xlii PROCEEDINGS OF TUE 



to the Continent, where he spent upwards of four years. He re- 

 turned to Edinburgh in the summer of 1820, and took up his re- 

 sidence in his native city. At a later time he became a Pellow 

 of the Edinburgh College of Physicians j but he seems not to have 

 engaged in medical practice. He had early imbibed a taste for 

 Comparative Anatomy and Zoology, and now devoted himself as- 

 siduously to the prosecution of those branches of science, both by 

 continued systematic study and by original research. Dr. Grant 

 published various interesting anatomical and physiological obser- 

 vations on mollusks and zoophytes ; and his name will always be 

 associated with the advances of our knowledge concerning the 

 structure and economy of sponges. 



Dr. Grrant remained in Edinburgh till 1827, and in the mean 

 time communicated the results of his various scientific inquiries 

 to the ' Edinburgh Philosophical Journal ' and the ' Memoirs of 

 the Weruerian Society,' of which he became an active member. 

 He was also (in 1824) elected a Eellow of the Eoyal Society of 

 Edinburgh. 



In June 1827 Dr. Grant was elected Professor of Comparative 

 Anatomy and Zoology in the newly founded University of Lon- 

 don, afterwards University College. He entered on his duties in 

 London in 1828, and in October of that year delivered his inau- 

 gural lecture, which was published at the time and went through 

 two editions. In this office he continued up to the time of his 

 death, during which long period of forty -six academical years he 

 never omitted a single lecture. Up to the last Session (1873-74) 

 he continued to give five lectures a week ; but, sensible of failing 

 strength, he pi'oposed to reduce the number to three in the next 

 Session (which he was not destined to see). 



lu 1833 Dr. Grant delivered a gratuitious course of forty 

 lectures on the structure and classification of animals to the 

 members of the Zoological Society. In 1837 he was appointed 

 EuUerian Professor of Physiology in the Royal Institution, which 

 office he held for the usual period of three years. At a later 

 time he was appointed by the Trustees of the British Museum 

 to the Swiney Lectureship on Geology, the tenure of which is 

 limited to five years. In 1841 he delivered the Annual Oration 

 before the British Medical Association. In 1836 he was elected 

 a Eellow of the Royal Society of London. He was also a Eellow 

 of the Zoological and Geological Societies. 



Dr. Grant's vacations were spent sometimes in Scotland, but 



