Obituary, 47 



many new species, determined by Mmself, exist in his cabinet. A 

 paper on " The Division of the Upper Llandeilo Eocks by their 

 Fossils into an Upper and Lower Group," was read by him in 

 1865 before the Geologists' Association, and will be found in their 

 proceedings. Another on the Fossils of the Llandovery Eocks, and 

 a fasciculus of new species from his cabinet, were both in progress 

 when he left London for military duty in Ireland. The pack- 

 ages sent home from thence, to be worked up in the leisure which, 

 alas ! never came, testify his devotion to his favorite pursuit to the 

 end. He will not easily be forgotten by those who knew him, and 

 the loss to our science is, indeed, a heavy one. 



Alexandek Bkyson. — Alexander, eldest son of Eobert Bryson, 

 was born at Edinburgh on the 14th October, 1816. He received his 

 early education at the High School, and being destined to pursue the 

 same occupation as his father, was apprenticed to a watchmaker at 

 Musselburgh. On the expiration of his apprenticeship, he went to 

 London for a time to obtain a further knowledge of the details of 

 clock and watch making, and on his return to Edinbugh entered with 

 his brother Eobert into a partnership, which continued up to the time 

 of his death. But, conjoined with his mere business aptitude and 

 qualifications, was a strong taste for scientific inquiry and pursuits, 

 which led him, on returning from London, to enter as a student at 

 the University — the Chemistry and Natural Philosophy classes of 

 Professors Hope and Forbes. At the School of Arts, in the founda- 

 tion of which his father, along with Leon'ard Horner, had taken a 

 very active part, he was for some years a constant attender, and 

 frequently expressed himself as greatly indebted to that institution 

 for the opportimities of scientific improvement it had given him. 

 Mr. Bryson took an interest in the physical sciences generally, but 

 he devoted himself chiefly to the departments of mineralogy and 

 geology. Owing to a community of pursuits, a friendship early in 

 his life sprung up between him and the late Mr. Nicol, the inventor 

 of the well-known prism which bears his name, and who left him 

 not only a fine library and collection of minerals, but made him heir 

 to his property. With the distinguished naturalist, the late Dr. 

 Fleming, he was on terms of great intimacy. For many years they 

 made geological excursions together. In our scientific societies, or 

 elsewhere, no more strenuous defender of the opinions of that 

 eminent man was found than Alexander Bryson, and in the 22nd 

 volume of the Transactions of the Eoyal Society at Edinburgh, a 

 discriminating memoir of Dr. Fleming appears as the product of his 

 pen. Mr. Bryson was also long on terms of friendship with the 

 . late Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, for many years the president 

 of our Eoyal Society ; and to the Transactions of that body he com- 

 municated a memoir of that distinguished astronomer and soldier. 

 Few men, indeed, had so wide a range of friends and acquaintances 

 as Mr. Bryson ; his general attainments, his frankness of manner, 

 and his unselfish and kindly disposition endeared him to all who 

 knew him. Mr. Bryson was an active member of the principal 



