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Memoir of Dr William Baird, F.R.S. By Francis 

 Douglas, M.D. 



Since our last meeting, we have to deplore the removal 

 from amongst us, by death, of Dr William Baird, the last of 

 three brothers who were all original members and founders 

 of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club. The eldest brother — 

 the late Reverend John Baird, of Yetholm — dwelt among us 

 for the long period of thirty years, and died in 1861, in the 

 63rd year of his age. He contributed many papers to our 

 Proceedings ; and felt the deepest interest in the geological 

 and botanical pursuits of the Club. An obituary notice of 

 him was inserted in our Proceedings for the year 1861, by 

 his friend and colleague, Mr Embleton. The Reverend 

 Andrew Baird, of Cockburnspath, was a no less distinguished 

 naturalist. Early in life, while a student attending the 

 University of Edinburgh, he attracted the especial notice of 

 Professor Jameson, and became one of the founders of the 

 Plinian Society, which had considerable influence in making 

 Natural History a subject of popular study. Of him an 

 obituary notice by his friend Dr Johnston appeared in our 

 Proceedings for the year 1845. 



The subject of the present Memoir was the youngest son 

 of the Rev. James Baird, of Swinton ; and was born in 1803, 

 at Eccles, in Berwickshire, of which parish his father was 

 then minister. He received his education at the High School 

 of Edinburgh ; and afterwards attended the medical classes 

 in the University of that city. After receiving his diploma, 

 Dr Baird made a voyage to South America and the West 

 Indies ; and subsequently entered the maritime service of the 

 East India Company, as surgeon. In this capacity he 

 remained till 1833 ; having made five voyages to India and 

 China, besides touching other countries in the East, where 

 he ever availed himself of every opportunity of cultivating 

 his favourite science, and observing nature in its multifarious 

 aspects. Dr Baird, after leaving the East India Company's 

 service, settled in London as a medical practitioner ; but he 

 had a stronger yearning for the study of natural history 

 than for the practice of medicine, and resigned the latter in 

 1841, for an appointment in the zoological department of the 

 British Museum. In this great national institution he 

 laboured zealously until his death, on the 27th January last. 



