Yol. 55.] aNj^iveesary address of the peesiden^t. Ixvir 



solicitor of iS'ottingliam. But he did not pursue legal work ; for, 

 as Mr. Hudleston has well put it, ' the laws of J^ature had more 

 attraction for him than the laws of man.' 



In the pursuit of science he was encouraged by his father, who 

 was the first person in Nottingham to avail himself of the facilities 

 offered by the Science and Art Department to found classes for 

 various sciences. Dr. "Wilson had the satisfaction of seeing the 

 success of this work in the creation of large classes of young pupils, 

 many of whom passed the examinations with credit and some with 

 distinction, including his son, who became specially certificated and 

 first-class prizeman in biology and certificated teacher in geology 

 (Honours) and in other subjects. Dr. Wilson died in 1868. His 

 son took up his scientific work, and for 14 years held classes in 

 Nottingham. 



Wilson was elected a Pellow of this Society in 1872, after he 

 had published papers in the Geological Magazine and elsewhere. 

 His work in the Midlands was acknowledged in 1881 by the award 

 of the Darwin Medal of the Midland Union of Natural History 

 Societies. 



He was zealous in connexion with the Natural History Museum 

 and the Literary and Philosophical Society of Nottingham, and 

 gained a good knowledge of the physical history and of the geology 

 of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. In January 1885, when he 

 read a paper on ' The Lias Marlstone of Leicestershire as a Source 

 of Iron '" to the Nottingham Natural History Society (a few months 

 after he had left the town), the members presented him with a fine 

 microscope as an acknowledgment of his scientific work while he 

 lived with them. 



He took up the duties of Curator of the Bristol Museum on 

 September 1st, 1884, and carried them out until his death. In 

 regard to his career there I may quote the following appreciative 

 remarks from a local newspaper : — ' As curator of the Bristol 

 Museum he was always kind and courteous, and particularly fond of 

 showing to the young people any object of interest in that institution 

 which he thought would arouse in them a desire to follow some 

 natural -history pursuit. His knowledge of scientific literature, 

 his habits of order, accuracy, and neatness, combined with a high 

 sense of duty, eminent!}^ qualified him to fulfil the duties of a curator.. 

 He loved his Museum as only an enthusiast could. He was a 

 frequent and generous contributor to it, and in all parts of the 

 building may be seen the various objects of interest which from 

 time to time he presented to the city of his adoption. 



* The last important acquisition to the Museum during Mr. Wilson's 



