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In Memoriam — Philip Loten. 



bank 'twixt the Humber and the sea were famiUar to him from 

 his boyhood. He knew their haunts, studied their habits ; 

 and this knowledge, together with his gift as an artist, and his 

 abihty as a workman, enabled him to prepare specimens in 

 their natural attitudes. These were of a very different character 

 from the ' stuffed ' specimens with which one usually meets. 

 The birds and flowers, and, in fact, all manner of natural 

 history specimens were as familiar to him as are the silver and 

 copper coins to an average townsman. His skill as a taxider- 

 mist was widely known, and many important museums and 

 private collections are enriched by his handiwork. 



In recent years, however, Philip had developed a liking for 

 preparing artificial flowers, made from all manner of materials — 

 fish bones and eyes, onion skins, postage stamps, and even 

 finger and toe nails being requisitioned. These were carefully 

 cut, and arranged in delicate sprays, which were mounted under 

 glass on dark velvet. The result was very effective, and 

 doubtless the fascination this occupation had, together with 

 the expressions of surprise and admiration from visitors (par- 

 ticularly the ladies ! ) resulted in Philip eventually almost 

 entirely neglecting the birds. 



For years Loten's Museum at Easington has been a calling 

 place for the scores of people who daily visit the Spurn district 

 in the summer months. His specimens of the rarer birds were 

 a source of attraction to the naturalist ; his cases arranged to 

 illustrate ' Who killed Cock Robin ' and other stories of our 

 j^ounger days were a delight to the children ; his sprays of 

 flowers particularly appealed to the ladies ; whilst all and 

 sundry admired his beautiful garden — a miniature paradise of 

 bloom of various kinds. 



Some months ago, contrary to the advice of some of his 

 friends, Philip decided to bring his collection to Hull for exhibi- 

 tion. Rooms were secured in a central part of the city, and, 

 like Thomas Edward, of Banff, he packed up his specimens and 

 removed them from their village home to the neighbouring 

 seaport. As Edward learned to his sorrow at Aberdeen, so 

 did Philip at Hull discover that the majority of the townsfolk 

 cared little for his ' show.' The comparatively poor patronage 

 which he received must have been a bitter disappointment to 

 him. His visitors were few, and the change from the peaceful 

 village to a busy town life seems to have acted upon his nerves, 

 and whilst he was by no means in need of money, the disap- 



Naturalist, 



