Biographical Note. xi. 



to have been indiscreet at times in exceeding his powers in the matter 

 of discipline. Sir Charles H. Read, who had access to a copy of 

 Vancouver's journal which had been annotated by the surgeon's mate 

 of the " Discovery," remarks that Vancouver " seems to have been a 

 somewhat arbitrary commander," but this is probably explained by 

 Vancouver's poor state of health at this time. 



From Chili Mcnzics brought home the Monkey Puzzle tree (Aurau- 

 caria imbricata) , the first to be introduced into Great Britain. Of the 

 latter the story is told that he obtained seeds when dining with the 

 Spanish Viceroy at a banquet at the Capitel St. Jago. While dessert 

 was being served Menzies noticed some nuts of a kind he had not seen 

 before ; he put some in his pocket, and on returning to the ship planted 

 them in the glazed frame which had been erected on the quarter-deck 

 for the purpose of preserving plants for the Royal collection at Kew. 

 By the time the ship returned to Britain five of the seeds had taken 

 root and grown into young trees. One of these lived at Kew until the 

 autumn of 1892. 



Menzies next served on board the "Sanspareil " in the West Indies 

 under Lord Hugh Seymour. 



All mention of Menzies indicates that he was of a kindly disposi- 

 tion and most painstaking in the discharge of his duties, and his name 

 was highly honoured and respected among the botanists at Kew. 



He was elected a member of the Linnean Society in 1790, and 

 upon the death of A. B. Lambert became President of the Society. 

 Among his papers are two diplomas, one showing that he obtained the 

 degree of M.D. at Aberdeen University in July, 1799, and another 

 appointing him a member of the Nature Research Society of Leipzig. 



Upon retiring from the Navy, Menzies followed his profession of 

 doctor and surgeon at 2 Ladbrook Terrace, Notting Hill, London, 

 where he died on February 15th, 1842, and was buried at Kensal 

 Green. His wife, by whom he had no family, predeceased him by 

 five years. He had four brothers, William, Robert, John, and James, 

 all of whom were botanists and gardeners. His herbarium of grasses, 

 sedges, and cryptogams was bequeathed to the Edinburgh Botanical 

 Garden. Sir J. E. Smith dedicated to him the ericaceous genus 

 " Menziesia." 



Many of the personal relics of Archibald IMenzies are now in the 

 possession of his grand-nephew, Mr. C. D. Geddes, of Edinburgh, to 

 whom the writer of these notes is indebted for the privilege of obtain- 

 ing many of the photographs to illustrate this memoir, as also to Mr. 

 Menzies Ellis. 



