6 ■ TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



first time figured from a specimen cultivated in Europe. It was 

 presented to the Royal Gardens, Kew, by Thomas King, Esq., of 

 Garnet Hill, Glasgow, in 1892, along with a collection of seeds 

 and bulbs from Valparaiso. It flowered in a cool house in July, 

 1893, and again in 1894. The plant is not uncommon in Chili, 

 from the latitude of Concepcion to that of Coquimbo, ascending 

 to 7,000 feet on the Andes." 



After an absence of nine years, Mr. King longed once more to 

 see his friends at home, and to revisit the familiar scenes of earlv 

 life, and he felt that the time had come when that cherished 

 desire might with safety be gratified. He accordingly resolred 

 to visit Scotland, and afterwards to return to Chile, where most 

 of his possessions were still allowed to remain. 



He reached home on 29th March, 1873, and spent the summer 

 months with his father and mother. During the Summer Session 

 of that year, he attended the Botany class of the late Professor 

 Alexander Dickson, M.D., in the University of Glasgow, and was 

 pleased to find that his health had become so far restored as to 

 warrant the belief that he would be able not only to reside per- 

 manently in this country, but to devote himself once more to 

 educational work. The intention to return to Chile was there- 

 fore finally abandoned ; and during the Winter Session of 1873-74 

 he attended Professor John Nichors class of English Literature 

 in the University, besides obtaining teaching engagements in 

 various schools in the city. In the following summer (1874) he 

 again attended Professor Dickson's class of Botany. 



-In 1877 he was appointed to the lectureship on Botany in the 

 Glasgow Eastern Mechanics' Institute, which had become vacant 

 through the resignation of his cousin. Dr. John Mathie. In the 

 following year (1878) he received a similar appointment in the 

 Glasgow Mechanics' Institute, which was afterwards known as 

 the College of Science and Art, and was in 1886 incorporated in 

 the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. 



During the next few years, the periods of freedom from class 

 engagements, which he enjoyed during the summer months, were 

 set apart to study. In 1878 he attended Professor Bayley 

 Balfour's lectures on Botany in the University, and, in the 

 following year, his course of instruction in Practical Botany. In 

 1883 he went to London, where he attended lectures on Botany 



