242 PROF. A. MEEk's OBITUARY OF 



A. Agassiz. He took part at the invitation of the French 

 Government in the dredging expedition of the " Travailleur" 

 in the Bay of Biscay. 



The investigation of marine life by systematic (fredging was 

 his hobby, and even those who have not fallen part in it will 

 understand its fascination. His vacations were spent in this 

 work at various places on the coasts of the British Isles and 

 the Channel, and he also extended his researches on several 

 occasions to Norway and Madeira. His knowledge of 

 marine life acquired in this manner was astonishing, and he 

 retained his authoritative interest in practically every group 

 during his life. He was able to publish critical revisions of 

 the species of many groups of the North Atlantic, the papers 

 for the most part having been published in the "Annals and 

 Magazine of Natural History." In all these groups he dis- 

 covered and described new species and genera, and his 

 systematic papers have resulted in indicating the general 

 distribution of the Marine Invertebrates of the North Atlantic 

 region. The way in which that knowledge was built up is 

 well illustrated in the series of papers published on the results 

 of his dredging in Trondhjem Fjord. His labours also 

 resulted in the discovery of several species of especial import- 

 ance. Of these only one need be specified, Rhabdopleura, 

 which was found in Shetland seas and described by AUman as 

 Rhabdopleura normani. The position of this creature remained 

 doubtful until Cephalodiscus was brought to light by the 

 Challenger expedition, when it was brought into relationship 

 with that genus and Balanoglossus. 



During these years he amassed a vast collection of con- 

 siderable value, including many type specimens which he or 

 others had described, and species which for other reasons 

 were interesting or important. This collection was presented 

 several years ago to the British Museum. He also accumu- 

 lated a rich and complete library of books, papers and 

 pamphlets relating to the subjects of his life work, and these 

 were presented to the University of Cambridge. 



