The Scottish Naturalist. 243 



which all members of the Antiquarian Society were most heartily 

 welcomed. Socially, Dr. Gilchrist was of a most genial disposi- 

 tion. He held the respect of all who had intercourse with him, 

 as well as the esteem of all who knew him, and few men will be 

 more generally missed in local intellectual circles." 



John Watson Laidlay, another Scottish Naturalist, also has died 

 during the recent year. Born in Glasgow on 27th March, 1808, 

 when 1 7 years old he went to India, to his uncles, silk factors and 

 indigo planters. In 1849 ne returned from India, and lived partly 

 in London, partly at SeaclirT in Haddingtonshire. 



His favourite pursuits were chemistry, geology, meteorology, 

 and the study of oriental languages ; and he published a number 

 of papers on them in the Journal of the "Bengal Asiatic Society." 

 Perhaps the most interesting publication (" Trans. Scottish Archae- 

 ological Society," 1870-71) by him on a purely Scottish investiga- 

 tion related to the supposed rise of the east coast of Scotland. 

 By the discovery of the ruins of a prehistoric dwelling on a rock 

 near Seacliff, only 23 feet above high water mark, he showed that 

 the land could not have been much lowered since its formation, 

 else it would have been destroyed by the sea. 



He presented a collection of shells, and also coins and other 

 antiquities to the National Museums. 



He died on March 5th, 1885, leaving five sons and two daughters. 



Charles William Peach, late of H.M. Customs, and for many 

 years one of the most assiduous and successful marine zoologists 

 of Great Britain, died in Edinburgh on the 28th February, 1886, 

 in his 86th year. A notice of his labours, which added largely to 

 our knowledge of the marine fauna of Scotland, will appear in our 

 next issue. 



