Oct., 1897.] 25 



WILLIAM ARCHER, F.R.S. 



WiLWAM Archer, eldest son of Rev. Richard Archer, belong- 

 ing to an old Co. Wexford family, was born May 6, 1830, 

 and died August 14, 1897, unmarried. His only brother, Holt 

 Waring Archer, predeceased him in 1883, leaving two sons — 

 the sole surviving male representatives of the ** Irish Archers" 

 of Enniscorthy. The earliest indication of his scientific tastes 

 and special talent for patient investigations in connection with 

 minute forms of vegetable and animal life, was associated with 

 the Dublin Microscopical Club, which originated in the year 

 1849. It was founded by a few students fond of natural 

 history, who met at each other's houses ; their names were 

 Eugene O'Meara, William Archer, E. P. Wright, Wm. Frazer, 

 and Geo. Porte. Some others became associated with them, 

 and a Club was formed — composed of twelve regular members 

 — to meet monthly in the evening for social and microscopic 

 purposes. A limited number of visitors attended by invita- 

 tion, and, subsequently, some distinguished scientists accepted 

 the position of honorary members. Mr. Archer was Secretary, 

 and preserved accurate records of all the proceedings for 

 many years. The Club continues to flourish. Dr. Frazer, and 

 Mr. Arthur Andrews who was early co-opted into its ranks, 

 still attend the stated meetings. Professor E. P. Wright and 

 Mr. Archer retired some time since, and were nominated 

 honorary members. It now embraces workers "in those 

 branches of science to the advance of w^hich microscopic 

 investigation has so much contributed — botany, geology, 

 mineralogy, and the various departments of natural history — 

 whose names we do not mention ; but we can point to a goodly 

 list of tormer members, such as the late Dr. David Moore, 

 Director of the Glasnevin Botanic Gardens ; Dr. John Barker, 

 Curator of the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, 

 Ireland ; Admiral Jones, an indefatigable lichenologist, who 

 perished in the sad railway accident at Abergele ; Dr. M. H. 

 CoUes, Captain Hutton, now in New Zealand, and Professor 

 Hull, late Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, with 

 others, whose contributions are recorded in the ProceediJigs. 

 From the year 1864 the stated minutes of the Club were 



A 



