216 In Memoriam : Andreiv Moffat. [Sess. 



secretaries had already been in office. 1 Mr Moffat resigned 

 the united offices of Secretary and Treasurer on October 26, 

 1894, so that for the long space of nearly twenty-one years 

 he had performed these duties for the Society, and was thus 

 intimately acquainted with its affairs during all that time. 

 He had been a member of the Society for about a month only 

 when he was asked to undertake these services : his member- 

 ship and secretaryship were therefore of almost equal duration. 



Of sterling probity, Mr Moffat was also methodical and 

 painstaking in every duty he performed. He was a born 

 leader, and generally succeeded in infusing some of his own 

 enthusiasm into those who rallied round him. His attain- 

 ments as a field-botanist are known to all the members of 

 the Society. He had a wide and an accurate acquaintance 

 with our native plants, and there were few localities in 

 Mid-Lothian into which he had not penetrated in pursuit of 

 his favourite study, though often going much farther afield. 

 The herbarium he has left is very complete and extensive ; 

 and a beautiful collection of mosses attests his knowledge of 

 this department of botany. 



While Mr Moffat did much to increase the usefulness of 

 the Society, there can be no doubt that he too was a gainer 

 from his close connection with it. His prominent position in 

 it for so many years gave an impetus to his own leanings 

 towards the study of Natural History, arid he spared no efforts 

 to gain some proficiency in such branches as palaeontology, 

 entomology, and practical microscopy. Amongst the 3000 

 volumes which comprise the library he formed, there are 

 many bearing on his favourite pursuits, as well as works in 

 classical and general literature. In one of the press notices 

 of Mr Moffat which appeared at the time of his death, there 

 is a very pleasing reference to a scene which was by no means 

 of unfrequent occurrence in the Ladies' College at George 

 Square. The arithmetical master is there depicted as "off 

 duty," and surrounded by a bevy of fair maidens, to whom 



1 The following are the names of the gentlemen who have filled the office of 

 Secretary from the founding of the Society, with the dates of their appointment: 

 Mr "W. C. Smith, June 2, 1869 ; MrT. Edmondston, June 9, 1869 ; Mr Andrew 

 Taylor, October 6, 1869 ; Mr John Brown, November 29, 1871 ; Dr Hoggan and 

 Mr John Walcot, interim secretaries ; Mr A. Moffat, December 9, 1873 ; Mr 

 A. B. Steele, October 26, 1894. 



