the late Pnifessor Rudolphl 225 



attention to the anatomy of plants, and he competed for the 

 botanical prize offered on this subject by the Gcittingen Society. 

 It was divided between him and his friend Link. They had 

 often previously written on the subject to each other. The 

 examination of the cellular tissue is the weakest part of his es- 

 say ; but he declares himself decidedly, and with his usual 

 keenness, an opponent to the system of Mirbel, who founded 

 the whole physiology of plants on the pores he alleged to exist 

 in the walls of the cells and vessels. The description of the 

 tracheae is more exact, and he regards them as vessels for nou- 

 rishment. But his investigati(ms respecting the slits, pores, and 

 .stomatia, on the green portions, as to which he had examined 

 a great many plants, are still truly classical, and are the ground- 

 work of our knowledge of the subject. Similar to these is his 

 investigation of the air-vessels of plants, which has not been 

 equalled by any subsequent attempt. Lastly, he again exa- 

 mined those singular radiated bodies in the cells of the Nym- 

 phaea?, and other water plants, and made tlie best observations 

 on them that have hitherto been published. 



In the mean time, the call which Rudolphi received in 1810 

 to a sphere of much greater activity, removed him for ever from 

 his botanical pursuits. As professor of anatomy and physio- 

 logy, director of the anatomical establishments, member of the 

 scientific deputation for medical affairs, and of the Academy of 

 Sciences, he now laboured during twenty-two years for anatomy 

 and physiology with splendid success. 



Walter could not be surpassed as a practical anatomist, and 

 by his wiitings he holds a rank as one of the jfirst anatomists ; 

 but microscopic anatomy, in which Rudolphi had previously 

 distinguished himself, was unknown to him : he had accomplish- 

 ed so much with the naked eye, that he considered that anato- 

 my had been nearly perfected, and still how much is there yet 

 to discover with the naked eye. AV alter had not prosecuted 

 comparative anatomy, and it was therefore necessary for his 

 successor to furnish materials to the University. Before the 

 time of Rudolphi there existed nothing in comparative anatomy, 

 except the preparations in the veterinary school, and a few ob- 

 jects which were private property. AVhen Walter's collection 

 was purchased by the King in 1803, it contained 0071 prepa- 



