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which became so conspicuous a feature of his future life. 
In due time, apprenticed to a Manchester firm of calico- 
printers, he devoted his leisure hours to botanical studies ; 
especially working with the microscope along with two or 
three other young men, whose tastes were similar to his own. 
This little band chiefly interested itself in the study of the 
minute fresh-water algae, discovered in the ponds and ditches 
around Manchester; an investigation which brought its 
members into direct communication with the two well- 
known algologists, Drs. Kalfs and Hassal. 
Soon after the termination of his apprenticeship, Mr. 
Sidebotham became a partner with the late Mr. Barton in 
the firm known as the Strines Printing Company ; of which 
firm he was a very active member until he retired from 
business some years ago. 
But though an energetic and (financially) successful man 
of business, his love for the pursuit of Natural History never 
diminished. He soon added the study of British Insects to 
that of plants, forming a fine collection of British Lepidop- 
tera and Coleoptera. Many of his specimens were reared by 
himself from their larval conditions in small breeding cages; 
a mode of obtaining the finest examples, in which he took 
great interest, and which he did not wholly cease to pursue 
in his latest years. 
After retiring from business he devoted much of his time 
to the exercise of his considerable artistic powers; his 
favourite occupation in this line being painting on porcelain; 
but even in this work his old pursuits exercised a conspicuous 
influence. The chief subjects of his pencil being flowers and 
insects. 
Astronomical pursuits also engaged him through many 
years of his life ; the telescope with which he worked was a 
large reflector, which he made for himself— -first forming the 
needful alloy, and then grinding and polishing the reflecting 
surface to its appropriate curvature. 
