P °5., DEA TH OF LLO M AS ED WA R D.

Thomas Edward, the Banff Naturalist, who attained a wide fame through the story of his life written by Mr. Smiles, died yesterday after a pro- longed illness, Edward was born on Christmas-day, 1314, at Gosport, Portsmouth, where his father, a private in the Fifeshire Militia, was stationed after returning from the Peninsular War. The elder Edward, who was a handloom weaver, sub- sequently settled in Aberdeen, Early in life Thomas showed indications of a great love of animals, insects, and creatures ef every description, He made extensive excursions in search of specimens, and many

‘ti rnarntnmonandntes.ora told +9 illustrate his extreme

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Leauge. VV MO 2G UMaETrroUg aU GUS IO Wer Ee wee a week, and he had to work till late all the year round; | but he often spent nights in the fields and caves, search- | ing for insects and strange flowers. For 15 years.

Edward earried on most of his researches by night, and he had many narrow escapes through the eagerness with which he pursued his object, He com- pleted a splendid collection, and in 1846 exhibited it in Aberdeen. The Exhibition was a failure, and he had.to

‘sell the collection for 20/. to defray the expenses, He

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_set to work to form another collection, and was most

successful, His researches added greatly to the know

ledge of Natural History, as he embodied the new facts

in papers written to scientific magazines. In 1806 Hd-

| ward was elected a member of several leading scientific

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societies. Latterly he has acted as curator of Banff Museum. After the publication of his biography by Mr. Smiles Kdward’s genius was publicly recognised by a presentation of 5431, made to him in Aberdeen, and he was awarded by the Queen a pension of 90/, a year.

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DEATH OF TH OM AS ED LY. AED.

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Thomas Rie “tho Banft Maturalist, who

attained a wide rae through the story of his life written by Mr, Smiles, died yesterday after a pro- longed illness, Edward was born on Christmas-day,

1314, at Gosport, Portsmouth, where his father, a private in the Fifeshire Militia, was stationed after returning from the Peninsular War. The elder Edward, who was a handloom weaver, sub- sequently settled in Aberdeen, Early in life Thomas showed indications of a great love of animals, insects, and creatures ef every description, He made extensive excursions in search of specimens, and many amusing anecdotes are told to illustrate his extreme fondness for. even the most repulsive subjects in the animal creation, To his mother he was a source of constant trouble, for she disliked many of the creatures with which the boy constantly came home, in bis pockets, in his cap, or concealed about bis body. On one occasion he took off his shirt to wrap a bee’s *‘ byke” init, Hdward was an unmanage- | able boy, with no love of books, He had been dis- | charged from three schoois before he was six years old, | partly on account of a -habit of playing truant, and | partly because he alarmed his fellow- scholars by | bringing jackdaws, worms, and beetles into school with | him. Hdward was sent to work at a tobacco factory at | the age of six, and subsequently to Grandholm Wool Mill. He had there the opportunity to | indulge to the full his love of natural objects. | At eleven he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, and at | the age of eighteen he had gone through many severe | trials, He joined the Militia, but his love of insects | proved fatal to his military ambition, When at drill | one day a butterfly fluttered past, and Edward, forget- | ting discipline, broke from the ranks, pursued and | captured theinsect, He was brought back a prisoner ‘and subsequently discharged. In his twentieth year Edward went to work as a_ shoemaker, . at Banff, and there he pursued so _ sguccess-— fully his researches in natural history, that: he added a great deal to the scientific store of kuow- | ledge. When he married, at 23, his wages were 9s. 6d. | a week, and hehad to work till late all the year rounds | but he often spent nights in the fields and caves, search- | ing for insects and strange flowers, For 15 years. Edward carried on most of his researches by night, and he had many narrow escapes through the eagerness with which he pursued his object. He com- | pleted a splendid collection, and in 1846 exhibited it in | Aberdeen. The Exhibition was a failure, and he had_to | sell the collection for 201. to defray the expenses. He | set to work to form another collection, and was most | ' successful, His researches added greatly to the know® | ledge of Natural History, as he embodied the new facts | | in papers written to scientific magazines, In 1806 Hd- | | ward was elected a member of several leading scientific | societies. Latterly he has acted as curator of Banff Museum, After the publication of his biography by Mr. Smiles Hdward’s genius was publicly recognised by a presentation of 3337, made to him in oo and | he was awarded by the Queen a pension of O01, & Year.

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