DEc. 1904. | BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 49 
which turned out to be new to science, and which, 
unfortunately, has never been refound since. One excursion 
to the Swiss Alps I well remember, when we stayed for 
several days at Zermatt, revelling in the rare vegetation to 
be found there; and, after crossing the St. Theodule Pass, we 
found our way to Aosta, thence to Cormayeur, from which 
point we enjoyed a delightful walk round Mont Blane to 
Chamonix. He was a capital linguist, and never at a loss 
either in French or German. 
Dr. Aitken was also a member of the Botanical Society 
Club, where many of his botanical songs (which were 
originally composed for this club) were sung and much 
enjoyed after dinner. A few of the favourites were ‘‘ The 
Kail Yaird,” ‘‘ The wee Flourie that hasna got a Name,” and 
the ‘‘ Bonnie wee Moscatelle.” At these dinner meetings his 
merry, happy, and genial manner was much appreciated. 
He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 
the Institute of Chemistry, the Society of Chemical Industry, 
the American Chemical Society, the Royal Scottish 
Arboricultural Society, and the Scottish Meteorological 
Society. Dr. Aitken was appointed, in 1894, Lecturer on 
Agricultural Chemistry in the University of Edinburgh, and 
previous to that he held the appointment of Examiner in 
Chemistry in the same university. 
I here add a few notes by Mr. J. Wyclif Black, assistant 
to Dr. Aitken in his chemical laboratory. The analytical 
work carried on by Dr. Aitken was, in its main branches, 
of an agricultural nature. He was analyst for several 
counties and burghs in Scotland, and the work which these 
places contributed was entirely confined to samples taken 
under the Food and Drugs Act. He also carried on a great 
amount of analytical work in connection with water-supplies, 
and was constantly employed as an expert witness in litigations 
under the Rivers’ Pollution Prevention Act. Among the 
many cases with which he was connected I may mention 
the following: Spey Pollution case, Nith Pollution case, 
Almond Pollution case, and Braid Burn Pollution case. He 
also had a general consulting practice, which brought many 
diverse cases before his notice. 
With regard to Dr, Aitken’s publications, the great pro- 
portion were connected with agriculture. The greater 
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