IV 



his father, who " WHS a seer but not an expositor," he was logical 

 in his methods, and was careful to present his facts and arguments 

 in fitting sequence. 



In literary style Parker seemed to have been largely influenced by 

 Huxley, Matthew Arnold, and Russell Lowell, many of the writings 

 of each of whom he knew almost by heart, and the reports of some of 

 his popular addresses do credit to his choice. This may be truly said of a 

 speech made by him on the occasion of the distribution of prizes at the 

 Otago Boys' High School, on December 13, 1894, which was enlivened 

 by a witty vein of rare merit, and showed Parker to have been possessed 

 of a keen sense of humour. Soon after his arrival in Otago he 

 delivered his " Inaugural Address," taking as his subject ' Biology as an 

 Academic Study.' In this he ventured to insist on the importance of 

 Darwin's work. But at that time the doctrine of evolution was apparently 

 looked upon by the inhabitants of Dunedin as a bad form of heresy, 

 and the address, as well as a lecture he gave some two years later, on 

 Darwin, produced a storm in the local newspapers. Parker, however, 

 prevailed, and his subsequent addresses and lectures on biological and 

 educational subjects show him to have been intent on progressive 

 measures. Pursuing these with a literary facility, quiet humour, and 

 with common-sense views on general educational questions, we find 

 him extending his influence beyond the limitations of his own depart- 

 ment in his University, and becoming largely responsible for the intro- 

 duction of many improvements in the Degree Regulations which have 

 been to the advantage of all concerned. He was a strong advocate of 

 higher educational aims, and lost no opportunity of insisting on the 

 importance of post-graduate study. With this in view, he instigated 

 several of his students to undertake research, and established in con- 

 nection with their work a series of 'Studies in Biology for New 

 Zealand Students,' the chief among which appeared as contributions to 

 the publications of the Museum and Geological Survey Department of 

 that Colony. 



The duties of Professor of Biology at Dunedin include the Curator- 

 ship of the large and important museum of the University, and in this 

 work Parker showed an exceptional talent. In addition to arranging 

 the collections already there, he from time to time added to them, and 

 greatly developed them along modern and improved lines. Before 

 leaving England he had been led to experiment on methods of pre- 

 servation, it being a desire of his artistic nature to ensure if possible 

 the retention of their natural colours by museum-preserved animals. 

 In this he did not succeed, but in seeking to conserve cartilaginous 

 skeletons so that they might be examined high and dry, he achieved a 

 notable result by the employment of a glycerine jelly method. Con- 

 spicuous among his labours in this direction skeletons of Carcharodon, 

 CattorhynchuSj Notidanus, and Torpedo, together with numerous lesser 



