164 Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



indigenous to Ceylon, had long been demanded. Trimen's predecessor, 

 Thwaites, had prepared the way by accumulating ample collections, 

 and by the publication of an enumeration without descriptions. 

 Ceylon plants had also been included, as far as they were known, in 

 Sir Joseph Hooker's ' Flora of British India.' The vegetation of Ceylon 

 presents, however, a problem in geographical distribution of peculiar 

 interest. Although Indian in type, it yet has striking Malayan affinities, 

 though of a peculiar endemic character. It therefore amply merited an 

 independent study. To this task Trimen soon devoted himself, and 

 steadily worked at it till his death. He had first to carry out a thorough 

 reorganisation of his department, and to remodel the extensive tropical 

 garden, which the failing health of his predecessor had allowed to fall 

 somewhat into disorder. The result excited the admiration of our 

 Foreign Member, Dr. Treub, the Director of the Buitenzorg Botanic 

 Garden. Trimen's hospitality attracted many scientific friends to 

 Peradeniya, and Haeckel wrote : " The seven days I spent in his 

 delightful bungalow were, indeed, to me, seven days of creation." 



The first volume of his Handbook appeared in 1893, the second in 

 1894, and the third, the last he was able to accomplish, in 1895. For 

 some time he had been troubled with increasing deafness. It unhappily 

 continued till he was absolutely deprived of the sense of hearing. This 

 was followed by a loss of power in his lower limbs. He came to 

 England in 1895 for advice. His general health was, however, little 

 affected, and though the nature of his malady completely baffled his 

 physicians, they were not without hope of his recovery. His cheerful- 

 ness of mind remained as unabated as his anxiety to complete his 

 Handbook. 



The state of his health so obviously unfitted him for his official 

 duties that the Ceylon Government was compelled to retire him on a 

 pension on July 1, 1896. The unanimous vote of the Legislative 

 Council, however, gave him the exceptional privilege of a special 

 allowance, in addition to his pension, for six months "in order to com- 

 plete the scientific work upon which he is now engaged." 



He returned to Ceylon for the purpose, but though he became 

 rapidly worse, and could not move without assistance, he still worked 

 without intermission at the completion of his task. For the last few 

 months of his life he was confined almost entirely to his room. On 

 October 14 he became seriously ill. The .following day he rallied a 

 little, and actually attempted to resume work on the Flora, making 

 a few scarcely-decipherable notes. The following day he sank into a 

 state of coma, and passed away painlessly. He was buried not far 

 from the resting place of his predecessor, Dr. Thwaites. 



At the request of the Ceylon Government, Sir Joseph Hooker 

 generously undertook to complete the Handbook. This required two 



