356 Miscellmieous Contributions and [sess. lh. 



January 12, 1888. 



Owing to the lamented death of Professor Alexander Dickson, 

 ex-President, the Council resolved, at their meeting on January 

 3rd, that the General January Meeting be not held, and circulars 

 announcing this were accordingly issued to members. 



Fehruary 9, 1888. 



Dr Craig, on taking the chair, referred to the great losses botani- 

 cal science had recently sustained, and which affected the Society 

 so much. He stated that, beside the severe loss felt by all the 

 Fellows in the removal from their midst of his predecessor in the 

 Presidential Chair, they were called to mourn the death of Pro- 

 fessors Asa Gray and De Bary, Dr Boswell of Balmuto, and the 

 Kev. Mr Colvin. After passing a high tribute of regard to Pro- 

 fessor Dickson, ex-President, he called on Dr Cleghorn, who pro- 

 posed the following : — 



" It is with profound sorrow and regret that the Council have to 

 record the loss which the Society has sustained by the death of 

 our ex-President, Professor Dickson, who died suddenly at Hartree, 

 on December 30. 



" Professor Dickson was elected a member of the Society in 

 1857, and always manifested a deep interest in its welfare. After 

 his election to the Chair of Botany in the University of Edinburgh, 

 he took a leading part in the work of the Society and in the 

 management of its affairs. He was elected President in 1865, 

 and again in 1884. 



" During his connection with the Society he enriched its Pro- 

 ceedinrjs witli many valuable contributions, especially in the depart- 

 ment of Vegetable Morphology and I'jnbryogeny, a domain in 

 which he had few equals. 



" He has been taken away fmrn us in the midst of activity and 

 usefulness, and not only has the. Society by his death lost one of 

 its most eminent Fellows, but tlu3 scjisnce of botany has lost one 

 of its most accomplished and ardent votaries. 



"As a Professor of Botany, his memory will l)e cherished by the 

 students of the Universiti(!S who were privileged to listen to his 

 instruction, to see his beautiful d(;lin(!ations, and to feel the living 

 touch of his syiiipailiy and kiiidiiess, wliieli acted like a charm 

 upon the hearts of all who cauKj undcir liis inlluence, and caused 

 him to be regarded as the most approachaMe, of tea(;hers. 



" To those of us who enjoyed the pleasure of his intimate ac- 

 quaintance, his sudden death has come as a sad personal bereave- 

 ment, but we shiill ev(;r elieiisli tlie memory of his warm-hearted 

 genial friendship, liis inflexible integrity, his wonderful unselfish- 

 ness, and the unostentatious grace which characterised all the 

 actions of his life." 



