THOMAS KIRK, F.L.S. 489 



gist and ornithologist. The others were Aylmer Bourke Lambert, a 

 former President, and the last, as I have been informed, who wore 

 in the chair the presidential three-cornered hat ; and Archibald 

 Menzies, who as naturahst accompanied Vancouver in his voyage 

 in the Pacific, and who introduced the Araucaria iriibricatn into 

 England. These all died very near the year of my election. 



" Referring now to the progress of the Society in status and 

 efficiency during the years that have elapsed since 1842, the record 

 cannot but be gratifying to its Fellows. Of this the best proofs are 

 the increment in extent and value of its publications, and the 

 interest taken in its meetings. From its foundation up to the date 

 referred to (fifty-four years) eighteen volumes of the Transactions in 

 quarto had been published. During the succeeding fifty-four years 

 about double that amount have been produced in the same form, 

 besides fifty-eight volumes of the Journal in octavo, which latter 

 was not commenced till 1857. 



" Then as regards attendance at the meetings, during the first 

 years of my fellowship it was miserably small. If my memory 

 does not deceive me, I recall a night in Soho Square when only five 

 Fellows supported the President and Secretary. There was a dearth 

 of papers too, and the discussion of such as were brought forward 

 was discountenanced by the chair. All this is now happily a thing 

 of the past, and I should not have alluded to those bad times had 

 not the Society given proof of that inherent vitality which supported 

 it under a temporary depression, and subsequently raised it to its 

 present position. 



" It remains, Sir, to thank you cordially for coupling my father's 

 name with my own in this award, but for which, indeed, I could not 

 have accepted it without a protest. I inherited from him my love 

 of knowledge for its own sake, but this would have availed me little 

 were it not for the guiding hand of one who had himself attained 

 scientific eminence; who by example, precept, and encouragement 

 kept me to the paths which I should follow ; launched me in the 

 fields of exploration and research, liberally aided me during his 

 lifetime, and paved for me the way to the position he so long held 

 at Kew with so great credit to himself, and benefit especially to our 

 Indian and Colonial possessions." 



THOMAS KIRK, F.L.! 



The death of Thomas Kirk, a valued contributor to this Journal, 

 was briefly recorded in these pages shortly after its occurrence in 

 March last, and I have delayed further notice in the hope of 

 receiving detailed information from New Zealand as to his work 

 there. This has not arrived, and it does not seem desirable to 

 postpone any longer a brief record of the deceased botanist. 



Thomas Kirk was born at Coventry in 1828, and during the 

 earlier part of his life was occupied in a timber-mill in that town. 

 At what date he took up the study of botany does not appear. His 



