GEORGE W. CLINTON. 477 



you my ' Preliminary List of the Plants of Buffalo.' And I 

 demand that immediately upon its reception, you write me, 

 saying ' pretty well for you.' I do feel gratified that I have 

 at last made the mitiest mite of a contribution to science. 

 I know how extremely minute it is. I would not be so exact- 

 ing but for the fact that my letter-book is just full, and I want 

 to commence a new one with a letter from you, I mean with a 

 note from you, a letter is too ambitious." 



As this modest Preliminary List exemplifies the beginning, 

 so the full and critically prepared " Catalogue of the Native 

 and Naturalized Plants of the City of Buffalo and its Vicin- 

 ity," (pp. 215), published in 1882-3, marks the conclusion and 

 shows the fruits of Judge Clinton's work upon the flora of 

 the district around Buffalo. This catalogue was indeed pre- 

 pared and published by his near friend and associate Mr. Day, 

 with a thoroughness and judgment which have been much 

 commended. But the collection and elaboration of the mate- 

 rials, the critical determination of the species, and the prepara- 

 tion of the " Clinton Herbarium," as it is now appropriately 

 called, were essentially his own work in the horce subsecivce 

 of a busy professional life. If during middle life and while 

 making his way in his chosen vocation he abandoned his early 

 scientific avocation, he took it up again when he had achieved 

 a position which allowed some well-earned leisure, and he pur- 

 sued it with an added zeal, energy, and acumen, which should 

 give his name a place among the botanical worthies, — do be 

 remembered after those who knew and appreciated and loved 

 him have passed away. A little Scirpus specifically bears his 

 name ; but I never see the modest Liliaceous plant of our 

 northern woods, called Clintonia in honor of the father, with- 

 out associating it with the son. 



Judge Clinton's contributions to the literature of the legal 

 profession consisted mainly of his " Digest of the Decisions 

 of the Law and Equity Courts of the State of New York," 

 in three stout volumes. But he was a not unfrequent and a 

 fascinating writer in the newspapers of the city, an occasional 

 lecturer upon historical as well as scientific topics, and an 

 organizer or promoter of every good civic work. He was a per- 



