EOYAL SOCIETY. 197 



In like manner, we find him a few months afterwards 

 come to the rescue of Messrs Oliver and Boyd, whose 

 three volumes on China, got up with great care, and at a 

 great exjiense, were delayed by the non-appearance of a 

 much desired sketch of Chinese zoology. In a few days 

 he supplied the lacking contribution, and the stranded 

 volumes floating off, enjoyed a prosperous voyage. 



At one period, as already mentioned, he took much pains 

 arranging the admirable collections in the College Museum, 

 and besides being a zealous member of the Wernerian 

 Society to the last, he acted as its librarian. To the 

 "Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh" he never 

 contributed, but no one of its fellows could take a livelier 

 interest in its prosperity, or feel more proud of its fame ; 

 nor amongst all his offices of generous friendship, was 

 there ever one more cordially rendered, than his discharge 

 of the secretaryship during the temporary absence, through 

 illness, of Professor J. D. Forbes. For those researches 

 amongst the Alpine and Norwegian glaciers, which had 

 procured for the ardent investigator a celebrity more than 

 European, Mr "Wilson felt intense admiration ; and when, 

 as a consequence of such researches too eagerly pursued, 

 the health of the professor gave way, Mr Wilson supplied 

 his place with affectionate anxiety, and by the diligence 

 with which he catered for contributions, and edited the 

 "Transactions," and by the affability and address with 



