WM. THOMPSON, ESQ. 
XXV11 
on the migration of birds. His love of ornithology was indeed intense, and 
the results of his labours in that department are narrated with full and charming 
details in the volumes that have been published of his great work on ‘ The Na- 
tural History of Ireland.’ His name is associated with many discoveries, and 
numerous species of new creatures have been named after him. His reputation 
stood equally high on the continent and in America, and he had been elected 
an honorary member of several foreign societies. Entirely devoid of any envious 
feeling, loving to cooperate with others, and to assist in furthering their re- 
searches, truthful and energetic, he spared neither time, labour, nor pains, to 
help in every possible way all who were engaged in kindred pursuits. He num- 
bered among his intimate friends and correspondents all (we may say almost 
without exception) the eminent naturalists of the day, and equally all those who 
might be little known but were of good promise. His love of the fine arts was 
only second to his love of science, and for many years he was one of the most 
active promoters of tasteful pursuits, and especially of painting, in Ireland.” — 
Literary Gazette. 
An obituary notice respecting him — one of their earliest and most con- 
stant contributors — appeared in the Annals and Magazine of Natural 
History, for March, 1852, p. 246, which, after the previous quotations from 
other London periodicals, it seems unnecessary to quote. 
{From the Lublin University Magazine, April, 1852.) 
“ It was only last month that we devoted a portion of our pages to a review 
of ‘ The Birds of Ireland,’ by William Thompson ; and we then indulged in 
pleasing anticipations of what we had yet to expect from the labours of the 
author. A sadder task now devolves upon us ; the hopes we had then fondly 
cherished, are destined never to be realized ; — the accomplished naturalist, the 
high-minded man, the warm-hearted friend, has ceased from his earthly labours ; 
and it now only remains for us to bid memory take the place of hope. There 
were few more pleasing features in his character than the interest he always 
took in the success of the several literary and scientific institutions of his native 
town. Imbued with a deep and genuine patriotism, and fully recognising in such 
institutions the means of elevating the moral and physical condition of his fellow- 
countrymen, he spared neither time nor labour in the promotion of their wel- 
fare; and his purse was always freely open in their cause. Utterly free from 
envy, he was always ready to help onwards in the same paths of science the less 
experienced searcher after truth ; and many a living naturalist owes whatever 
success has subsequently attended his career, to the encouragement thus cor- 
dially given. ‘ The love of truth and the love of his country were inseparably 
blended with his nature, and became the leading influences in his simple and 
unostentatious life.’ ” 
When the British Association for Science assembled in Belfast, on the 
1st of September, 1852, William Ogilby, Esq., President of the Natural 
History Section, at the opening of the business, paid a just tribute to the 
memory of his departed friend, and proposed a resolution, which was 
unanimously adopted, to the effect that the members of the section de- 
sired to put on record their deep regret at the loss both science and 
humanity had sustained by his sudden and premature death. 
Mr. Thompson differed from the generality of naturalists, in the wide 
range of his research. He gave attention not only to the long series of 
vertebrate and invertebrate animals (excepting Insecta and Infusoria), but 
also to the vegetable kingdom in all its various forms. Some depart- 
ments of Cryptogamic botany gave exercise to his powers of observation, 
as shown by his paper “ On a minute Alga, which colours Ballydrain 
Lake,” and more especially by the number of localities contributed by 
him to his friend Professor Harvey’s splendid work, the “ Phycologia 
