TJic Scott is Ji Naturalist. 67 



the man of science. But the men who knew them are all gone, 

 and nothing now remains but a few reminiscences. 



Often, indeed, he returned from his expeditions with clothes 

 torn or soiled with mud ; but on one occasion he came back 

 in a still more sorry plight. Camping out on the hillside one 

 night, he had gathered a few dry sticks and kindled a fire to 

 keep himself warm. He then lay down and fell fast asleep, but 

 was soon awakened by his burning coat. On examining the 

 state of matters, he found the tails completely gone. 



When he set out for some of his longer rambles, it is said 

 that he was in the habit of carrying two extra shirts with him : 

 and when he thought it was time to have a change of linen he 

 performed that operation by putting on an additional shirt. 



He sometimes got so absorbed in the search of plants that he 

 forgot the days of the week. There is a story of his coming 

 laden with specimens into the manse of St Vigeans one Sunday 

 morning just before the church went in. Mr Muir, the minister, 

 who was a great friend of his, expressed astonishment at seeing 

 him there in such a guise at such a time. Don, who had already 

 noticed that some preparations were being made for going to 

 church, asked why Mr Muir was to preach that day. ^Yas it a 

 Fast Day, or what? He was then told it was Sunday, and that 

 he would have to go to church. " Oh, well, I have lost count ! " 

 said he ; "but if I had my hands and face washed, I'll go to the 

 kirk." He was shown up-stairs to a bedroom for this purpose, 

 but not coming down in time, Mr Muir went up to call him. 

 On opening the door he found the botanist stretched on the top 

 of the bed in a profound slumber, which was not disturbed. 



Of the numerous letters he must have written, I have only 

 seen one — a letter to his friend Mr David Booth, who at the time 

 was settled in Newburgh as a brewer. I am indebted for it to 

 Mrs Stuart, Balgonie, Markinch, who kindly sent it to me along 

 with several others relating to circumstances connected with 

 Don's death. Mr Booth was a very able man ; he was the 

 author of the article "Brewing" in the Penny Cyclopaedia, 'In- 

 terest Tables,' which are to be found in every bank office, 'An 

 Analytical Dictionary of the English Language,' &c. At the 

 time this letter was written he had been studying botany, and 

 had asked Don to get him two volumes of botanical plates from 

 the Forfar library. The David Mudie mentioned was at the 

 time librarian, and Mr Roberts a writer in Forfar, both intimate 

 friends of Don. Some of the older Forfarians say that Don was 



