Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/46

20 brate Fauna of Lakeland.' Suggested by, and following the main lines of, Harvie-Brown and Buckley's series of faunas of the Scottish areas, yet in manner of treatment, and in other features, with a character of thorough originality, it forms perhaps the finest faunal history that has ever been written on any district within the British Islands. The natural history portions of the two volumes of the 'Fur and Feather Series,' devoted respectively to the Partridge and the Grouse, were penned by our departed friend in 1893, and that on the Red Deer in 1896. The 'History of Fowling' (1897) was his latest and most voluminous book. In addition to these, Macpherson was responsible for a portion of the letterpress in the 'Royal Natural History,' he having supplied the account of the birds "from Corvidæ to Cærebidæ." And similarly, in that fine work, 'British Birds, their Nests and Eggs, by various well-known Authors,' he was responsible for the Tubinares, which he described in his usual luminous style. He wrote the chapter on Ornithology for the Cumberland volume of the Victorian County Histories, but, alas! it will appear as posthumous work. It is understood that an account of the avifauna of Skye, in which picturesque Hebridean island his ancestral estate of Glendale is situated, was nearly ready for the printer.

Such solid literary labours did not by any means exhaust his activity, for he contributed an immense amount of thoroughly good matter to magazines and newspapers. Since he has resided at Pitlochry he often furnished one of the excellent natural history articles that appear each Tuesday in the 'Scotsman.'

The Carlisle Museum in Tullie House has been more indebted to Macpherson than anyone else. The collection of birds was his especial care, and most admirably it has been completed, mostly with his own specimens, or those procured from friends.

In concluding this brief and inadequate memoir of one who stood far forward amongst British ornithologists, we may express the confident hope that a memorial volume, for which ample materials exist, may be forthcoming ere long. R.S.