276 PATRICK BLAIR, SURGEON APOTHECARY.  [Szss. ixx1. 
Edinburgh, records his death at Boston in February 1727— 
or, as we Should say, February 1728, for at this time the 
legal year did not begin till March,—January and February 
forming the closing months of the year, coming naturally 
after the ninth and tenth months—November and December. 
His death must have been somewhat sudden ; there is evidence 
that he was in London in December 1727, arranging for the 
issue of a new edition of his “ Miscellaneous Observations.” 
Some day I am hopeful I may obtain further information as 
to his later years, but meantime this sketch may draw atten- 
tion to the little known life of this interesting and attractive 
Dundee doctor and naturalist of two hundred years ago 
