SERENO WATSON. 409 



lections made at this time, were prepared in the herharium of Pro- 

 fessor Eaton, at New Haven and at Cambridge. But one can see 

 that the notes were made on the spot where the plants were found, 

 and nothing was left for the memory to lose. Watson wrote thus in 

 a letter concerning the scope of the collection : " My work is at 

 Professor Eaton's house, where all my plants are. I spend from two 

 to twelve hours a day upon them, and it is going to be an everlasting 

 job to work them up. It is the best and largest collection that has 

 ever been brought in by any government party, and promises to yield 

 a fair proportion of new species." 



The Report was published in 1871, and confirms fully the state- 

 ment made in the note which I have read. Not only were the 

 collections the largest, but the notes respecting the surroundings of 

 the plants were more detailed than any that had ever been returned 

 from our Western plains. The notes constitute a fund of information 

 for those who would know the habits of our desert plants. 



The last portion of the Report was prepared at Cambridge, in the 

 Gray Herbarium that was his home from 1870. Here he attacked 

 and solved some of the most puzzling questions regarding North 

 American plants, and the results of these researches are given for the 

 most part in the volumes of our Proceedings. His other investiga- 

 tions and his separate works are noticed in the bibliography which is 

 appended to this sketch. 



At the time he was taken ill, he was engaged in the attempt to 

 complete the Synoptical Flora of North America, left unfinished by 

 Dr. Asa Gray. For this work his extensive acquaintance with our 

 Western Flora and his conservative views regarding nomenclature 

 specially fitted him. For the most part his botanical practice and 

 principles were in perfect accord with those of his predecessor. His 

 maturity of thought, his wide training in many and diverse fields, and 

 his independence in deciding questions seemed to render his service in 

 the completion of the Synoptical Flora on the lines laid down by its 

 designers absolutely indispensable. At present, the Flora stands as a 

 broken column, twice interrupted in construction. 



No sketch of Watson's life, however brief, would be complete 

 without some mention of three journeys other than those of the 

 Survey already described. 



One of these was in behalf of the Forestry division of the Tenth 

 Census. For a few friends he prepared a charming sketch detailing 

 his adventures. The sketch gives a glimpse of the keen pleasure 

 which he took in wandering, and his untiring powers of observation. 



