1851.} Linnean Society. 141 



separate volume, published at Rostock in 1801. In the year 1804, 

 the Society of Sciences at Gottingen offered a prize for the best 

 Essay on the Structure of the Vessels of Plants, among the competi- 

 tors for which were Link, Rudolphi, and Treviranus. Rarely has it 

 happened that three such men have entered the lists on such an 

 occasion ; Link and Rudolphi had the prize divided between them, 

 and Treviranus received the accessit. The Essay of the former was 

 published under the title of ' Grundlehren der Anatomic und Phy- 

 siologie der Pflanzen,' Gottingen, 1807, 8vo, M'ith a supplement 

 added in 1809. In the meanwhile its author had commenced the 

 publication of a ' Beschreibung des Naturalien- Kabinets der Univer- 

 sitat Rostock,' 8vo, six parts, 1806-1808, which contains, among 

 other valuable zoological observations, some important but little- 

 known contributions to the natural history of the Mollusca. In the 

 midst of these and other avocations connected with his Professor- 

 ship, he twice fiUed the office of Rector of the University, and found 

 time to devote himself with much energy to various patriotic duties 

 connected with the war then raging between his country and 

 France. The year 1811 brought him invitations to fill the Chair 

 of Natural History both from Halle and Breslau. He chose the latter, 

 and remained attached to that Universit)^ for four years, during which 

 time he had the honour of giving lessons on natural history to the 

 present King of Prussia, then Crown-Prince, whose personal favour 

 he ever afterwards continued to enjoy, and which was evinced among 

 other marks of distinction by the affixing the name of Link to one 

 of the new streets of Berlin. To the Professorship of Botany in the 

 University of that capital. Link was finally removed in 1815, and at 

 the same time appointed to the superintendence of the Botanic Gar- 

 den. In this great centre of the intellect and science of Germany, his 

 varied talents and extensive acquirements received their full develop- 

 ment and became universally known and acknowledged. He be- 

 came an active Member of the Academy of Sciences and of the Na- 

 tural History Society, Medical Privy- Councillor and a Member of 

 the Scientific Deputation in the Ministry, Director of the Botanic 

 Garden and of the Garden of the University, of the Royal Herbarium, 

 and of the Pharmacological Collection, and was for many years 

 President of the Horticultural Society. For some time after his 

 appointment to the Professorship he gave Lectures at the University 

 on Physical Geography, Philosophy and Anthropology ; but at a 

 later period he restricted himself to General and Medical Botany, 

 Toxicology and Pharmacology. The well-known riches of the Bo- 

 tanical Garden furnished him with ample materials for the prosecu- 



