BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 150 



resented nearly all the regions of the globe- even some of the most 

 remote and inaccessible. 'I'he specimens are in fine ccondition, but 

 mostly unmounted. The llniversity accepts them on Mr. Bennett's 

 terms, which are sim])ly that they be mounted, cased and properly 

 cared for ; also, that they he made available to boianical students 

 under pro]:)er restrictions. Mr. VV. W Bailey, since 1877 Instructor 

 of Botany at Brown, has now ihe additional title and duties of Curator 

 of the Herbaria. The united collections of Messrs. Ohiey, Bennett 

 and Bailey, make a nucleus of which any institution might be p'oud. 

 It is well known that Mr. Olney was a specialist of hi.uh rank in the 

 study ot Carcx and his collection of Carices must remain classic. 

 The iierbarium is. however, rich in American botany generally, and 

 contains some fine spe'-ial suites, as Rf)bbin's Potainp0ons, Sullivant's 

 and Austin's Mosses. Wright's Cuban Plants, Hall and Thurber's 

 and Fendler's collections. &c. Accompanying Carcx. are tiie exqui- 

 site colored drawings by J. H. Rmerton, made under Mr. Olney's 

 direction, to illustrate his ])rojected monograjjh of the genus. Valu 

 able notes accompany these. Mr. Olney's i)otanical correspondence 

 covers many years and is of peculiar interest. It contains letters from 

 all the leading botanists of America. 



The curator takes pleasure in calling attention to the Brown 

 University Herl)arium, and asks aid of his scientific friends in increas- 

 ing and extending its usefulness. Every courtesy will be extended 

 to visiting botanists. — J. M. C. 



De\th OF AN OLD BoTANisT. — Dr. S. B. Mead died at his 

 home in Augusta, Illinois, Nov. nth, 1880, in the Sad year of his 

 age. He was born in Connecticut, graduated from Yale College in 

 1820, and i 1 1834 settled in Augusta. In the practice of his profes- 

 sion, taking long rides over the prairies in every direction, he had an 

 opportunity to study the flora of the region before it was disturbed by 

 cultivation. He c(;llected largely and made some interesting discov- 

 eries, his best find being Asckpias Mcadii, which is a rare plant in col- 

 lections even now. He exchanged with the leading bcjtanists of the 

 past generation and did not lose his interest in botany up to the day 

 of his death. Tiie writer visited him last sjjring, found him active 

 and in good spirits and took pleasure in looking through his collec- 

 tion with him. His death was caused by a fall several weeks pre- 

 vious, but he was able to be about until the last and died with very 

 little suffering. His collection includes many interesting Western and 

 Southern plants gathered by Hall, Lindheimer, Ravenel, T J. Hale, 

 VI. A. Curtis, Dr. Short and others. It would make a valuable pres- 

 ent to some college, or would enrich the herbarium of almost any pri- 

 vate collector. It will be disposed of together with his botanical 

 library, by his widow, Mrs. S. B. Mead, Augusta, III. -■* 



Contributors to Mr. S. T. Olney's Carices Boreali Americana 

 are recpiested to communicate at once with Mr. James L. Bennett, of 

 Providence, R. I., who has been recpiested by President P.obinson, 



