Obituary Notices. 23 



on December 16, 1808. From a very early period of his 

 life he showed a strong liking for birds and animals of all 

 kinds. This propensity developed itself more and more as 

 he grew older, and became at last a marked feature in his 

 character. He was educated at the High School, while in 

 his own home he met with every encouragement in his 

 studies, and even his leisure time was expected to be 

 improved in prosecuting some useful and healthy pursuit. 

 After completing his course at the High School he studied 

 at the University here. He subsequently became a pupil 

 of the late Mr Jardine, C.E., with whom he continued a 

 considerable time, and was sent by him to various parts of 

 Scotland on engineering work. To such a mind as his, 

 early imbued with a love of nature, it can easily be 

 imagined how the opportunities so abundantly afforded 

 him, in this and the subsequent periods of his professional 

 career, were fully taken advantage of by him for cultivating 

 his taste for landscape gardening, and extending his know- 

 ledge of all kinds of trees and plants. A short time after 

 leaving Mr Jardine he commenced on his own account, and 

 accepted an appointment in the spring of 1838 as resident 

 engineer to the Bolton and Preston Eailway, a new line, 

 the works of which were executed entirely under his 

 superintendence. When these were completed he left 

 Lancashire in 1844 and returned to Scotland ; and in the 

 following year, or about that time, was connected first with 

 the Monkland Railways, and soon afterwards with the 

 Edinburgh and Glasgow Eailway. This latter connection 

 lasted for many years, during which he had much parlia- 

 mentary work, which brought him into contact with all 

 the leading engineers of the day. He was, however, 

 engaged in many other engineering works besides railways. 



He was early made a Fellow of the Eoyal Society of 

 Edinburgh, and though, in consequence of his residence 

 being out of town, he could not for many years attend its 

 meetings, he always took a deep interest in scientific 

 subjects. 



He was one of our Eesident Fellows, and though for the 

 same reason as that above mentioned he was not a frequent 

 visitor at our meetings, yet for the last thirty years of his 

 life it was his special delight to collect within his own 



