THE 



GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE. 



No. LXXXIX.— NOVEMBER, 1871. 



OBITTJ^^ia"Y". 



SIE EODEEICK IMPEY MUECHISON, Bart, K.C.B., LL.D., 

 D.C.L., M.A., F.E.S., F.a.S., 



Director- General of the Geological Survey of Great Britain and Ireland ; late Presi- 

 dent of the Royal Geographical Society of London; Trustee of the British and 

 Hunterian Museums, and of the British Association for the Advancement of Science ; 

 Member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, the Geographical and Mineralogical 

 Societies of St. Petersburg; Corresponding Member of the Imperial Academy of 

 Vienna, of the Royal Academy of Hungary, of the Institute of France ; Honorary 

 Member of the Royal Academies of Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Brussels, Munich, 

 Holland, Turin, Rome ; and of the Scientific Societies of Switzerland, Moscow, 

 Breslau, Frankfort, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, etc., etc., etc. 

 Born February, 19, 1792; Died October 22, 1871. 



("With a Portrait.) 



THE death of Sir Eoderick Murchison, although at the ripe age of 

 80 years, is a loss which Geologists and Geographers are alike 

 called upon to mourn. In relation to both these sciences, he has for 

 many years justly occupied the most prominent positions. But, 

 apart from his high social and scientific standing, he was a man full 

 of genial and kindly feeling, who could be readily approached ; and 

 those who knew him most intimately acknowledge that he was never 

 known to fail his friends in the hour of need, but was ready to 

 aid them with his advice, his influence, and his purse, as many a 

 young scientific man amongst us can testify. 



Born at Tarradale, in Eoss-shire, he received his early education as 

 a boy at the Grammar School at Durham. 



But the associations of his Highland home — his ancient Scottish 

 pedigree, numbering in the long roll many a staunch supporter of 

 the Stuarts, who had freely laid down their lives for their Sovereign 

 — combined with the stirring events which marked the j)eriod of 

 his own youth, no doubt powerfully influenced young Murchison in 

 selecting a profession, until in imagination he too, like Eoderick Vich 

 Alpine, heard the mountains say — 



" To you as to your sires of yore. 

 Belong the target and claymore ! " 



Having made up his mind to follow the military profession, he was 

 sent by his father, Mr. Kenneth Murchison, to the Eoyal Military 

 College, Great Marlow, after which, having pursued his studies for a 



VOL. Vni. — NO. LXXXIX. 31 



