336 Linnean Society. [May 24, 



the title of Baron Percy, and in 1817 he succeeded his father in the 

 Dukedom. He had previously sat for several years in the House of 

 Commons, and he afterwards filled several dignified and important 

 offices in the State, being selected to represent the King of England 

 at the Coronation of Charles X. of France, and afterwards to fill the 

 office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, under the Administration of the 

 Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel. 



His leisure hours were much employed in the study of botany, 

 astronomy and mechanics. To the University of Cambridge (which 

 had elected him its Chancellor) he presented a large telescope with 

 an object-glass of 12 inches diameter, and one of the latest acts of 

 his Hfe was to give to the University of Durham a similar telescope, 

 with a portable observ^atory, so adjusted that it might be erected in 

 the most eligible situation for taking observations. 



On his garden at Syon (a garden known to botanical science for 

 nearly three centuries, and from whence Dr. Turner, the author of 

 the first English Herbal, dates the preface of his book) his Grace 

 annually expended large sums. The garden was greatly improved 

 by the erection of an elegant, extensive and lofty range of conserva- 

 tories ; and considerable success was attained in thejeiFort to cultivate 

 various tropical fruit-trees, with a view to the ripening of their fruit. 

 In this object the Duke followed up the example of his father-in-law, 

 the late Lord Powis, whose collection of tropical fruit-trees had been 

 transferred to Syon at his decease. At various times collectors were 

 also sent out by the Duke, either entirely at his own expense, or in 

 conjunction with others, with the view of introducing horticultural 

 novelties, and many rare and interesting plants which flowered or 

 fruited for the first time at Syon were the result of these expeditions. 



His Grace died at Alnwick Castle on the 1 1 th of February in the 

 present year. His Fellowship of the Linnean Society dates from the 

 year 1833 ; and he had been for several years a Trustee of the British 

 Museum on the nomination of the Queen. 



John Parkins 071, Esq., F.R.S.SfC, was the son of a gentleman who 

 became possessed by the chances of the Lottery of the noble museum 

 formed by Sir Ashton Leven at an expense of upwards of 50,000/. 

 This was the means of introducing our late FelloM' to Dr. Shaw of 

 the British Museum, with whom he became closely intimate, and to 

 many other eminent naturalists, from whose conversation he imbibed 

 a considerable taste for the pursuits in which they were engaged. 

 From an early period of his life he was employed in the service of 

 the Government, first as Paymaster of French Refugees, and after- 

 wards as British Consul successively at Koenigsberg, Pillau, Memel, 



