Mr. Jam€S Hardy's Notes for 1864. 135 



public by the various water companies of London, Liverpool, 

 and other provincial cities. For many years he furnished 

 gratuitously, at short intervals, a report to the Registrar 

 General upon the state and quality of the water supplied to 

 the public of the metropolis. 



Many scientific papers and separate works given to the 

 world at various times, prove the activity of Dr. Thomson's 

 mind. In addition to those mentioned above, he edited for 

 three years, the *' British Annual " ; published a work on 

 *' Food for Cattle," a " School Chemistry," and a more 

 elaborate work, the " Cyclopaedia of Chemistry." He ever 

 delighted in the progress and well being of the Berwickshire 

 Naturalists' Club, was a contributor of several papers to the 

 earlier numbers of the Proceedings, and took to the last a 

 warm interest in its welfare. He was of a genial disposition, 

 and warm in his friendships, and as the author of a short 

 memoir of him in the Gentleman'' s Magazine ]ubX\j remarks: 

 — " The enlightened and liberal view taken by Dr. Thomson 

 in new discoveries, and generally in scientific subjects, the 

 enero-y of his character, and his kindly disposition manifested 

 on many occasions to all with whom he was brought into 

 contact, endeared him to a numerous circle of friends." 



Dr. Thomson about two years ago made a rather hurried 

 visit to Spain, during which he suffered a good deal from 

 ■ fatigue and indifferent diet. From this, he has frequently 

 stated, he never recovered, though the immediate cause of 

 death was a malignant tumour in the abdomen, preventing 

 him taking nourishment. In consequence of this, he gradu- 

 ally sunk from exhaustion, and died on the 17th August, 

 1864, at the comparatively early age of b^. 



Notes for 1864. By James Hardy. 



1. Ophioglossum vulgatum. This summer I have observed 

 a new locality for this fern, so rare in Berwickshire ; 

 although abundant in South Northumberland and in the 

 county of Durham, in old pasture fields. It grows on the 

 sea-banks near St. Helen's Church ; but I could find no more 

 than three plants. What is remarkable about this statioQ, 

 is that it has been ploughed perhaps thirty years ago, or 

 thereabouts, and it is while the herbage is recovering its 

 original condition, that the fern has sprung up. The Ophio- 



