August, 1895. OBITUARY. 141 



advantage of the occasion to visit the principal museums of Canada 

 and the States, and to embody his observations in a valuable report. 

 When, three years ago, failing health warned him to take a few 

 months' rest, he chose to visit Egypt, a country which can hardly be 

 said to furnish a thorough change to a museum officer ; while only 

 last year he made a tour of the museums of Scandinavia, Germany, 

 and Austria, a report on which was engaging his attention at the time 

 of his death. For several years past he held the post of Secretary 

 to the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland, and took a leading part 

 in the management of the gardens in Phoenix Park. His leisure 

 studies turned towards the border-land between science and literature. 

 His interest in the relations of the Greeks with the East led to a paper 

 in 1885 " On the Identification of the Animals and Plants of India, 

 which were known to early Greek Authors." The histories of famous 

 gold-nuggets, diamonds, and inscribed rubies, also had much attraction 

 for him, and he edited a new edition of Tavernier's " Travels." His 

 was a nature to be ever active, and it is to be feared that the wear 

 and worry of his responsible post with its delicate relations with 

 various institutions, his desire to supervise personally all possible 

 details of administration, and his resolve to v/ork with his might while 

 the day for work was still his, contributed to materially shorten his life. 

 He was at his office but a short week before he passed away, and 

 though mourning his removal while still in his prime, his colleagues 

 and friends feel that he leaves them the example and inspiration of 

 unflagging devotion to duty. G. H. C. 







WILLIAM CRAWFORD WILLIAMSON. 



Born November 24, 1816. Died June 23, 1895. 



N June 23 there passed away one whose name will always hold a 

 prominent position in the records of botanical science. William 

 Crawford Williamson was born at Scarborough, on November 24, 

 1816 ; he received his early education partly in his native town and, to 

 some extent, in a French school.' From 1832 to 1835 he made his 

 first acquaintance with medicine in the house of Mr. Thomas Weddell, 

 a Scarborough surgeon, and in the latter year was appointed Curator 

 of the Museum of the Manchester Natural History Society, After 

 qualifying as a member and licentiate of the College of Surgeons in 

 1840, he became a medical practitioner, and remained for many years 

 an active member of the profession. In 1851, Williamson was 

 appointed Professor of Natural History and Geology at Owen's 

 College; he resigned the chair of Geology in 1872, that of Zoology 

 in 1879, and that of Botany in 1892, when he was made Emeritus 

 Professor. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1854, he was 



1 The facts of Professor Willamson's early life are taken from an admirable 

 memoir, by C. Bailey, published in the Manchester Scientific Student's Annual Report 

 for 1886. 



