Sketch of the Life of the late Processor Edward Forbes. 37 



James M'^Nab, now Curator of the Botanic Garden ; Nicholas 

 Tyacke, now physician in Chichester ; Edward Charlton, now 

 M.D. and Lecturer in the Medical School of Newcastle ; George 

 C. Wallich, now in India ; and Giles Munby, who wrote the 

 'Flora of Algiers/ met to lay the foundation of our Society. We 

 received most inij)ortant directions and aid fj-om Forbes; and 

 wheUj after launching the vessel, we sup])ed together, his social 

 and convivial powers were called forth in their fullest energy. 

 His death constitutes the first blank in the little band. The first 

 public meeting of the Society took place on the 17th of March, 

 1836, when the following office-bearers were appointed : — Prof. 

 Graham, Pi'esident ; Dr. Greville and Dr. Balfour, Vice-Presi- 

 dents; Dr. Neill, jMr. Falconar, Dr. Barry, Mr. Munby and 

 Mr. Tyacke, Councillors: W. H. Campbell, Secretary; Edward 

 Forbes, Foreign Secretary; AVilliain Brand, Treasurer; and 

 James M^'Nab, Curator of the Herbarium. Forbes contributed 

 many valuable communications and papers to the Society be- 

 tween the years 1836 and 1841. 



On the 9th of June, 1836, Forbes gave a description of a spe- 

 cies of Viola, found by him in the Isle of Man. He considered 

 it the V. ericetorum of Schrader, V. canina of Reichenbach. On 

 the 8th of December, 1836, a communication was transmitted by 

 him, as to a supposed new British Polyyala, found in the Isle of 

 Man and on Dalmahoy Hill. He also brought under notice the 

 various British forms of Euphrasia, some of which he was disposed 

 to consider as distinct species. This view he continued to enter- 

 tain ; and when visiting the hills at the head of Loch Lomond in 

 July 1854-, he pointed out three of these forms to his pupils and 

 mine. 



On April 12, 1838, he read a paper to the Botanical Society, 

 on the specific claims of Primula acaulis, veris, and elatior. 



He continued during life to take a warm interest in the 

 Botanical Society ; and he resumed his place among us last sum- 

 mer, with no small feelings of satisfaction — with pleasant remi- 

 niscences of the past and brightest hopes of the future. He has 

 sent contributions to the Herbarium of the Society from vai'ious 

 parts of the world, and these are now incorporated with the 

 University Herbarium. 



He continued to prosecute his studies more or less conti- 

 nuously in Edinburgh till 1839. During that period he made 

 himself beloved by all who came into contact with him. He in- 

 spired almost all his companions with zeal in science, and became 

 as it were a centre whence emanated numerous active and enter- 

 prising naturalists. 



In 1837, he prosecuted his studies in Paris under Prevost, 

 Beudant, GcofFroy St. Hilaire, and De Blainville. In May ot 



