Nov., 1908.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 117 



schaft (Regensburg). See also the Geelong Advertiser for 23rd 

 October, 1895. 



He was at first intended for the diplomatic service, and with 

 this view he entered St. John's College, Cambridge. His ability 

 was sufficient to have enabled him to take a high place on the 

 mathematical or classical tripos ; but botany and geology had 

 such a strong attraction for him that he was content with the 

 ordinary pass degree. Late in the fifties he came to Australia, 

 and, after a little press work, he joined the staff of the Geelong 

 Church of England Grammar School, of which the present Dean 

 of Melbourne (Dr. G. O. Vance) was then head. In 1863 he 

 was appointed to succeed Dr. A^ance, and occupied the position 

 of head-master until his death. 



Mr. Wilson's name will perhaps be remembered longest in con- 

 nection with his official position, for no "old boy" of the Geelong 

 School in his time can think of him otherwise than as the ideal 

 Christian scholar and gentleman. But his work for science was 

 far more important and extensive than is generally known. He 

 encouraged a love for natural science amongst his boys to an 

 unusual extent. To learn botany and geology from him was — 

 even to boys — far more of a pleasure than a task. He was, 

 moreover, in correspondence with scientific men all over the 

 world on those subjects, like the algse and the sponges, on which 

 he was a recognized authority. He was much associated in his 

 scientific work wilh the late Baron von Mueller, and with Professor 

 W. Baldwin Spencer, of the Melbourne University. He was an 

 enthusiastic dredger of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, and 

 the greater part of his fine collection of algae, mounted and 

 arranged with that neatness which was a characteristic, is in the 

 National Herbarium, Melbourne. 



He published several small scientific works, amongst which 

 were " Plorula Corioensis " (excursions near Geelong in search of 

 plants) ; " Comparative Methods of Digestion, Circulation, and 

 Respiration in Fishes, Amphibia, and Mammals," and " Catalogue 

 of Algae collected at or near Port Phillip Heads and Western 

 Port" (Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., iv., New Series, 157, 1892): 

 published an earlier systematic list of the marine algae collected 

 by him, chiefly dredging, at Port Phillip Heads and Western 

 Port — about 300 {Vict. Nat., lii., 128, 1887); "Discovery of 

 Catenicella in the Miocene Tertiary Beds near Geelong " (a 

 Polyzoon), {Jour. Micr. Soc. Vict.,\., 1880 ; ^Ving's S. S. Rec, 1., 

 46). 



For the accompanying photograph, by Massingham, Geelong, 

 the only one known, and for most of the above notes, I am 

 indebted to his nephew, the Rev. H. M, H. Rupp, rector of Yea, 

 Victoria, and formerly rector of Warialda, N S.W., himself an 

 excellent botanist. 



