AN APPRECIATION 



BY 



A. C. SEWARD, F.E.S. 



(Fellow of Emmanuel College and 

 University Lecturer in Botany, Cambridge), 



Author of "Catalogue of the Mesozoic Plants in 



The Department of Geology, British Museum 



(Natural History). 



In response to an invitation, Mr. Seward has very 

 kindly contributed the following Appreciation of the late 

 P. J. Rufford, and his work among the Wealden fossil 

 plants which he (P. J. E.) found in such large 

 quantities at Ecclesbourne, several years ago. 



My acquaintance with Mr. Rufford began 

 about the year 1893, when I was engaged in 

 the description and cataloguing of the mag- 

 nificent series of fossil plants from the Sussex 

 cliffs near Hastings, which he collected and 

 afterwards disposed of to the British Museum. 

 The name of Rufford was impressed upon my 

 mind by the occurrence on each specimen of a 

 label bearing the inscription " Rufford Collec- 

 tion," In the course of my work I frequently 



