BOTANICAL DISCOVERY. XXV 
of the New Zealand Institute. Very few volumes, from the foundation 
of the Institute to the time of his death, are without a communication 
from his pen. It is true that in his later descriptive writings he adopted 
views as to the circumscription of species which are in conflict with 
those held by all other New Zealand botanists, and thus introduced 
a vast number of synonyms into the flora; but that is a circumstance 
which must not detract from the recognition of his undoubted services 
to the botany of New Zealand. 
Dr. Andrew Sinclair was originally a surgeon in the Royal Navy, 
and first became known as a botanist from the collections he made 
while attached to the surveying expedition of H.M.S. “ Sulphur” 
to the Pacific coasts of North and South America. He first visited 
New Zealand in 1841, during the stay of the Antarctic Expedition 
at the Bay of Islands, and accompanied Sir J. D. Hooker and Mr. 
Colenso in numerous botanical expeditions. Returning to Australia, 
he met with Captain Fitzroy, who was then on his way to New Zealand 
as Governor, and who engaged him as private secretary. Not long 
after his arrival in the colony he was appointed to the post of Colonial 
Secretary, which he retained for several years. His leisure time was 
almost entirely devoted to botanical pursuits, and he collected largely 
in most parts of the North Island, transmitting copious suites of 
specimens to Kew, where they constituted a large part of the material 
used by Hooker in the elaboration of the ‘“‘ Flora Nove Zealandiz.” 
After the establishment of parliamentary government in New Zealand 
Dr. Sinclair vacated his position, and after a brief sojourn in England 
returned to New Zealand, with the intention of devoting himself to 
botanical work. After a short stay in Auckland he proceeded to Nelson, 
where he made important collections, adding many species to the 
alpine flora. He then repaired to Canterbury, and joined the late 
Sir Julius Haast in the geological and botanical survey then being 
made of the Southern Alps. There, in the year 1861, he was unfortu- 
nately drowned in an imprudent attempt to ford the Rangitata River. 
Although he never published anything of importance on New Zealand 
plants, his name will always be remembered as one of the pioneers of 
botanical discovery in the colony. 
In the years 1847-51, H.M.S. “ Acheron,” under the command of 
Captain Stokes, was engaged in the survey of the coast-line of New 
Zealand, and especially of the western and south-western portions. 
Captaim Stokes was accompanied as surgeon-naturalist by Dr. Lyall, 
who had served in a similar capacity in H.M.S. “ Terror” in the 
Antarctic Expedition, and who made large collections, especially of 
Cryptogamia. Milford Sound, Chalky Inlet, Dusky Bay, Preser- 
vation Inlet, and both shores of Foveaux Strait were the chief 
localities botanized in by Lyall during this expedition. Among 
the plants collected were the first specimens of the magnificent 
Ranunculus Lyalliv. 
