XXVI MEMOIR OF SIR J. G. DALYELL. 



work, Sir John had a beneficial object in view. Much of the loss and 

 suffering at sea, occur from mismanagement, the want of knowledge, or 

 of coolness on the part of the sufferers ; and it was to show how these, in 

 numerous instances, might have been avoided or mitigated by proper 

 conduct. This is improved and enforced by the " Sketch" at the close of 

 the third volume, descriptive of the various inventions which had, up till 

 1812, been made public for the preservation of life in cases of shipwreck. 



In 1814 Sir John published, through the medium of Constable & Co., 

 "Annals of Scotland, from the Yeir 1514 to the Yeir 1501. By George 

 Marioreybanks, burgess of Edinburghe." Marjoribanks died on the 20th 

 of November, 1591, yet, strange to say, the annals bring events down till 

 the 18th Feb. 1594. The narrative is brief, and affords little room for 

 comment. One or two circumstances, however, are recorded, somewhat 

 differently from the common belief. He states, for example, that the 

 body of David Rizzio " was buried in the Kirkyaird of Holyrudhous," 

 whereas the enemies of Mary assert that they were interred in the Chapel 

 Royal, which adjoins the palace. Also, that " in the mounth of August, 

 in anno 15G8, the regent [Muray] caused burne Sir William Steuart, 

 lyone king of armes, for sorcery, as wes alledgit." This is an incident sel- 

 dom alluded to by historians, and there is no distinct account of the mo- 

 tives which led to it. The Knoxcs and Bannatynes of the time had, of 

 course, no desire to blacken the memory of the " good regent." 



In 1814 Sir John also gave to the world his first treatise on natural 

 history, in a thin 8vo., published by Constable & Co. It is entitled, " Ob- 

 servations on some interesting Phenomena in Animal Physiology, exhibited 

 by several species of Planarias. Illustrated by coloured Figures of living 

 Animals." This volume treats of Planaria, Fled'His, Nigra, Panniciilntn, 

 Felina, AretJinsa, Graminea, Vclo.r, Edinensis, and was the result of years 

 of observation of the living animal. Though the author makes no pre- 

 tension to any particular discovery, it is evident that nearly the whole of 

 his experiments and observations were such as no previous naturalist had 

 made with the same care and success. Planaiia; are known as a genus of 

 aquatic animals, somewhat like the leech or snail in external appearance, 

 but differing from both. The two kinds experimented upon, as explained 

 •by Sir John, may be defined, — 1 . " Naked, flattish, in a state of abstinence. 



