Noy. 1907. | THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 369 
1887 he discovered Saxifraga «aizoides, var. aurantiaca. 
Montbretia or Tritonia Pottsii, a South African plant, was 
found growing in his garden, and he never managed to 
account for its being there, though it has been suspected 
that he must have got it from Mr. Maw. It is from this 
Montbretva Potts that all the fine and really handsome 
varieties of Montbretia now in cultivation have originated. 
He raised a very handsome Dianthus which is known as 
“Fettes Mount Pink.” During a visit to the Continent 
about thirty years ayo he picked up in Paris a variety of 
Sedum brevifolium which he named Sedum Pottsii. He was 
not a scientific botanist, but an enthusiastic amateur horti- 
culturist with a sharp eye to detect any departure from the 
normal form in the plants he cultivated. He was a keen 
angler and chess-player, a genial, good-tempered, and kind- 
hearted fellow, and an excellent companion on excursions. 
He died at his residence, Fettes Mount, Lasswade, on 6th 
June 1907, in his 77th year. 
Sir JAMes Hector, M.D., K.C.M.G. 
Sir James Hector, F.R.S., F.G.S., F.L.S., was the son of Mr. 
Alexander Hector, W.S., and was born in Edinburgh in 
1834. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and 
the High School. At the age of fourteen years he entered 
his father’s office, and shortly afterwards was apprenticed to 
the well-known actuary, Mr. James Watson. Having de- 
termined to study medicine, he became a student at the 
University of Edinburgh in 1852, and was a member of 
Professor J. H. Balfour’s class at the Botanic Garden in 
1853. He graduated M.D. in 1856. In the following year 
he was selected by his University for appointment as surgeon 
and geologist to the Government Expedition under Captain 
John Palliser to explore the Canadian North-West, which 
occupied from 1857 to 1860. He received his instructions 
for this expedition from Sir Roderick Murchison, Director- 
General of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. The 
scientific work of the expedition was done chiefly by Sir 
James, who, with only two companions, took long, arduous 
journeys on snowshoes in order to collect full information 
about the country. He penetrated as far as the Rocky 
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