1893-94-] David Douglas. 1 09 



VI.— DAVID DOUGLAS. 



By Mr THOMAS WRIGHT. 



(Read April 26, 1894.) 



As eleven years have rolled by since David Douglas went 

 over to the majority, it may seem rather late in the day to 

 write an obituary notice. Yet, with your permission, I should 

 like to place one stone on the cairn that marks his unvisited 

 grave. 



Douglas was a south-country man, — one who 



" Was reared among the hills 

 Within a Border home." 



His early manhood was spent in Leith, where he toiled as a 

 hammerman, but afterwards he obtained more congenial em- 

 ployment as attendant in the Museum of Science and Art. 

 Unfortunately he was afflicted with a painful disease, which 

 surgical treatment failed to relieve, and he died in the Eoyal 

 Infirmary while yet in his prime. 



Those who were in the habit of frequenting the Museum in 

 the seventies will cherish kindly memories of David Douglas. 

 He was a canny Scot, — modest and unassuming ; somewhat 

 reticent, perhaps, and slow to make acquaintance, but to those 

 who gained his friendship he proved himself a man of sturdy 

 integrity. Notwithstanding the lack of early education, he 

 did excellent work as a naturalist. His contributions to the 

 pages of ' Science Gossip ' give ample evidence of rare ability 

 as an observer, and of sound judgment in the interpretation of 

 carefully ascertained facts. Botany was his chief study. So 

 well was Douglas acquainted with his Flora that he seldom 

 required to consult the index, and could honestly quote, in 

 this connection, Dante's address to Virgil, — 



" I long with zeal 

 Have sought thy volume, and with love immense 

 Have conn'd it over." 



Birds also occupied a share of his attention. Latterly he 

 worked hard at the British Coleoptera. So far as I have been 



