THE REV. THOMAS HINCKS, F.R.S. 267 



by others with little of the uncertainty which is felt in 

 using the descriptions of less accomplished observers. 



The classification of Cheilostomatous Polyzoa was re- 

 volutionized by the acceptance of Smitt's principle that 

 the characters of the individual or '' zooecium " are of 

 more importance than those of the entire colony. This 

 view was warmly supported by Mr. Hincks, who has 

 carried it to its logical coDclusions throughout his in- 

 vestigations. The student of the Polyzoa was at one time 

 able to refer the majority of encrusting calcareous Cheilo- 

 s tomes to the genus LepraUa^ while an erect bilaminate 

 colony could be safely called an Escliara. Mr. Hincks 

 showed on what unsatisfactory grounds these associations 

 rested ; and although there may be some loss of convenience 

 in giving up the older genera, which could be recognised 

 at once with the naked eye, there can be little doubt that 

 the newer principles of classification were a surer test 

 of affinity than the habit of the entire colon}?-. Such at 

 least is the view of recent writers, who consistently adopt' 

 the conclusions which Mr. Hincks did so much to estab- 

 lish. 



Though Mr. Hincks' services have been so great in 

 the domain of systematic zoology, the Natural History 

 of both Hydroids and Polyzoa has come in for a large 

 share of his attention, and the pages of his two mono- 

 graphs on the British forms abound with interesting ob- 

 servations on the characters and behaviour of the living 

 animal. The ''Introduction," in the case of each of these 

 works, gives an excellent general account of the group. 



The Royal Society Catalogue of Scientific Papers for the 

 years 1800-1883 includes the titles of forty-eight memoirs 

 by Mr. Hincks, some of them consisting of several parts 

 published at different times. The very first of these, 



