XXIII 



CHAIRMANSHIP OF L.C.C. 303 



spoken to me of Sir John's quick dexterity as a 

 chairman. We may at least be sure that he 

 acted as an exceedingly efficient president of this 

 newly-formed body. 



It was at this time that the following notice 

 was circulated among the members of the Linnean 

 Society : 



Linnean Society, Burlington House, 

 London, W., 25 July 1890. 



A Meeting of Fellows of this Society has been held 

 with a view of securing a Portrait of the Right Hon. Sir 

 John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., P.C., late a President of the 

 Society. It was proposed by Sir Joseph Hooker, 

 seconded by Mr. A. W. Bennett, and unanimously 

 agreed that a Committee be appointed to take steps for 

 carrying out this object. 



In August he and Lady Lubbock went for a 

 tour in Switzerland, going first to Mauvoisin in 

 the V. de Begn. On the 15th he notes that he 

 found Aquilegia Alpina. Thence they went to 

 the Bel Alp to be near the Tyndalls. 



During their absence some structural altera- 

 tions were made at High Elms, the large hall 

 being formed by throwing together a passage 

 and a smaller room. Lady Lubbock, for it was 

 to her initiative that these alterations were 

 due, always showed extraordinary talent in the 

 decoration of the rooms and in their furniture, 

 both at High Elms and in their other houses. It 

 was a department which Sir John, very wisely, 

 left solely to her. 



He had been interested in the idea that the 

 date of the Ice Age might be inferred approxi- 

 mately from data given by astronomy and had 

 consulted Sir Robert Ball, later the Astronomer 



