Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/57

 1873 he published a very excellent book, 'Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds' a standard work for all interested j in ornithology. A revised edition (bringing it up to date) ! was brought out by Mr. Eugene Gates (a leading authority on the birds of Burma) in 1889-90.

"In 1879 was published that splendidly illustrated work, 'The Game Birds of India,' in three volumes, with one hundred and forty-four coloured plates. Of this Mr. Allan Hume and Captain C. H. T. Marshall were the joint authors. But to Hume must be given the most praise for this book, seeing that a great number of the articles on the different species were from his pen. It was a book greatly needed by sportsmen, and its advent was hailed with delight. The only drawback was that, owing to the heavy cost of production, the edition was limited to one thousand copies. The result is that now it is almost impossible to obtain a copy.

"It was a great loss to ornithology when Hume gave up that science in despair. He has left behind him a name that will always be revered by students of the Indian avifauna. To divert his thoughts from the past and to occupy his time he took up horticulture with the same earnestness and thoroughness as he showed over ornithology. ^He erected large conservatories in the grounds of Rothney Castle, filled them with the choicest flowers, and engaged English gardeners to help him in the work. From this, on returning to England, he went on to scientific botany. But this, as Kipling says, is another story, and must be left to another pen."

In addition to this noble gift to the nation, Mr. Hume gave to the Natural History branch of the British Museum his unique collection of the heads and horns of Indian big game animals. Part of the collection was presented in 1891, and part bequeathed by will. On the 1st of November 1912 The Times, in the following terms,