LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDOK. 3 1 



For thirty-three years he lectured on Botany at Edinburgh, to 

 the largest classes probably ever brought togetlier ; about eight 

 thousand studeuts, it is stated, passed under his tuition. His 

 excursions were features o£ his system of teaching, and he was 

 probably at his best when giving an extemjjorary lecture on 

 some curious or rare plant in the field. His publications were 

 chiefly introductory, his bulky class-book being the chief ; he also 

 contributed the article " Botany" to the 8th and 9th editions of 

 the ' Encyclopaedia Britannica.' With Mr. John Sadler he pub- 

 lished a ' Flora of Edinburgh,' in 1863, which is little more than 

 a skeleton list of plants, with localities, and falls far short of the 

 just requirements of local floras. Much of his time was given to 

 the duties of his position as Dean of the Medical Faculty, and 

 Secretary to the Edinburgh Eoyal iSociety, besides minor oiiices. 

 Failing health in 1879 compelled him to lay aside active work ; 

 the relief seemed tt) give him a renewed lease of life, so that his 

 death came at last rather as a surprise. 



He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society June 18th, 

 1844. 



His son, Prof Isaac Bayley Balfour, was appointed Professor 

 of Botany at Oxford at the time of his father's death. 



Wj^ltee Francis Montague Douulas Scott, Fifth Duke oe 

 BuccLEUCH, was born 25th November, 1806 ; and died at Bowhiil, 

 Selkirkshire, on 16th April, 1884. He was elected Fellow of this 

 Society December l7th, 1833 ; was President of the Eoyai Horti- 

 cultural Society from 1862 to 1883, when he resigned ; and in 

 1867 he was elected President of the British Association, since 

 which time the Presidents have been chosen exclusively from 

 men of scientific eminence ratlier than from social position. 



The Duke had some connexion with horticulture, not only as 

 the owner of two of the finest garden-estahlishments in the 

 country, Dalkeith P;dace and Drumlanrig Castle, as well as half- 

 a-dozen or more smaller ones, but in virtue of his association with 

 the Royal Horticultural Society, the Boyal Caledonian Horticul- 

 tural Society, and the Grardeners' lioyal Benevolent Institution. 

 His connexion with the lioyal Horticultural Society commenced 

 early in 1862, shortly after the death of the Prince Consort, 

 when, the Queen's wishes being consulted as to the choice 

 of a new President, Her Majesty signified the Duke as the 

 person she would like to hold that position. This office he 

 held until April l!583, when, with other Members of the 

 Council, he resigned, his successor in the oifice of President 

 being Lord Bury. On the death of the late Duke of Devonshire, 

 the Duke of Buccleuch was elected President of tlie Grardeners' 

 Royal Benevolent Institution, and by his death the Institution 

 has lost a munificent supporter. 



Thomas Hughes Coeet was born in Ireland in the year 1862, 

 and was accidentally drowned, on August 4th, 1883, by the 



