15-2 
OBITUARY NOTICE. 
XVII. 
OBITUARY NOTICE. 
C. G. Barrett. 
Charles Golding Barrett was born at Colyton, Devon, in 
1836, and entered the Civil Service in 1856. In his official 
capacity he was stationed in many localities — London, Dublin, 
Haslemere, Norwich, Pembroke, Lynn, and finally London 
again ; while in the course of his work as examiner, during the 
latter years of his life, he visited various other parts of the 
country. During the greater part of this time he occupied 
posts in the lower grades of the Service, but when once he had 
the opportunity of bringing to the notice of the authorities his 
really exceptional ability and power of concentration, his 
rise was very rapid, and it was from almost the highest 
rank of his department that he retired in 1899, 
Mr. Barrett was essentially a field naturalist of the highest 
order. To a singularly keen power of observation, and an 
appreciation of minute differences, which enabled him to 
distinguish almost without hesitation between species so 
closely allied as to puzzle many an expert, he united a genuine 
love for nature, which rebelled utterly against the too pre- 
valent idea that, in the lower forms of life, all that is to be 
done by a naturalist is to differentiate and catalogue the 
species. An extract from the preface of his greatest work 
well expresses this feeling : “ My aim is, not only to furnish 
original and accurate descriptions of the perfect insects, and 
the most reliable descriptions obtainable of their larva? and 
pupie, but also such particulars of their habits and ways, 
drawn from personal experience and the most reliable records, 
as shall present them to the reader as creatures which enjoy 
