preparations, may be seen in the British Museum of Natural History, 

 the Cambridge University Museum, and elsewhere at home and at the 

 Antipodes, which have stood the test of prolonged display and exposure 

 to the action of light and air. Mainly in association with his curatorial 

 work, there appeared from time to time in the pages of 'Nature' a 

 series of " Notes from the Otago Museum," which, while serving as a 

 record of his manipulative experience, embody important observations 

 and discoveries, and have proved of great service to prdparateurs. 



As a writer of books, Parker was no less successful than in his other 

 vocations, and in a charming biographical sketch of his father, written 

 in 1893, he realised a high literary standard. His first published 

 volume, a ' Course of Instruction in Zootomy (Yertebrata),' appeared 

 in 1884, three years after his settlement in New Zealand. It was, 

 however, for the greater part prepared before he left England, and with 

 the exception of Huxley and Martin's ' Elementary Biology,' in the final 

 revision of the proofs of which Parker had a hand, it was the first in 

 the field among laboratory treatises of the now familiar didactic order. 

 During the preparation of the earlier part of this highly successful work, 

 Parker materially assisted Huxley with the anatomical portion of the 

 latter's ideal book upon * The Crayfish,' at that time in course of prepara- 

 tion. It is doubtful if there has ever appeared a more perfect treatise 

 upon any one single organic being than this ; and Parker, through it 

 and his earlier published papers conspicuously associated with Huxley's 

 epoch-marking labours in scientific education, seemed under the hand 

 of fate concerning the Crayfish and its allies ; for in his * Skeleton of 

 the New Zealand Crayfishes,' which appeared in 1889, he developed 

 most conspicuously his own ideas of laboratory organisation. Parker's 

 powers of exposition of his subject may best be judged by his * Lessons 

 in Elementary Biology ' (1891). The scheme for this book was already 

 in his mind while demonstrating under Huxley, and the work itself, at 

 present in its third edition, has been translated into German, and now 

 occupies the foremost position among all elementary treatises of biology 

 not intended for laboratory use. 



Parker's affectionate nature and charm of personal manner endeared 

 him to wide circle of friends, and amongst his students he was a 

 general favourite. His unassuming character, and his literary, artistic, 

 and musical tastes, resulted in a wide sympathy with all sorts and 

 conditions of men. He took an active part in the social life of Dunedin 

 and was President of the Savage Club, as well as of the Otago branch 

 of the New Zealand Institute. He was elected a Fellow of the Eoyal 

 Society in 1888, and in 1892 was granted the degree of D.Sc. 

 in absentia by the University of London. He was a Corresponding 

 Member of the Zoological Society of London and of the Linnean 

 Society of New South Wales, an Associate of the Linnean Society 

 of London, of which he became a Fellow at about the time of his 



b 2 



