74 OBITUARIES [january 



1875 he came to England, having been officially requested to gather information 

 about lunatic asylums, in view of the erection of a new one in the Colony. 



With reference to his many presentations of good reptilian fossils to the 

 British Museum, a well-deserved tribute of praise has been given to Dr. 

 Atherstone by Sir Richard Owen in his Descript. and Illustr. Catal. Foss. 

 Reptilia S. Africa, 1876, p. vi., where he says: "It will be seen how largely 

 Science and the British Museum are indebted to W. Guybon Atherstone, Esq., 

 M.D., who has devoted the leisure of a long and successful medical practice at 

 the Cape to the study and acquisition of evidences of the palaeontology of that 

 part of the globe." 



Through Dr. Atherstone's intelligent interest, in response to those who knew 

 him as a geologist, the accidental occurrence of the now historic diamond at 

 De Kalk, in the Hopetown Division of the Cape Colony, was brought to light 

 in 1867. He was the first to determine its characters as a real diamond. 

 Fully recognising the importance to the Colony of such a discovery, he sug- 

 gested that it should be sent to the Paris Exhibition, and the Governor of the 

 Colony secured it by purchase. The enormous wealth accruing to South Africa 

 from this fortunate application of mineralogical knowledge and common sense 

 is now too well known to be further dwelt upon. 



In 1871, when he made his first visit to diamond fields, he noticed that 

 Jagersfontein was being deserted by the diggers. He assured them it would be 

 a good mine ; and, when it was again worked eight years afterwards, it 

 proved to be very productive. He also indicated the diamantiferous neck at 

 " De Beer's New Rush," afterwards called Colesberg Kopje, and ultimately 

 Kimberley. Subsequently, after he had become a Member of the Cape Parlia- 

 ment, he again visited the diamond mines — that of Kimberley in particular, 

 with its deep shafts and numerous galleries ; and he contributed many interest- 

 ing notes to the local publications on the possible origin of the diamonds, and 

 the causes of the disastrous " mud-rushes " deep down in the mine, as well as 

 on some of the physical phenomena of the surface. 



In the meantime he had visited the Gouph and the reported gold-bearing 

 rocks of that and other localities, as far as Lydenberg, everywhere bringing 

 his long experience and mature judgment to bear upon geological difficulties 

 with more or less advantage. Dr. Atherstone took a warm interest in estab- 

 lishing the Geological Society of South Africa at Johannesburg in 1895 ; and 

 he was elected an Hon. Vice-President at their first meeting. 



We may well regard our old friend as one of those prominent geological 

 worthies who have given their best energies to the elucidation of South African 

 geology and to the benefit of their fellow-men. T. R. J. 



GEORGE JAMES ALLMAN. 



Born 1812 ; Died 24th November 1898. 



The last of the brilliant band of Professors who, under the Chancellorship 

 of Lord Brougham, the Rectorship of Mr. Gladstone, and the Principalship of 

 Sir David Brewster, a galaxy of talent unrivalled, made the scientific and 

 medical sides of the great Scottish University everyAvhere known and esteemed, 

 — the cultured and refined George James Allman passed away on the 24th 

 November, at the age of 86. He was born in Cork, and spent his school days 

 in Belfast ; and his original intention was to study for the Irish Bar. But the 

 natural bent of his mind was towards botany and zoology, and he graduated in 

 Arts and Medicine in the University of Dublin in 1844. His earlier papers 

 were partly botanical, and this led to his appointment (1844) as Regius 

 Professor of Botany in the University in which he had studied. He also at 

 this time gave much attention to the fresh-water Polyzoa, though there is con- 

 siderable variety in his first fifty papers. Amongst the memoirs which his 



