328 
JAMES WILLIAM DAVIS. 
monitions of the coming trouble had been given, but it was hoped 
that by care and rest from some of the many varied and heavy duties 
which had fallen to his lot, and perhaps by change of scene and travel 
he would soon regain his wonted vigour. Mr. Davis spoke quite 
cheerfully about himself, and in his usual genial and jocose fashion 
made light of his own ailments. 
The very brief sketch we have given of the Society's work during 
the many years that Mr. Davis held the Secretaryship, will indicate 
to some extent his versatility, his splendid organising power, and his 
great personal influence. That he was a man of broad views and 
many-sided gifts his numerous papers, written between 1874 and 
1893, will show. They are not restricted to Fossil Fishes, for in 
perusing the long list of 60 contributions, which we append at the 
close of this memoir, it will be seen that his attention was given to 
such subjects as Physical Geology, Glaciation, Paleobotany, Cave 
Exploration, Prehistoric Man, Archaeology, Lake Dwellings, &c« 
In 1892 our friend, who had hitherto enjoyed splendid health 
and whose magnificent physique and active habits gave promise of a 
long and prosperous life, began to feel a diminution of energy, ami 
symptoms of insomnia began to present themselves ; in spite of the 
wishes of his medical adviser and those of his most intimate friends 
he in his generous ardour for the public good pushed aside all mere 
personal considerations and accepted the Mayorality for a third time : 
doubtless his intense desire to see the completion of the Halifax 
Technical School for which he had laboured consistently, enthuias- 
tically and persistently for several years, had much weight in detenu in- 
ing this decision,— indeed his last visit to Halifax was paid in order to 
visit the school. A visit to Paris in May failed to give him the relief 
he sought for, he returned home, and afterwards spent some weeks at 
Grassiugton, where he seemed to somewhat recover his health ; leaving 
Grassington he removed to his favourite sea-side residence at Brid- 
lington, and still feeling better he visited Halifax in July, where he 
stayed a day or two attending to various business and municipal 
duties, returning to Bridlington on the evening of Tuesday, the 19th 
July, on arriving there he wrote aud posted some letters and then 
laid down on the couch, on his awaking from a short sleep it was 
