OhitMctry Notirx of Sir C. Wi/vilk Tliomson. 259 



this city. His favourite school studies were the writings of 

 the Latin poets, of whicli lie always retained a familiar and 

 pleasure-giving knowledge. At the age of sixteen, he matri- 

 culated as a student of medicine in tlie University of Edin- 

 burgh, it being intended that he should follow his father's 

 profession. From the beginning of his college life he devoted 

 himself with enthusiasm to the sciences of botany, geology, 

 and more especially of zoology. The study of the lower 

 forms of marine life had already great attraction for him, and 

 for this study he found abundant material in the rich fauna 

 of the Firth of Forth. A solitary example of the Echinid, 

 Dorocidaris jpa^pillata, almost the only representative in 

 the College Museum at this time of the deeper water 

 forms, exercised a special fascination over him. He con- 

 templated the happiness of the man who should possess such 

 a treasure. 



As a student he did not belong to that class all of whose 

 thoughts and studies are directed to the passing of exami- 

 nations and to the attainment of dcOTces, little carinf? 

 what the kind of knowledge they acquire may be, if its 

 mastery is required of them. He was shrewdly suspected 

 by these of devoting much time to work wdiich they regarded 

 as highly unprofitable. He was often found at the sea-shore 

 curiously examining strange animals called Medusae, or in the 

 country watching some rare butterfly or bird, wdien they 

 thought that his time had been better spent in poring over 

 the text-book or syllabus of lectures. They did not foreknow 

 that the shiftless Medusa studies were to culminate in giving 

 to mankind the knowledge of the life of half the world, and 

 to dower the favourite but somewhat commiserated student 

 with an imperishable name. 



He was elected a Fellow of the Eoyal Physical Society in 

 his earlier student days, and we of this Society reflect with 

 satisfaction, that its Fellowship was the first of the many 

 distinctions which were conferred on him. He held for two 

 years the office of secretary to the Society, taking a very 

 active part in its scientific work and administration. His 

 interest in its welfare continued unabated, although distance 

 and the multifarious engagements of his later years prevented 



