276 Obituary Notice of the late T. C. Archer. 



Among the members were Professor Balfour, Dr Greville, 

 Professor Allman, Mr Dallas, Mr Jeniier, Mr Neill Fraser, 

 Mr M'Nab, and Mr Sadler. 



Along with Mr Peterson, of the office of Crown Domains, 

 St Petersburg, Professor Archer wrote an elaborate official 

 report on the vegetable substances used in manufactures 

 shown in the International Exhibition of 1862. In this 

 report detailed lists are given of the exhibited woods from 

 several countries, which appear to have been collected and 

 named with skill and care. The Spanish list contains the 

 comparatively large number of 312 indigenous and 

 acclimatised woods. Mr Archer refers to the work of 

 examining the numerous specimens of gums, resins, gutta- 

 percha, and caoutchouc shown, as being particularly 

 laborious. He acted as an Associate Commissioner at the 

 Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867 for the class dealing 

 with Forest Products ; and was again at work at the 

 Vienna Universal Exhibition of 1873, and wrote several 

 reports for the British Commission in connection with it. 



Professor Archer was British Commissioner, conjointly 

 with Colonel Sandford, at the Philadelphia Exhibition of 

 1876, and while there, notwithstanding heavy official 

 duties, had some opportunities of studying the botany of 

 the United States. He was much gratified when at Phila- 

 delphia with the opportunity, which, as one of the high 

 officials of the Exhibition, he enjoyed, of tasting the native- 

 grown tropical fruits of the Southern States, of the West 

 Indies, and even to some extent those of South America. 



Of late years he spent most of his leisure time in his 

 garden, and took great delight in examining any specially 

 fine or interesting plants in conservatories belonging to his 

 friends, as well as in looking over the beds of alpine 

 flowers in their grounds. His death took place on 19th 

 February 1885. 



In private life Mr Archer was much esteemed by his 

 associates. He had attractive powers of conversation, had 

 travelled much, and was altogether a very entertaining 

 companion. In his official work he was very active and 

 energetic, and did everything he could to extend the use- 

 fulness of the Museum ; but at the same time he was 

 considerate and kind to his subordinates, and solicitous at 

 all times for their welfare. 



