20
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
with which he turned out excellent work in wood and metal, and he
made a compound microscope, using it constantly in his botanical
observations for many years. After Doubleday's death he maintained
himself by working as a general mechanic and taxidermist, and any
tool required was at once contrived and made by him. His skill as
a preserver of birds and animals soon brought in much business; he
greatly improved many processes, and hundreds of English's specimens
are now to be found in country-houses in Essex and elsewhere.
About 1865 his attention was attracted to the study of Fungi, and so
skilful did he become in collecting them, that he always took the first
prizes at the ' Fungus Shows ' of the Royal Horticultural Society.
He made a vast number of experiments in quest of a method of pre
serving these plants, and in 1882 published a Manual for the Pre-
servation of the Larger Fungi. For specimens so preserved he re-
ceived a Diploma of Honour at the National Fisheries Exhibition in
1881. His powers of observation were most remarkable, and in spite
of want of books and erudition in his subjects, he acquired an extra-
ordinarily good knowledge of the larger fungi, and was full of facts,
gained in the fields and woods, of their habitats, peculiarities, &c.—
information not to be found in books. Latterly he turned his atten-
tion to Mosses, and in 1885 commenced the publication of 'Fasciculi
of Epping Forest Mosses,' of which five parts appeared. He was an
original member of the Essex Field Club, and while his health lasted
was constant as an attendant and exhibitor at the meetings, and as a
'Conductor' at the Annual Fungus Forays. It is much to be
regretted that English left so few records of his observations. Until
the establishment of the Field Club we are not aware of any publica-
tions by him. In the journals of the club, besides short notes, are
printed:—'Two Notes on the Preservation of Plants with their
natural colours and forms ' (43. i. 71.); 'The First Night's "Sugar-
ing " in England : a Reminiscence of Epping Forest in 1843' (43. ii.
32); ' Entomological Notes from an old Pocket-book ' (50. i. 109);
and he largely assisted Dr. Cooke in compiling the ' Preliminary List
of the Hymenomycetal Fungi of Epping Forest' (43. ii. 181), which
was published in their joint names. He also contributed the lists,
&c, of lepidoptera, fungi and mosses to Mr. E. N. Buxton's Epping
Forest (1884). English was a man of great truthfulness and honesty
of mind, pleasant and communicative, of immense industry and per-
severance. Under favourable conditions of education and environ-
ment he would have doubtless attained a high position as a naturalist.
He died on January 12th, 1888, in the cottage in which he first saw-
light, retaining his interest in and love for natural objects until the