tN MiEMORIAM — PROFESSOR THOMAS KING. ll 



He entered with much enthusiasm into the work of arranging for 

 the conference and exhibition, which took place early in October 

 of that year. The exhibition, which was held in what were then 

 the Coal Exchange Buildings, West Regent Street, proved 

 entirely successful ; and the collection of fungi, which included 

 thousands of specimens, in almost endless variety of size, shape, 

 and colour, afforded a unique and interesting sight. This visit of 

 the Cryptogamic Society led to important results. The conference, 

 excursions, and exhibition were attended by nearly all the leading 

 mycologists in Scotland, with most of whom Mr. King has ever since 

 been on terms of warm friendship and frequent correspondence. 

 He, along with Mr. William Stewart, the late Mr. Kobert 

 Turner, and others whose names are closely associated with local 

 research in mycology, became members of the Cryptogamic 

 Society, with the result that the study of this department of 

 botany — usually one of the most neglected — has ever since been 

 actively pursued in our own Society. 



In 1883 Mr. King was appointed Honorary Treasurer of the 

 Cryptogamic Society, in succession to the Rev. Dr. Stevenson, 

 Glamis, who had become Honorary Secretary. During the last 

 sixteen years, the conferences of the Society, held each year in a 

 different part of the country, have been regularly attended by IMr. 

 King, These. small gatherings, where most of those present were 

 eminent specialists in mycology, have always afforded him the 

 keenest enjoyment, and had the effect of adding considerably to 

 his own stores of knowledge. 



He was one of the founders of the Microscopical Society of 

 Glasgow, which was instituted in October, 1884. Except during 

 Session 1891-92, he was an office-bearer continuously from the 

 date of the Society's foundation until his death. In 1884 he was 

 elected a member of Council; from 1888 to 1891 he acted as a 

 Vice-President; from 1892 to 1895 he held the office of President; 

 and in 1895 he was again elected a Vice-President, which office 

 he continued to hold at the time of his death. His skill as a 

 microscopist, combined with a thorough knowledge of the structure 

 and functions of vegetable tissues, and extensive acquaintance 

 with the lower forms of plant life, enabled him to bring before 

 the Society a large number of interesting objects, while the papers 

 read by him were both numerous and varied. 



