed to what was taking 

 place by other rabbits and pheasants which were out on the 

 g-rass feeding-. When the trail brought the weasel quite near 

 to them they almost disregarded it. The hen pheasants would 

 g'ive a little flirting jump, and just move out of the track, and 

 the cocks a vicious dig with their beaks at their passing enemy. 

 More astonishing still, the feeding rabbits moved so lazily and 

 indifferently from the track that three times the weasel was 

 within less than eighteen inches of their bodies. When it 

 passed after a mere giance, they went on feeding as if nothing 

 out of the common were taking place. The weasel, too, was 

 so intent on its tracking that it seemed absolutely indifferent to 

 tlieir presence. We did not see the end of this hunt, but in my 

 experience the tragedy is always the same. The rabbit tires, 

 crouches down in the open g'enerally, but not in this case, and 

 is quickly despatched by a bite on the lower part of the brain. 



W, ACKROYD, F.I.C, F.C.S. 



It is with very great regret that we learn of the sudden 

 death on May 9th of Mr. W. Ackroyd, F.I.C, F.C.S., of 

 Halifax. Mr. Ackroyd was a most enthusiastic worker, and 

 frequently contributed papers to the Chemical Society, the 

 British Association, and other similar institutions. In connec- 

 tion with the investigations on the undergTound waters of West 

 Yorkshire carried on by the Yorkshire Geological Society, he 

 rendered signal service. Since 1886 he has been Borough 

 Analyst for Halifax, and also taught chemistry at the Technical 

 School. More recently he has been much occupied in conducting 

 various experiments with radium. Up to the day of his death, 

 when he succumbed to a sudden attack of heart failure, he 

 had enjoyed good health. He was only a little over fifty years of 

 age. 



Naturalist, 



