WILLIAM HENRY DAFFIN, an Associate of the American Ornithologists' Union, was murdered June 20, 1902, in the wilds of Dutch Guiana, at a placer mine on the Maroni River ten days journey by boat from Paramaribo. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1844, graduated from Girard College, and was 58 years of age at the time of his death. He was a taxidermist and had a collection of birds. He was elected an Associate of the Union in 1892 but published no notes in 'The Auk.' The announcement of his death at "Tacony, Philadelphia," in 'The Auk' for 1903, page 60, was erroneous and should have read: "William Henry Daffin of Tacony, Philadelphia, died June 20, 1902." Only six months before his death, a similar fate befell Perry O. Simons, an American collector, who was murdered by his guide while crossing the Andes near Cuervas, Argentina.

A Dictionary of the Scottish Language by Thomas Brown shows the following:

To Daff, v.n. To sport, to romp

Daffin, s. Gaiety, sporting, diversion.