398 NATURAL SCIENCE. May. 



" Theorie Elementaire." In 1855 appeared his "Geographic 

 botanique raisonnee," publislied in two volumes, and containing, in 

 1,300 pages, " an exposition of the principal facts and laws concerning 

 the geographical distribution of plants at the present day." " In its 

 aggregation of facts and results, and in their skilful marshalling," says 

 a reviewer in the current issue of the Gardene/s Chronicle, " it is com- 

 parable only with the works of Darwin, some of whose views were 

 indeed something more than foreshadowed by the great Swiss 

 botanist." In 1867 he laid before the International Congress of 

 Botanists at Paris his " Lois de la nomenclature botanique," which 

 still forms the basis of modern botanical nomenclature. In 1880 

 appeared " La Phytographie," or the art of describing plants, a work 

 of the utmost value to every systematist, and concluding with an 

 invaluable list of the principal herbaria. His " Histoire des Sciences 

 et des Savants depuis deux siecles " (1873) is a charming book, and 

 quite intelligible to the general reader, while his " Origine des Plantes 

 Cultivees," a translation of which is published in the " International 

 Science Series," is also well-known. 



These do not represent nearly all of the stately and courteous 

 Professor's contributions to botanical science, but this is but a short 

 biographical notice, not a bibliography, and no place can be found for 

 his numerous papers dealing with very various aspects of botany. 



De Candolle made several memorable visits to this country. 

 When about two-and-twenty he came over to London, and leaving 

 the metropolis in May went down to the West of England. 

 Thence he worked up through Wales and the English Lakes to 

 Glasgow, where he met Sir William Hooker, then Professor of 

 Botany at the University. From Glasgow he went to Skye, and 

 having done the island on foot, crossed to Inverness, and so back 

 to London, where he arrived again in the autumn. Certainly a very 

 creditable tour, considering the means of communication more than 

 sixty years ago. 



In 1866 he presided over the London Botanical Congress held 

 at South Kensington, and in his address emphasised the great im- 

 portance of an intimate relation between botany and horticulture. 

 In May, 1850, he was elected a foreign member of the Linnean 

 Societ}^, of which he was at his death the senior foreign member. 



In 1889 the Society conferred on him its gold medal, the highest 

 honour it has to give. The President, when announcing the sad news 

 at the meeting on the evening of April 6, mentioned that his son 

 Casimir, who has done good botanical work, had been selected by 

 the Council for nomination as a foreign member. 



De Candolle loved the English and English ways, dining in 

 English fashion and speaking English largely at home, and, in 

 common with the rest of his family, was by no means friendly 

 disposed to the political powers of his native city. 



He was well and vigorous till within six months of his death, 



