Unselfishness. 345 



ready to assist them in their efforts to complete their 

 collections by giving them freely of his duplicate 

 specimens." This behaviour is in itself very unlike 

 that of the amiable tulip-fancier, who bought his 

 rival's tulip for a large sum simply that he might 

 trample it underfoot, and leave the specimen he 

 himself possessed unique. But, as already ex- 

 plained, when it was not a question of gratifying a 

 collector, but of forwarding a work of science, Robert- 

 son, without distinguishing between duplicates and 

 solitary specimens, bestows the latter as readily as 

 the former on those who seem likely to use them to 

 the best advantage. Among those who know him, it 

 has become the most natural thing in the world to 

 apply to him without ceremony for any invertebrates 

 or fossils at all likely to be within his reach or in his 

 possession. 



In 1 88 1, Professor Ewart happened to be in want of 

 some comatulae, the rosy feather- star, which is attached 

 to a stalk or pedicel when young, and drops off it 

 into freedom when adult. He wrote to Glasgow to 

 ask Professor Young, if possible, to procure him a 

 supply. Almost as a matter of course, Professor 

 Young passes on the request to Mr. Robertson, with 

 the words, " Can he be supplied ? " as much as to say, 

 if you cannot supply him, the case in this part of the 

 world is hopeless. 



In 1876, Mr. Henry Bowman Brady, F.R.S., brought 

 out his " Monograph of the Carboniferous and Permian 

 Foraminifera," published by the Palaeontographical 

 Society. After thanking Mr. John Young, F.G.S., of 

 Glasgow, for his aid, he says, " With the name of Mr. 



