, 1877-03-07

seas, in which he not only discovered new
species, but rediscovered others which had
been long lost, such as Montagu's nudge,
which had not been seen for so years. To
give an idea OF his interchangeable industry it
will suffice to say that of 294 orustaceans
found in the Moray Firth, no fewer than
26 new species were added by Thomas
Edward.
In April, 1866, Edward was elected
unanimously an Associate of the Linn@an
Society, an honour aII the greater as it is
rarely bestowed. A few months later he
was elected a member of the Aberdeen
and Glasgow Natural History Socie-
ties; but Bauf still remained OBJ
durate to his merits, the wise men Of that
town seeming to think that no shoemaker
could ever be a man of science. Thus,
though that town possessed an Institution
for science, literature, and The arts, the
members never thought of electing Edward
even an honorary member. Since 1862,
however, he had been curator OF the Bautf
Museum on the magnificent salary OF two
guineas a year, which alter II years ser
vice was raised to four guineas. by this
time ne was getting old and stiff from the
constant exposure of his night rambles
added to which the frequent falls aud acct
dents which he had met with 90 the rocks
and cliffs had well nigh crippled his iron
frame. But, though no longer able to
roam abroad, Edward was not the man to
lie idle, and, full of enthusiasm, he inves-
tigated the " kitchen. middens,' or piles Of
refuse left by the prim@val inhabitants
along the Banffshire coast, carefully re-
moving his discoveries to the museum,
in which, after years of wonderment, he
had at last the satisfaction of Identifying
one article which a farmer curator had
supposed to be the root of q tree, but
which others called the " auld been'-i.e,
old bone-as one of the femurs of the
forepaddle of the plesiosaurus, an extinct
saurian Of which up to the present time no
other fragment has been found in Scotland.
We need hardly say that the bone
in question is one Of the most cherished
relics in the Banll Museum,
We have now reached the close
of our naturalist's career. He had fought
the battle of life, and supported his wife
and family on 9s. Sd. a week at the begin
ming Of his career, and later on S.. a week.
He had, by his own exertiors and by the
sale of his collections, continued to live
within bis means and was in no mans
debt; added to which, now that he is pre-
maturely old at 60 years of age, his child
rem already grown up are able and willing
TO help him. But his devotion to science
has not saved him from the necessity Of
remaining a shoemaker still. After he
had tried to obtain employment in %scienti-
fc institutions in London and elsewhere
be returned to his old trade. In June,
1875, he said AS a last and only remain
ing resource I betook myself to my old and
time-honoured friend. a friend Of SO years
standing, who has never yet forsaken me,
nor refused help to my body when weary,
nor rest my limbs when tired-my we'll
worn cobbler'S stool. Here I am still on
the old boards doing what little [ can,
with the aid of my well-worn kit, to
maintain myself and my family, with the
certainty that, instead of my getting the
better of the lapstone and leather, they will
very soon get the better of me. And,
although I am like a beast tethered to his
pasturage, with a portion of my faculties
somewhat impaired, / can still appreciate
and admire as much as ever the beauties
and wonders Nature has exhibited in the
incompatible works of our adorable