204 The Irish Naturalist. October, 



Early in his botanical career Stewart was elected a fellow of 

 the Botanical Societ}- of Edinburgh, but the honour which he 

 valued most came to him late in life in 1904, when he was 

 elected Associate of the Linnean Society, an occasion which 

 was seized by his friends in Ireland, who presented him with 

 an address and a purse of ;^ 120 at a meeting in the Museum. 



His retirement in 1907 was due to advancing years. He 

 took a small house in Springfield Road, at the foot of the 

 Belfast hills, and lived there with his sister. His death on 

 June 15, 1910, was the result of an accident. He was crossing 

 Ann Street when he fell in trying to avoid a dray, and he 

 survived only a few hours. 



His work was chiefly that of a field naturalist, and it is 

 astonishing how much he was able to accomplish with the 

 means at his disposal, for Belfast did not possess a good or 

 complete herbarium or library with modern botanical works 

 of reference such a.sihe/o7{r?ial of Botany or the last edition 

 oi E7iglish Botany. When one tries to sum up the impression 

 left b}' his character and work perhaps the most prominent 

 feature is this. He was a "helper of many." First the shop 

 in North Street, then the Museum was the centre to which all 

 those persons in Ulster turned for advice, help, and encourage- 

 ment who were interested in botany. Many look back to those 

 days and thank him for help always so freely given. Then 

 his accuracy was great, a fact which makes his Flora the 

 valuable book it is. Mr. A. G. More once said to a friend 

 that " it was essential to ask contributors to send their speci- 

 mens with their records [for the Cybcle Hibernica\ and that 

 this method had been rigidl}^ followed with one exception ; 

 the records of Mr. S. A. Stewart of Belfast were invariably 

 admitted without question." 



His perseverance and enthusiasm never failed in trying to 

 clear up doubtful points. The unassuming humility of the 

 man was apparent. His extreme caution and dread of jump- 

 ing to a conclusion sometimes especially in later life led him 

 to miss results he might have gained. I^ove of truth was 

 always his characteristic. 



C. H. Waddeix. 



