THE LATE SIR C. WYVILLE THOMSON. 



The announcement of the death of Sir Charles Wyville Thomson, since 

 the last volume of these Reports was issued from the press, has been received 

 with general regret. 



Sir Wyville's name will always be associated with deep-sea investiga- 

 tions, and in a very special manner with those conducted by H.M.S. 

 Challenger. He was one of the chief promoters of the Expedition, and Avas on 

 board the ship during the whole of her long cruise as Director of the Civilian 

 Scientific Staff. Until the beginning of the present year he had the direc- 

 tion of all the work connected with the publication of these Official Eeports. 



A subsequent volume will contain a history of the Challenger Expedition, 

 and of those English Expeditions which immediately preceded it, as well as 

 a detailed account of Sir Wyville's scientific work in connection therewith. 

 The present notice is limited to an enumeration of some of the chief events 

 of his life. 



Charles Wyville Thomson, the son of Mr. Andrew Thomson, surgeon 

 in the Honourable East India Company's service, was born at Bonsyde, near 

 Linlithgow, on 5th March 1830. 



He received his earlv education at Merchiston Castle School, and after- 

 wards attended the classes in the University of Edinburgh as a student of 

 medicine. 



In 1850 he became Lecturer on Botany in King's College, Aberdeen ; and 

 in 1851 he was appointed to the Chair of Botany in Marischal College. 



