xliv PROCEEMJfGS OF THE. 



Besides the memoirs and papers already mentioned on African. 

 Botany, Dr. Welwitsch, since his residence in London, published 

 several others, the most important of -which is the " Sertum Ango- 

 lense " in the Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xxvii. (1869), with twenty-five 

 plates by Pitch. 



There are also two papers in the Journal of the Liunean Society 

 (Botany), " On a remarkable Species of C?ssits from the south of Ben- 

 guela," &c. (viii. p. 65), and "Observations on the Origin and Geogra- 

 phical Distribution of Gixm Copal in Angola " (ix. p. 287), and a paper 

 on African Lorantliacecn in the ' Gardeners' Chronicle ' for July 1st, 

 1871. In conjunction with Mr. Currey he published the first part of 

 '*■ Fungi Angolenses" (Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xxvi. p. 279), containing 

 a number of new species ; and his collections have been the 

 foundation of several monographs and memoirs by various authors. 



Dr. Welwitsch was elected an Associate of the Linnean Society on 

 the 2nd of December 1858, and a Fellow on the 4th of May 1865. 



Robert Wight, the twelfth child in a family of fourteen, was born 

 at Milton, Duncra HUl, East Lothian, on July 6, 1796, his father 

 being a Writer to the Signet in Edinburgh. He was educated at 

 the High School of Edinburgh, received a surgeon's diploma in 1816, 

 and took his degree in medicine at the University in 1818. After 

 making several voyages as surgeon to a ship, one of which was to 

 America, he obtained an appointment in the East-India Company's 

 medical service, and went out to Madras in 1819. He joined the 

 42nd N. I., of which his brother James was subsequently colonel, 

 then stationed in the Northern Division. A few years later, in 

 1826, Dr. Wight was appointed to succeed Dr. Shutcr as "Naturalist" 

 at Madras ; and whilst occupying that important position he formed 

 extensive collections in the difi'erent departments of natural history, 

 and made a prolonged tour of investigation in the southern produces, 

 the outline of which is marked in the map of India pubKshed in 

 Wallich's ' Plantse Asiaticse rariores.' 



In 1828 Dr. Wight was appointed garrison-surgeon at Negapatam, 

 where for two years and a half he was engaged in medical duties ; 

 but his botanical ardour was not diminished. He diligently explored 

 the province of Tanjore ; and at Negapatam a large collection of plants 

 was made. He exemplified great generosity in the formation of his 

 collections, numerous duplicates being provided when possible, often 

 at the cost of much trouble and expense to himself, for subsequent 

 distribution to other botanists. Special acknowledgment of his 



