The Scottish Naturalist. 



Iff MEMOEIAM-DE. GEORGE DICKIE. 



HPHOUGH now nearly a year has elapsed since the death of 

 ■*■ Dr. Dickie, our readers will feel with us that the new series 

 of this Magazine cannot be more fittingly opened than with a brief 

 sketch of the life and work of one that for many years held a fore- 

 most place among British Biologists, and that added to the well- 

 earned fame of Scotland in the Natural Sciences by labours 

 worthy to be ranked with those of Greville and other masters in 

 science. 



In his knowledge of the Marine A/gce, to which group he had 

 for many years paid close attention, latterly almost to the exclusion 

 of other departments of Botany, he stood unrivalled in Britain ; 

 and his death must long be felt as a grievous loss by all students 

 of those plants ; yet may we not hope that a successor will arise 

 among us to occupy the vacant place, and so to pay the truest and 

 best tribute to the memory of one of the most devoted and least 

 self-seeking students of the works of the Creator. 



He was born in Aberdeen on the 23rd November, 18 13, in the 

 house in which he passed most of his life, and in which he did 

 most of the work that gained him distinction. After the usual 

 course of education at school, he entered Marischal College as a 

 student in the Arts Faculty in 1826, at the early age of 13, and 

 took the degree of Master of Arts in 1830. 



It may be well to state, for the information of those not familiar 

 with the former history of Aberdeen, that in 1830, and until i860, 

 there were two distinct and rival Universities (afterwards united to 

 form the existing University of Aberdeen), — viz., King's College in 

 Old Aberdeen, and Marischal College in Aberdeen. 



Though keen rivals as regarded the classes in Arts and in 

 Theology, to some extent they united for common interests, and 

 they shared in supporting a medical school. There was, how- 

 ever, no properly equipped medical school ; and the deficiencies 

 had to be made up as far as possible by the appointment of lec- 

 turers. 



After completing his arts course, he entered on the study of 

 medicine, and spent the two next years in that study in Aberdeen; 

 but thereafter he went to Edinburgh, and entered the Brown 

 Square School of Medicine, in which he gained the medal for 



