5© PROCEEDINGS OE THE 



in the British Museum. A portrait of Prof. Seeley and a hst of 

 his scientific papers were pubhshed in the ' Geological Magazine ' 

 for June 1907 (dec. 5, vol. iv. pp. 245-253, pi. xii.). 



[A. Smith Woodwakd.] 



George Sim, A.L.S. since 2nd December, 1886, was the son of 

 a general merchant at Craigellachie, Avhere he was boru on 

 26th March, 1835. He received but little education as a child, 

 and in 1848, when 13 years old, he was apprenticed to a tailor in 

 Auchterless ; after 4| years he became journeyman to the same 

 master, and remained some time longer with him, till, in conse- 

 quence of bis employer's increasing love of drink, he became 

 ruined, and Sim had to find work elsewhere. This experience 

 deeply impressed him, and led him by precept and example to 

 endeavour to save his fellow-workmen from that habit which had 

 proved fatal to the master. 



As a journeyman tailor he moved about in various parts of 

 Great Britain and Ireland, till in 1857 he tried his fortune by 

 setting up a shop in Turriff, but soon afterwards a brother induced 

 him to join in buying a druggist's business in Tarland, where they 

 spent about two years. The business did not equal their hopes, 

 so it was sold, and on leaving Tarland George Sim resolved to 

 improve his knowledge of taxidermy by a regular training under 

 Mr. Sandison, of Edinburgh. After a short visit to London, he 

 went to Aberdeen in 1862, and began business in King Street as 

 a naturahst and preparer. His success enabled him to move, in 

 a few years, to Castle Street, where he also sold antiquarian 

 articles ; his integrity and skill were so known and valued, that 

 this branch became largely extended and successful. 



He had married before settling in Aberdeen, where his wife and 

 child lived during his search for fortune in London. After his 

 establishment in business, he was assiduous in field-work at such 

 hours as could be snatched from business ; he did not spare 

 himself, working early and late. In 1878 he published in the 

 ' Transactions ' of the Aberdeen Natural History Society his " List 

 of the Crustacea of the North-East Coast of Scotland," and a 

 '* Catalogue of Eish found in the vicinity of Aberdeen " by the 

 late Dr. Dyce and Sim. His collections in both groups were 

 given by him to the University of Aberdeen shortly before his 

 death. His quarto note-books, from 1862 to 1890, with drawings 

 interspersed, were given to the Aberdeen Eree Library. Many 

 short notes in Naturalist's Journals were written by him, till in 

 1903 he published in Aberdeen ' The Vertebrate Eauna of Dee,' 

 a handsome octavo volume of nearly 300 pages. 



The scanty education of his youth was largely made good by- 

 private study, and he was an omnivorous reader. In his later 

 years he travelled in Erance, Italy, and other parts of Europe, 

 visiting museums and other places of interest to a naturahst. 



He is described as reserved and silent with strangers ; of spare 



