BIOGRAPHICAL. xlix 
as to the advancement of scientific knowledge in 
Orkney. 
Dr FORTESCUE. 
By far the most complete list of Orkney plants 
previously published was edited by Dr Fortescue of 
Swanbister, Orphir, and Kingcaussie, Aberdeen, and 
published in the “ Scottish Naturalist,’ vol. vi., 1881-82, 
edited by F. B. White, M.D,, F.L.S.; and vol. 1, new 
series, 1883-84, edited by J. W. H. Traill, A.M., M.D., 
F.LS., F.R.S., Professor of Botany in the University 
of Aberdeen. Dr Fortescue was then a farmer in the 
farm of Swanbister, which belonged at that time to his 
father, and now belongs to himself. Whether his love 
of natural history in its twofold aspect—plant and bird 
life—had anything to do with his desire to follow this 
pursuit, I know not, but it is no more than a truism 
to say that his life as an agriculturist was made both 
more interesting and complete from the fact that his 
spare time was devoted toa pursuit so congenial to 
his tastes, and a healthy reaction to the petty irrita- 
tions common to the life of an agriculturist. His 
training for becoming a student of botany was of the 
very best, His uncle, Dr Boswell, on a few occasions, 
spent his holidays in Orkney, with his headquarters 
at Swanbister. Under his efiicient tuition and 
suidance—for he was a reliable and accurate spec- 
ialist, and one of the best masters of the science of 
botany which last century produced 
exceptionally fortunate. Dr Fortescue, too, showed 

his pupil was 
by his careful and original work that he had either 
inherited or acquired the same indispensable qualities. 
