Linncean Society, Gj 



The V. P., in the chair, read a notice, addressed to the Society 

 from. Upsal, announcing the death of Louisa von Linne, the third and 

 last surviving daughter of Linnaeus, which took place at Upsal, on 

 the 21st of March last, at the very advanced age of 90. 



Read " A Biographical Sketch of Ferdinand Bauer, Natural Hi- 

 story Painter to the Expedition under Capt. Flinders." By Dr. John 

 Lhotsky. Communicated by the Secretary. 



Ferdinand Bauer, the celebrated Natural History Painter and Tra- 

 veller, was bom in the year 1760, at Feldsberg in Austria, where 

 his father held the appointment of Painter to Prince Lichtenstein. 



In the year 1775 we find him employed by the Rev. Norbert 

 Boccius, of the same place, to make miniature paintings of plants 

 from nature. 



In 1784, while still in the same employment, he was through the 

 recommendation of the elder Jacquin engaged by Dr. Sibthorp to 

 accompany him in his first Journey to Greece, and on his return he 

 was for several years occupied in finishing the numerous drawings 

 of plants made in that journey, and which prove him to have been, 

 even at that period, a very accurate observer, as well as a highly ac- 

 complished artist. 



In 1801 he was selected by Sir Joseph Banks as the Natural Hi- 

 story Painter in the voyage of Capt. Flinders. From this expedition 

 he returned to Europe in 1805, bringing with him no less than 1600 

 finished sketches of plants, besides numerous drawings of animals, 

 of equal merit, and for several years was engaged in finishing a se- 

 lection of his drawings of plants, which are deposited at the Admi- 

 ralty, the board by which he was employed. 



After the Investigator was condemned as unfit for the prosecution 

 of the voyage, and Capt. Flinders had left New Holland to return to 

 Europe, Mr. Bauer, along with Mr. Brown, remained in New South 

 Wales, chiefly at Port Jackson ; but he also visited and remained a 

 considerable time in Norfolk Island, where he diligently collected and 

 made drawings of all the plants of that remarkable island, and from 

 his materials Dr. Endlicher has lately published his very interesting 

 1 Flora Insulae Norfolkise.' 



In 1813 Mr. Bauer commenced the publication of a work entitled 

 ' Illustrationes Florae Novoe Hollandise,' which did not extend beyond 

 three numbers, and of these the last was finished at Vienna, where 

 he had returned in 1814. This work met with very little encou- 

 ragement, either in this country or in his own. 



In the vicinity of Vienna he continued to reside, employing him- 

 self in drawing the more remarkable plants that flowered in the im- 



