Robert Murdoch, 1861–1923.

Robert Murdoch was born at Wangaratta, in Victoria, on the 3rd February, 1861. He received a secondary-school education, and afterwards travelled widely with Captain Shuttleworth, of Wanganui. He spent some years subsequent to 1888 in farming near Wanganui, but in 1892 he went to Sydney and studied Mollusca with Mr. Charles Hedley. Soon afterwards he entered commercial life, which he followed until his death, on the 11th November, 1923.

For many years he gave all his spare time to the study of New Zealand Mollusca. He was several times a contributor to our Transactions and to the Journal of the Malacological Society. At the time of his sudden and unexpected death he had arranged to give up business life and devote himself to research. During a visit to England about 1914 his important and extensive collections, which included several types of New Zealand Mollusca, were destroyed by fire. He was unmarried, and was well known as a prominent Freemason.

Bob Murdoch's kindly and sympathetic nature gained for him a multitude of friends throughout the country. Simple and straight in character, he had the kindliest of hearts, and was unswerving in his friendship. Scientific life in New Zealand, and particularly in Wanganui, has lost one of its most lovable leaders.

P. Marshall.