244 The Scottish Naturalist. 



son of the late Mr. Patrick Syme of Edinburgh and Dollar, who 

 married Miss Boswell, a daughter of Lord Balmuto a Lord of 

 Session and for many years Sheriff of Fife. 



Dr. Boswell was born in Edinburgh in 1822, and educated at 

 Dollar Academy and Edinburgh University. He qualified as a 

 Civil Engineer ; and, while engaged in surveys on the west coast 

 of Scotland, he occupied his leisure time in dredging and botanis- 

 ing. After a few years he gave up the profession of C.E., and 

 turned his attention entirely to the study of Natural History, a 

 science for which he had shown a remarkable aptitude from child- 

 hood. In 1849 he visited his brother-in-law in Orkney, where he 

 made a collection of birds, and studied the plants, beetles, and 

 moths of the district, besides devoting much of his time to 

 dredging ; and he continued during the rest of his life to take an 

 enthusiastic interest in the flora and entomology of the Orkney 

 Islands (especially the Hieracia and Naiadacece), where he found 

 one or two plants new to Britain and several varieties differing 

 from the typical forms. From 1851 to 1868, Dr. Boswell (then 

 Mr. Syme) lived in London, where he held the positions of 

 Curator to the Botanical Society of London, and Lecturer on 

 Botany to the Charing Cross and Middlesex Schools of Medicine. 

 He also lectured on Natural Science at the New College, Edin- 

 burgh, for a year previous to the appointment of Dr. Duns. On 

 28th April, 1856, he married Miss Hardwick, daughter of the late 

 Mr. Hardwick, solicitor, London. In April, 1868, Dr. Boswell left 

 London and came to reside at Balmuto, in Fife, where he spent 

 the remainder of his life. In 1875, he succeeded to this property, 

 and assumed the name of Boswell under the will of his uncle, Mr. 

 Boswell of Balmuto and Kingcausie. Dr. Boswell was a keen 

 lepidopterist and coleopterist ; but his interest was chiefly centred 

 in the botany of the North Temperate Zone. The chief work of 

 his life was editing the third edition of " Sowerby's English 

 Botany." He entirely re-wrote the scientific portion of this standard 

 work on British Plants, which extends to twelve volumes, describ- 

 ing the plants from his own observations ; and it is in these 

 descriptions that his genius is most apparent. In all his work he 

 was ably assisted by his wife, who acted as his amanuensis. In 

 recognition of his great scientific attainments the University of 

 St. Andrews conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. He was, 

 besides, a Fellow of the Linnean Society and of the Royal 





