74 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Forfar to Elgin, a prospectus of which was issued several 

 years ago. His share in the work was, he informed us, 

 practically completed about five years ago. It is hoped that 

 the valuable information contained therein will yet be pub- 

 lished. He had also in hand an account of the Desmids of 

 the Amazon valley and of Demerara, in which he proposed 

 to describe and figure a large number of new species. In 

 the course of correspondence with Mr. Hewett C. Watson 

 and with Dr. Boswell Syme he supplied these gentle- 

 men with numerous data, embodied in the well-known 

 " Cybele Britannica," " Topographical Botany," and " English 

 Botany." 



Dr. Roy was also an excellent mathematician; and he did 

 not a little valuable work in the calculation of astronomical 

 results, e.g. reduction of double-star measures, construction 

 of tables for latitude and longitude of astronomical stations 

 at Dunecht, in Mauritius, in connection with the transit 

 of Venus in 1874, etc. Most of these researches were 

 made in connection with the reports of the Dunecht Obser- 

 vatory. 



Dr. Roy took a warm interest in the local societies 

 devoted to the encouragement of scientific studies. Among 

 these may be mentioned especially the Aberdeen Natural 

 History Society, of which he was for many years secretary 

 and treasurer, and for some years president. He was also 

 a president of the East of Scotland Union of Naturalists' 

 Societies, and was one of the founders and office-bearers 

 of the Scottish Cryptogamic Society. He frequently com- 

 municated papers to these bodies, and also to the Aberdeen 

 Philosophical Society. 



In March 1889 the Senate of the University of Aberdeen 

 conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D., in recognition 

 of his scientific merits. About five years ago he contracted, 

 (it was supposed from impure water in summer lodgings), what 

 appeared to be a form of typhoid fever. With no very acute 

 symptoms, it left permanent injury in. the lower intestine and 

 impaired general health. His condition became gradually 

 worse. His lungs were affected ; and death ensued very 

 suddenly, from rupture of a lung, on Monday, 1 8th De- 

 cember 1893. 



