xliv FLORA ORCADENSIS. 
birds and studied the plants, moths, and beetles of 
the district, besides devoting much of his time to 
dredging. He continued during the rest of his lite 
to take an enthusiastic interest in the flora and 
entomology of the Orkney Islands (especially the 
Hieracee and Naiadacew), where he found one or 
two plants new to Britain and several varieties 
differing from the typical. From 1851 to 1868 Dr 
Boswell (then Mr Syme) lived in London, where he 
held the position of Curator to the Botanical Society 
of London, and Lecturer on Botany to the Charing 
Cross and Middlesex School of Medicine. He also 
lectured on Natural Science at the New College, 
Edinburgh, for a year previous to the appointment 
of Dr Duns. On 28th April 1856, he married Miss 
Hardwick, daughter of the late Mr Hardwick, 
solicitor, London. In April 1868 Dr Boswell left 
London and came to reside at Balmuto, Fife, where 
he spent the remainder of his life. Im 1875 he 
succeeded to this property, and assumed the name of 
Boswell, under the will of his uncle, Mr Boswell of 
Balmuto and Kingcausie. Dr Boswell was a keen 
lepidopterist and coleopterist; but his interest was 
chiefly centred in the botany of the North Temperate 
Zone. The chief work of his life was editing the 3rd 
edition of ‘Sowerby’s English Botany.’ He entirely 
re-wrote the scientitic portion of this standard work 
on British plants, which extends to twelve volumes. 
He describes the plants from his own observations, 
and it is in these descriptions that his genius is most 
apparent. In all his work he was ably assisted by 
his wife, who acted as his amanuensis. In recognition 
