XXX 
MEMOIR OF THE LATE WM. THOMPSON, ESQ. 
“ At a special meeting held in the Museum, on the 10th March, 1852, a 
series of resolutions was unanimously adopted, expressive of the feelings enter- 
tained by the members as to the great loss they had sustained by the death of 
their late president, Wm. Thompson, Esq. A committee was then appointed 
to consider the most suitable mode of doing honour to his memory. This com- 
mittee, after careful consideration, reported that the most appropriate memorial 
of Mr. Thompson would be a separate room to be added to the Museum, and 
be called the ‘ Thompson Room,’ in which should be placed the private collec- 
tions which he had bequeathed to the Museum. This method of testifying the 
Society’s estimation of Mr. Thompson would have the double advantage of per- 
petuating his name within the Museum, and of preserving for reference a large 
portion of those specimens to which he alludes in his writings on the Natural 
History of Ireland. This report of the committee was unanimously agreed to, 
and the council were authorized to have it carried into immediate effect.” 
The necessary funds were speedily subscribed, and the “ Thompson 
Room ” erected accordingly. 
A striking likeness of Mr. Thompson appeared in 1849, in the series of 
scientific portraits, published at the expense of Mr. George Ransome, at 
that time Honorary Secretary to the Ipswich Museum. By the kind per- 
mission of that gentleman, the frontispiece of the present volume has been 
copied from the former portrait, by the same talented artist by whom the 
original had been taken. 
Several of the leading naturalists of the day have at different times 
marked their estimation of Mr. Thompson’s character and labours, by 
dedicating to him some undescribed species of animal or plant. The 
touching yet appropriate words employed by Professor Bell, when giving 
to a small marine animal, taken in Belfast Bay, the name of his departed 
friend, may form an appropriate conclusion to this little Memoir : — * “ I 
have a melancholy gratification in dedicating this species, by name, to a 
gentleman who, for many years, was justly considered as the representative 
of the Zoology of Ireland, and whose acute discrimination and persevering 
enthusiasm in his favourite pursuit were only equalled by the liberal and 
unselfish feeling with which he placed his treasures in the hands of his 
fellow-labourers, whenever he believed the interests of science would be 
thereby furthered. The specimen from which the above description is 
taken was placed in my hands, by my lamented friend, only a very few 
days before his untimely death deprived the science of Ireland of one of 
its most distinguished ornaments, and society of as kind and true-hearted 
a man as ever lived.” — p. 373. 
* The species is Pagurus Thompsoni, dredged at 50 fathoms, entrance of Bel- 
fast Bay, by Mr. Hyndman. Vide Bell’s “ History of British Stalk-eyed Crus- 
tacea.” 
