80 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



observer of nature, and his book has the merit of bringing together, 

 in a convenient form, all that was then known of the animal life of 

 the country. 



Dr. G. H. K. Thwaites, F.R.S., before assuming the reins of the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens in 1850, was already famous in the scientific 

 world by his discovery of the true nature of the minute aquatic 

 organisms known as Diatoms. The old microscope with which he 

 carried out his classical researches is still preserved at Peradeniya. 

 He directed the Botanic Gardens for a period of thirty years, 

 retirmg in 1880, after which he resided in Kandy for two years 

 before his death. He made extensive collections of plants, which 

 now form the mass of the rich herbarium at Peradeniya. His 

 " Enumeratio. Plantarum Zeylaniae " was compiled for the use of 

 scientific botanists ; but the writing of a popular Flora of Ceylon, 

 which he had in view, was prevented by the onerous duties of his 

 Directorship. In addition to his labours in the botanical world, 

 Dr. Thwaites was an entomologist of some standing. Under his 

 supervision a series of beautiful coloured drawings of the caterpillars , 

 of a large number of local butterflies and moths, was prepared. 

 These drawings, together with Thwaites's own collection of Lepi- 

 doptera, were utilized in Moore's fine monograph of the Lepidoptera 

 of Ceylon — a work which is unfortunately too costly to be generally 

 available. 



Amongst Ceylon naturalists of the last generation, the name of 

 William Ferguson can never be forgotten. His sympathy and ever- 

 ready assistance were at the disposal of every budding naturalist or 

 earnest inquirer. He had a very complete knowledge of the botany 

 of the Island and supplied Tennent with copious commimications on 

 the subject. He was more particularly interested in Ferns and 

 Selaginellas, and also studied the grasses of the country. But his 

 interest in Natural History was by no means confined to plant life. 

 Indeed, it would be difiicult to mention any branch in which he was 

 7iot interested. He gathered together much information about the 

 reptiles of Ceylon and published several papers on the subject. 

 One of our tree frogs {Rhacophorus fergusonii) bears his name. He 

 also made notes on the structure and habits of Fireflies and Glow- 

 worms, which, however, were never published and — owing to the 

 unfortunate loss of his collections of these insects — cannot now be 

 utilized. 



George Wall was another well-known personality of the same 

 period. He was an enthusiastic collector and student of ferns, and 

 has left us " A Catalogue of the Ferns Indigenous to Ceylon " (1873) 

 and a " Check List of Ceylon Ferns " (1879). 



Any entomologist who may carry his researches into other 

 branches than that of Lepidoptera will be familiar with the name of 

 J. Neitner. He was a prominent planter in the coffee days, and was 



