656 



miscellaneous specimens. At Mr. Lambert's death, Mr. Feilding pur- 

 chased the collection of Ruiz and Pavon, one of the most extensive 

 ever formed in the Andes of Peru, and the authority for the plants de- 

 scribed in that magnificent work, the ' Flora Peruviana,' published in 

 the last century, under the auspices of the Spanish government. For 

 the last twenty years Mr. Feilding has been adding to his museum by 

 an almost indiscriminate purchase of all the books and plants that 

 have been offered for sale, either in England or on the continent. 

 He bought from all the collectors sent out under the patronage of 

 individuals, securing choice sets of their harvests ; and he was a con- 

 stant subscriber to all the foreign collecting societies. His collection 

 was mainly kept in order through his own untiring zeal and devotion 

 to its care ; and at one time he obtained for it the scientific superin- 

 tendence of the late Dr. Gardner, of Ceylon. It was during this pe- 

 riod that he published, conjointly with Dr. Gardner, his only work, 

 ' Sertum Plantarum,' comprising figures of new and rare plants con- 

 tained in the Feilding herbarium. The plates were lithographed out- 

 lines, on the model of Hooker's ' Icones Plantarum,' and were drawn 

 and lithographed by Mrs. Feilding, a lady of great accomplishments, 

 the enthusiastic admirer of her husband's pursuits, and his unwearied 

 assistant. 



Mr. Feilding died suddenly towards the close of last year, and left 

 his widow sole legatee, with the expressed wish that his herbarium 

 and library should be offered to his Alma Mater, Oxford, ujjder cer- 

 tain most liberal conditions, relating to its care, its accessibility at all 

 times to all botanists properly recommended, its scientific superinten- 

 dence and increase. For the purpose of carrying out these views, 

 Mrs. Feilding chose as advisers and temporary trustees. Professor 

 Daubeny, Sir W. J. Hooker, G. Bentham, Esq., and Dr. Alexander. 

 Dr. Daubeny responded to the call in the most liberal spirit, proposed 

 wise and safe regulations under which it should be offered to the Uni- 

 versity, and backed them by his personal exertions, by the offer of 

 devoting a large share of his own emolument as Professor of Botany 

 to the maintenance of the herbarium, and by guaranteeing cordial 

 co-operation, apartments, and the use of his own library, &c., to who- 

 ever should be appointed to the Curatorship. The trustees had a 

 prolonged conference with the Oxford authorities, the result of which 

 was that the herbarium was gladly accepted, £1000 voted for build- 

 ing in the Botanic Garden a museum which should contain both that, 

 the Sherardian, Dillenian, and other herbaria of historical as well as 



