400 The late Andrew Brotherston. 



fame. When the lad grew to maturer years, he formed a 

 congenial friendship with his teacher, and in the evenings they 

 discussed higher themes than mere local gossip Under his 

 direction young Brotherston carried on to some extent his school 

 studies after he had commenced his working career. He had 

 made choice of man's first occupation as his daily calling, and in 

 his gardening experiences he began to observe with curious eye 

 nature's operations. Gradually the spell intensified itself in his 

 nature until he felt a keen interest in all that grew in the earth, 

 as well as in all that moved upon its surface. The botanist must 

 have been originally deeply embedded in him, and it was only 

 natural that it should throw itself out in branches on every side, 

 so that it is not surprising that in the course of time he made 

 various departments of the science his particular study. He had 

 rare powers of observation, being apparently able to perceive 

 everything over which he swept his eye, and when passing a 

 flower or plant, under careful examination, the minutest detail 

 or divergence was unfailingly detected. When anything had 

 been fairly scrutinised, he seemed to have the power of making 

 a mental note of it, to which he could turn at any future time, 

 either for the information of a friend, or for comparison with 

 later or dissimilar specimens. The same faculty in him was 

 observable in the sphere of natural history, whether the matter 

 was a feather or a bone. His great aim was to gain a thorough 

 knowledge by personal investigation and cogitation ; but at the 

 same time he diligently consulted authorities, and compared the 

 knowledge he had himself acquired with their descriptions and 

 conclusions. Assumptions which might have readily satisfied 

 others he invariably put aside, and he was chary iu accepting on 

 mere authority any statement or theory until he had verified it 

 by actual observation. He kept up a considerable correspondence 

 with the leading men of the day, and by an extensive exchange 

 of specimens and letters, as well as by acquaintance with the 

 technical literature of the "schools," he tapped the springs of 

 current discovery and discussion in such a way as to be abreast 

 of the advanced students and teachers of the time. Though his 

 Latin might not have been of the best, he knew sufficient of it 

 to be as thoroughly acquainted with the technical as with the 

 common names of beast, and bird, and plant. 



Notwithstanding his acquirements, he wrote comparatively 

 little, and thus he hardly did justice to himself. His notes on 



