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PROFESSOR ALFRED NEWTON. 
the Pacific ; he was not less keen on the protection of the 
species found in his native country, which were in danger of 
sharing the same fate ; it was owing to his advocacy at the 
Norwich Meeting of the British Association in 1868, that 
practical steps were taken to secure legislation for the pro- 
tection of Wild Birds, the result of which has proved so 
beneficial especially to the birds found in this county, and it 
was mainly to his practical advice that the Committee 
appointed by the British Association for the purpose of 
collecting statistics on the subject of migration, and of which 
he was long the Chairman, were enabled to get together the 
mass of statistics which Mr. Eagle Clarke has so ably sum- 
marised. Newton was also one of the founders of the British 
Ornithologists’ Union, and took part is editing the ‘ Ibis,’ 
the Journal of that Society, which has maintained a foremost 
place in Ornithological Literature to the present time. 
With regard to Professor Newton’s social qualities, a friend- 
ship of more than 50 years enables the writer to speak with 
confidence, but they cannot be better expressed than was 
done in an appreciative Obituary Notice which appeared in 
the ‘Times’ of the 8th June, 1907. “He was gifted,” says 
the writer, “ with an affectionate nature, which was not the 
less real because if found little verbal expression ; and, 
possessed of old-fashioned courtesy of manner, he had the 
best characteristics of the race of English country gentlemen 
to which by birth he belonged. Staunch in his friendships, 
firm in his opinions, and following what he held to be right 
with dogged perseverance, he was a man of whom any one 
might be proud to be a friend.” His somewhat severe aspect 
to strangers soon gave way to his peculiarly genial smile, 
and he spared no pains to be helpful to beginners ; his valuable 
Zoological Library was always at the service of those engaged 
in research ; he was always cheerful for he was always occupied, 
and his great panacea for all troubles was work — his corre- 
spondence alone must have occupied a large portion of his 
time, his replies to enquirers were so prompt and full. No 
application for advice or assistance was in vain, and even 
ordinary expressions of thanks were distasteful to him, all 
