November 25, 1915] 



NATURE 



347 



LL.D. St. Andrews, and in 1913 the Davy Medal 

 of the Royal Society. He was also elected a 

 member of the Athena?um Club under Rule ii. He 

 was president of the Maccabaans in 191 1. In 

 1886 he married a daughter of the late Dr. 

 Maurice Davis, J. P., who survives him. 



W. A. T. 



Raphael Meldola occupied a unique position. 

 In an age of ever-increasing specialisation he kept 

 alive and fresh every one of the diverse interests 

 that had appealed throughout his life to his many- 

 sided intellect : by sure scientific insight he spoke 

 with authority on them all. What scientific man 

 of our time could have brought out in a single 

 year three memoirs dealing wdth subjects so far 

 removed from one another as the following? — 



"Contributions to the Chemical History of the 

 Aromatic Derivatives of Methane " (Trans. Chem. 

 Soc., May, 1882); "Mimicry between Butterflies 

 of Protected Genera " {Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 

 December) ; " Preliminary Report of the Com- 

 mittee appointed to investigate the Ancient Earth- 

 work in Epping Forest known as the Loughton 

 Camp " (Report Brit. Assoc, 1882, p. 274). 



Apart from his researches in organic chemistry, 

 and his work on natural history, Meldola con- 

 ducted and wrote the report on the Eclipse 

 Expedition to the Nicobar Islands (1875); founded 

 the Epping Forest and County of Essex Natural- 

 ists' Field Club, laying down in the inaugural 

 address (1880) the policy and lines of work which 

 have made this society one of the best in existence, 

 gave in the coming-of-age address a resume of 

 all that had been accomplished ; wrote, wath his 

 friend, William White, the first volume of special 

 memoirs of the club— an account of the East 

 Anglian earthquake of April 22, 1884; took a 

 leading part in founding the Corresponding Socie- 

 ties of the British Association (1883) ; defended the 

 " scientific use of the imagination " in the study 

 of insects in his first presidential address to the 

 Entomological Society of London (1896); con- 

 sidered the part played by physiological correlation 

 in the utility of specific characters in his second 

 address ; delivered the Herbert Spencer lec- 

 ture at Oxford on " Evolution, Darwinian and 

 Spencerian " (1910). 



Meldola was naturally brought, by the immense 

 breadth of his interest, into intimate association 

 with the leaders in all branches of science. 

 Hence, with his well-known unselfishness and 

 warm-hearted appreciation of good work of every 

 sort, he was often applied to for help, and took 

 a prominent part in movements for the recognition 

 of important researches, or for preserving the 

 memory of great men. This and the public work 

 — especially in connection with scientific and tech- 

 nical education and industry in its relations with 

 science — he was constantly called on to perform, 

 cut deeply into his limited time and his strength, 

 which was never great. 



Natural history was his first love. He began 

 to write papers, especially dealing with British in- 

 sects, in 1868, six years before his first chemical 

 research was published. The necessities of space 

 NO. 2404, VOL. 96] 



forbid anything more than a brief account of his 

 principal work — the development of the theories 

 of insect mimicry and allied subjects. In this he 

 was encouraged by Charles Darwin, who sent 

 him\ letters received from Fritz Miiller in Brazil, 

 and suggested the translation of Weismann's 

 "Studies in the Theory of Descent" (1881-2). 

 Thus it came about that Fritz MuUer's work and 

 the theory of Miillerian mimicry became known 

 in this country almost as soon as in Germany, 

 and penetrated the world through more important 

 and far-reaching channels. These and Meldola 's 

 own researches, published in several memoirs, 

 together with his translation of Weismann, greatly 

 enriched by his editorial notes, erected, upon the 

 foundation supplied by Bates and Wallace, the 

 peculiarly British study of the bionomic value of 

 colour, marking, and attitude in nature. 



Meldola always spoke with the greatest enthu- 

 siasm of his association with Darwin and his visits 

 to Downe. He had the distinction of being pro- 

 posed by Charles Darwin as a candidate for the 

 fellowship of the Royal Society. Among Meldola 's 

 warmest friends were Wallace, Bates, and 

 Trimen, his seniors in the important department 

 of evolution that he made his own. Those who 

 came later and attempted to confirm and extend 

 his work can never forget the encouragement they 

 owe to his constant sympathy and help. 



The present writer feels the inadequacy of this 

 brief notice, and regrets that in the allotted space 

 it was impossible to prevent it from bearing the 

 appearance of a list. 



In the future f>eriod of reconstruction Meldola 's 

 many-sided activities and devotion to science would 

 have been a precious asset to the nation; but in 

 this sad hour the loss that presses most heavily 

 is that of a dear friend and brother in science. 



E. B. P. 



DR. H. CHARLTON BASTIAN, F.R.S. 



BY the death of Dr. Charlton Bastian on 

 November 17, the last of a distinguished 

 band of men of science, which numbered among 

 its members Pasteur, Darwin, Huxley, and 

 Tyndall, has passed away. 



Born at Truro in 1837, Dr. Bastian was edu- 

 cated at University College and Hospital, London, 

 and graduated M.A. in 1861 and M.D. in 1866 

 in the University of London. His first appoint- 

 ments were those of lecturer on pathology and 

 assistant physician at St. Mary's Hospital; these 

 posts he held until 1867, when he was elected 

 professor of pathological anatomy in University 

 College Hospital. He afterwards l^ecame physician 

 to this hospital, and in 1887 professor of the 

 principles and practice of medicine there. 



Dr. Bastian devoted minute and prolonged 

 study to the nature and functions of the brain and 

 nervous system. He was a recognised authority 

 on nervous affections, and was for some years 

 physician to the National Hospital for Paralysis 

 and Epilepsy, as well as being a Crown referee in 

 cases of supposed insanity. His best known 



