6o PBOCEEDIN^GS OF THE 



This line of work was initiated by Murray's appointment 

 in 1873 to the naturalist staff of H.M.S. 'Challenger.' The zoo- 

 logical side of the expedition was amply cared for by tlie director 

 of the scientific staff, the late Sir Wyville Thomson, and by his 

 two assistants, the late Prof. Moseley and the late Dr. v. vVille- 

 moes-Suhm. It was naturally therefore left to Murray to 

 devote himself to the geological aspects of the dredgings carried 

 out during the voyage. For this line of work he had been well 

 prepared by his studies at the University of Edinburgh und^r 

 Sir Archibald (then Professor) Geikie, the late Prof. Tait, and 

 Prof. Crum Brown. Extensive observations were made during the 

 voyage, and, on the conclusion of the expedition, Murray, in 

 conjunction with the late Prof. Eeuard, published one of the 

 series of the ' Challenger ' volumes upon these deposits. The 

 same kind of work was pursued in after years by numerous minor 

 exploring expeditions, and, latest of all, Murray commenced with 

 the assijitaiice of others a survey of the Scottish lakes with their 

 fauna and deposits, providing the necessary finances. The facts 

 gathered in this survey fill six volumes, of which it has been said 

 that " there is probably no other country of which the depths and 

 other features of its lakes have been so fully made known." 



Although one of the leading, and at the time of his death probably 

 the leading, enquirer in this department of geology, Murray was 

 a most wide-minded man in his views of other branches of science ; 

 he was anxious to assist in purely zoological and botanical work with 

 the same fervour that he devoted to his own studies. His founding 

 or patronage of zoological stations in Scotland (such as the labora- 

 tory at Granton) are well known ; and with him were associated 

 many young naturalists, at that time unknown, but now well 

 known for their contributions to science (such as Mr. J. T. Cun- 

 ningham, Dr. H. E. Mill, and many others). 



A very marked part of Sir John Murray's character \^as his 

 encouragement of, and assistance to, younger men desirous of 

 pursuing scientific paths ; nor was this encouragement tainted by 

 the least trace of jealousy, so lamentable a trait in the character of 

 even some very great men of science of the past. There are many 

 now with us who have much reason to be grateful to Sir John 

 Murray. 



After the return of the ' Challenger ' Sir John Murray assisted 

 Sir Wyville Thomson ; and on the death of the latter in 

 18S2 succeeded him in the editing of the vast series of volumes in 

 which the scientific results of the Voynge were set forth, and in the 

 conduct of the huge collections. He himself, as already stated, 

 was responsible with Prof. Eenard for that part dealing with 

 the marine deposits and also, with assistance from the late 

 Prof. Moseley and some others, for the writing of the introductory 

 part dealing with the cruise itself and containing resume's of 

 the scientific work done. The editing of so colossal a series of 

 volumes is most justly to be credited to Sir John Murray, who 

 supervised every matter himself and read proofs with the same 

 diligence that he devoted to other departments of his duties to 



