Page:The Geographical Journal Vol. 27, No. 5, May, 1906, pp. 511-513.djvu/2

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OBITUARY.

neighbouring countries, their outcome being his well-known works entitled 'The Land of Israel,' in which he gave an interesting account of the physical aspects of the Bible lauds, and 'The Land of Moab,' which described the discovery and identification of several important historical sites in the lands east of the Jordan. Besides several times revisiting the Turkish dominions in Asia, he in later years made acquaintance with the Canary Islands and Japan, in which last a daughter has for some years been working under the Church Missionary Society, of which body he was always a zealous supporter.

Canon Tristram was a regular attendant at the meetings of the British Association, over the biological section of which he presided in 1893, whilst he likewise took a warm interest in the proceedings of the geographical section. He was present at the Cambridge meeting less than two years ago, and astonished his many friends by the keenness with which he still threw himself into its varied functions, scientific and social. Since his death it has been pointed out, as evidence of his quick grasp of scientific principles, that he was one of the first to recognize the force of Darwin's views on the origin of species, his study of the birds of North Africa having shown him the capability of the theory to explain existing relationships, even before its detailed presentation to the world. His collection of birds, a considerable portion of which was a few years ago acquired by the Liverpool Museum was one of the most complete ever brought together by a private collector.

Canon Tristram married Eleanor Bowlby (daughter of an officer who served in the Peninsula and at Waterloo), on the third anniversary of whose death his own took place. He leaves behind a son (head master of Loretto School)and seven daughters, and had lived to see his descendants of the fourth generation.

Coutts Trotter.

The late Mr. Coutts Trotter was the eldest son of Mr. Archibald Trotter, of Dreghorn, Midlothian, and by his death the Royal Geographical Society has lost a Fellow of thirty years' standing, and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society one of its earliest and most zealous supporters. He was born in April, 1831, in Edinburgh, and was educated at Rugby and Haileybury, being destined for the service of the East India Company. Here he gave evidence of future distinction, and carried off the gold medal for political economy. But, unfortunately, he was constitutionally delicate, and was soon to find that his bad health was sufficient to debar him from any public career of usefulness. Although appointed to a post in Bengal, he got no further than Bombay, and had to return home invalided almost immediately. When sufficiently recovered he made another attempt to join his post, but with equal unsuccess; the climate was too much for him. Then he studied for a short time at Balliol College, Oxford, without any intention of entering a profession. In 1862 he married a daughter of the Right Hon. R. Keatinge, one of the judges of the High Court of Justice in Dublin, and some years afterwards settled in Bournemouth for the benefit of his health. Here he began reviewng for the Athenæum, which he continued to do for nearly thirty years, and for the Academy till it changed hands. He also contributed to the Quarterly Review and Blackwood's Magazine. In 1882 he settled in Edinburgh, and two years afterwards he helped to found the Geographical Society of Scotland for the purpose of diffusing and popularizing that important branch of knowledge in the northern kingdom. His interest in it never slackened, and he continued to attend committee meetings almost up to the end, when he was so enfeebled that he could not walk without assistance.

For the benefit of his health he was frequently ordered abroad. In 1886 he