LINNEAX SOCIETY OF LONDON. 4{; 



twenty-second volume of the ' Berichte der Deufschen Botanischen 

 (resellschaft,' to \^ Inch we are indebted for many of tbe foregoing 

 detail.^. [B. D. J.J 



The name of the llev. Thomas Arxiiur Prestox is familiar to 

 many by his work for phenology, the observation of the dates of 

 the seasonal appearance or disappearance of certain selected plants 

 and animals. He was born at Little Dean's Yard, Westminster, 

 on October 10th, IS'33, his father being one of the masters 

 at "Westminster School, and took part in the founding of the 

 Athenaeum Club in 1824. Onr late Fellow held two scholarships 

 at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, was bracketed 20th Wrangler in 

 1856. and in 1857 headed the lirst division in the Natural Sciences 

 Tripos, with distinction in Botany and Mineralogy. He proceeded 

 M.A. in 1859, but the year before he was ordained deacon at 

 Salisbury, and one year later, priest at the same Cathedral. On 

 taking holy orders, he became Assistant jNIaster at Marlborough 

 College, and from 1858 to 1873 he took a form in the Lower 

 School ; from 1873 to 1885 he was House-Master and taught a 

 Mathematical Class. Familiar with the neighbourhood of Cam- 

 bridge, he at first sight thought the Wiltshire surrounding of the 

 College little other than a desert. But a better acquaintance with 

 the available ground for exploration modified his view, and he found 

 scope for his observations in plants and geology, soon inducing 

 others to join him in these observations. After five years' residence 

 he brought out his ' Flora of Marlborough, with notices of the 

 birds, and a sketch of the geological features of the neighbourhood' ; 

 a handy volume of 130 pages, modelled on the then recently issued 

 'Flora of Cambridgeshire,' by Professor C. C. Babington. He 

 was the founder and for sixteen years President of the School 

 Natural History Society, which has just issued its 53rd Eeport. 



In 1875, in conjunction with others, he issued a small 'Instruc- 

 tions for the obserA'ation of Phonological Phenomena,' and two years 

 later, his 'Notes for observations of Injurious Insects.' Early in 

 1883, Drs. Hoffmann and Egon Ihne were in correspondence with 

 the present writer, and the sequel was that in three successive 

 numbers of the ' Botanical Journal ' (Nos. 125-127), vol. 20, an 

 appeal to observers \^■as translated and printed on the wrappers of 

 those numbers, with a list of the plantsohserved with their average 

 dates. Mr. Preston supported this appeal whole-heartedly ; it is 

 now ofhcially recognized as part of the work of the Eoyal Meteoro- 

 logical Society, and local societies are engaged in recording and 

 averaging dates. Shortly before this, he had set on foot a series of 

 small annual volumes on the Eainfall of Wiltshire, 1882-86, the 

 last being published after he had quitted his position at Marl- 

 borough in 18b5, for the Eectory of Thurcaston, Leicestershire, 

 which he retained during the remainder of his life. 'The Flower- 

 ing Plants of Wilts' was issued at Leicester in 1888; it was based 

 on his notes during 27 years' residence in that county. He caused 



LINN. SOC. PROCEEDINGS. — SESSION 1004-1 DOS. C 



