President's Address. 187 



Scbimper that in every case a protonemoid growth is first 

 formed from these gemmsB, as in the true generation from 

 spores. In fact, every part of a Moss appears to be 

 endowed with great vitality ; for Hofmeister has grown 

 plants from single leaf cells, and ]\Iees from antheridia. 



The Society is well advised in promoting the publica- 

 tion of such works as that of Dr Spruce on the Hepaticse 

 of the Amazon and Andes, which is to form volume xv. of 

 our Transactions. Students of special subjects may thus 

 be furnished with proper text books on special branches, 

 otherwise beyond their reach ; and competent observers 

 will thus be multiplied. 



The following are the Obituary Notices for the year : — 



Professor Balfour was born in Edinburgh on the loth 

 September 1808. After going through the usual course 

 of six years at the High School, under Dr Carson and Dr 

 Pillans, he matriculated at the University of Edinburgh. 

 After a three years arts curriculum there, he went for a 

 year to the University of St Andrews, where he attended 

 the lectures of Dr Chalmers, whose fame had at this time 

 attracted a large number of students to that university, 



John Hutton Balfour's studies had up to this time- 

 been directed with a view^ to his entering the ministry of 

 the Church of Scotland ; but Professor Jackson strongly 

 recommended the medical profession as being more con- 

 genial to his turn of mind, and this he ultimately resolved 

 upon. 



During the summer of 1826 he made his first start in 

 the study of botany by attending the class of Professor 

 Graham, and from this time botany became his special 

 study. After taking liis degree of M.D. in 1832, a short 

 time was spent on the Continent, attending specially the 

 hospitals of Paris. On his return to Edinburgh in 1834, he 

 settled at 15 Dundas Street, and continued for five years 

 as assistant to Sir George Ballingall, at the same time 

 prosecuting his favourite study. His autumn holidays 

 were alw^ays devoted to examining the flora of different 

 districts, most frequently in the Highlands of Scotland. 



