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IN MEMORIAM—DAVID ROBERTSON. 29 
dredging for seaweeds he had often brought up shells and other 
marine animals, and, as these had been carefully preserved by 
him, he gradually brought together an extensive collection. 
From John Gray and Thomas Gray, two members of this 
Society, he obtained assistance in the naming of the marine 
shells, whieh were then arranged in systematic order, and 
cabinets provided for their reception. Having now got fairly in- 
terested in marine zoology, he purchased some standard works on 
the subject, among which were G. B. Sowerby’s Jilustrated Index 
of British Shells, Forbes’s British Starfishes, and Bell’s British 
Stalk-eyed Crustacea. From this time onward to 1860, his visits 
to Millport were as far as possible devoted to searching for the 
treasures of the sea. He entered into correspondence with the 
leading authorities on the subjects which engaged his attention, 
and his discoveries soon attracted the notice of British and Con- 
tinental zoologists. They also afforded materials for many 
communications to this Society. For a long period he con- 
tinued to be one of the most frequent exhibitors of specimens 
at the meetings, while the papers submitted by him were also 
very numerous. Up to that time the information collected 
regarding the marine fauna and flora of the West of Scotland had 
been fragmentary and imperfect ; but, besides furnishing stores of 
knowledge on’ these subjects, his communications contained a 
record of original observations and experiments on the life-history 
and habits of these organisms which has proved of the utmost 
value to students of biology. In gratefully acknowledging the 
influence which these communications have had in raising the 
Society to the position which it has since occupied, it is pleasant 
for us to remember that the Society itself was largely instrumental 
in developing Mr. Robertson’s taste for natural history, and in- 
ducing him to engage in those pursuits which he so long followed 
with marvellous success, and with which his name will continue 
to be closely and honourably associated. 
But his attention was directed to a much wider field than was 
afforded by the study of existing animals and plants. He was a 
keen and accomplished geologist, and was specially interested in 
the memorials of long-extinct forms of life, 
About the year 1855 he joined the Rev. Henry W. Crosskey, 
F.G.8., in the preparation of a paper on the Post-Tertiary 
