Obituary— Mr. J. Wickham Flower, F.G.S. 431 



relating to the evidence bearing on the Antiquity of Man. It will 

 be remembered, that Mr. Prestwich considering that the testimony 

 of the workmen at the Amiens pits required confirmation, returned^a 

 second time, in 1859, to the St. Acheul pits, accompanied by several 

 other geologists, and amongst them Mr. Flower, who, with his usual 

 zeal, set to work himself with pick and spade, and remained for 

 hours at the search, until his perseverance was rewarded by dis- 

 interring, with his own hands, an undoubted flint implement almost 

 at the very base of the mammaliferous gravel-beds. His last 

 scientific work was a paper on the theoretical questions connected 

 with these discoveries. In. this paper he questioned the conclusions 

 of Mr, Prestwich and other geologists, that the valley-gravels are of 

 fluviatile origin, and deposited along old lines of drainage, doubting 

 whether they are due to fluviatile action at all, and whether the flint- 

 implement makers were contemporary with the animals with whose 

 remains the flint implements are found. He also suggested modifi- 

 cations in the nomenclature of the Stone periods. 



While thus differing from his friends on theoretical questions, 

 these differences were always put forward and expressed in that 

 spirit of conviction and kindliness which marked the earnest and 

 amiable spirit of the author, and characterized all his works — even 

 the controversial ones, — never tending to sever, but only to draw 

 closer, the bonds of friendship between the disputants. His charm- 

 ing discourse on the "Study of Natural History " shows the character 

 of the man — his disinterested love of nature — his literary taste, and 

 the importance he attached to the study of the Earth, its Fauna 

 and Flora. 



Besides his contributions to Natural Science, we must notice those 

 larger and more elaborate works on theological questions, all of 

 which breathe the same spirit of earnestness, love of truth, varied 

 research, and liberal views. It is not the place in these pages to 

 give an account of his theological works, but the titles of them 

 which are annexed will afford some idea of their scope and tendency. 



As an Antiquary Mr. Flower was equally zealous and liberal. 

 His collection of Stone Implements, both of the Palceolithic and 

 Neolithic periods, was second, probably, only to that of Mr. Evans. 



"We wish space would allow us to dwell at greater length on the 

 works of one who, in the midst of the arduous and engrossing pro- 

 fession of the law, found time to cultivate other branches of human 

 knowledge, and ever showed himself possessed of the true and right 

 spirit of a Naturalist and of an earnest inquirer in the cause of truth. 



While engaged last winter in exploring the antiquities and works 

 of art in Italy, he was seized at Eome with the symptoms of a fatal 

 illness, and returned only in time to end his days in April last at his 

 own residence near Croydon, at the age of 65, deeply lamented by 

 the men of science who had the privilege to share his friendship. 



The following is a list of his works : — 



On the Pleasure and Advantages to be derived from the Study of Natural History. 



A Lecture. 1857. 

 On a Flint Implement recently discovered at the base of some beds of drift gravel 



and brick-earth at St. Acheul. Quart. Journ. GeoJ. Soc. i860. 



