BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATUKAL HISTORY. 93 



At the request of the Society, Dr. Chas. T. Jackson prepared a notice of Mr. Alger for 

 the Proceedings, a considerable portion of which will be presented here. 



■' Our late associate, Francis Alger, son of Cyrus Alger, was born in Bridgewater, in this 

 State, March 8tli, 1807. In youth he was not studious, and had only a common school edu- 

 cation. His taste for study commenced in 1824, when his attention was first drawn to 

 the science of mineralog3^ To his love for that science he attributed his after progress in 

 general learning and scientific attainments. One branch of natural history leads to 

 another, and Mr. Alger soon found himself engaged in the study of shells and plants, first 

 the fossils and then their analogues in the living world. His library shows how exten- 

 sively he studied in the various branches of natural history ; but it was to his first love, 

 mineralogy, that he devoted his chief attention." 



Having occasion to accompany his father on an excursion for business purposes to Nova 

 Scotia, Mr. Alger collected minerals from near Digby Neck, and in the trap rocks of Gran- 

 ville, a list of which he published in the Boston Journal of Philosophy and Arts, upon his 

 return home. He also published a brief description of Nova Scotia minerals in the Amer- 

 ican Journal of Arts and Sciences. 



In 1827, Mr. Alger and Dr. Chas. T. Jackson made a full exploration of Nova Scotia, 

 and collected a large number of minerals, the species of which they described by a joint 

 essay in the 14th and 15th volumes of the American Journal of Science, extra copies 

 being freely distributed gratuitously to scientific men. 



In 1829, Mr. Alger and Dr. Jackson again visited Nova Scotia, and making many new 

 discoveries, prepared a revised memoir for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 



Dr. Jackson in his notice went on to say, referring to their work together : 



" In the second joint excursion a schooner was chartered for the voyage, and served as 

 a home along the wild coasts of Nova Scotia. Though Mr. Alger was always very sea 

 sick when in the rough waters of the Bay of Fundy, he bore the affliction with great 

 patience, and when on shore worked with the most enthusiastic zeal in exploring for min- 

 erals. It was a great pleasure to witness his joy when a new crystal oven in the trap 

 rocks, or brilliantly studded agate ball was broken open, disclosing to view the ' flowers of 

 the mineral kingdom.' He fairly danced with delight, and thought no labor too severe, 

 when such rewards were to be won. His part in the Memoir was fairly borne, the work 

 of writing the descriptions being carefully and equally divided. Soon after its publica- 

 tion, Mr. Alger was elected a Fellow of the American Academy, and took an active inter- 

 est in the meetings, occasionally communicating some of his scientific observations. 



. . " Having become interested in the iron and zinc mines of Sussex Co., New Jersey, 

 he made that locahty, before well known to the scientific world, still more famous for its 

 rare and unique minerals, and spread them broadcast over the mineralogical world. He 

 often made excursions into the state of New Hampshire, and purchased some of the inter- 

 esting mines more for the sake of obtaining specimens of the minerals they produced 

 than from any hope of pecuniary gain. He would never sell any mine without reserving 

 the right to all the fine specimens of crystals that should be got out in mining. Finding 

 that he could not extract and bring home to his cabinet a large beryl of five tons weight 

 which exists in Grafton, N. H., he purchased the hill, had the crystal uncovered of rock, 

 and considered it as in his cabinet and one of his specimens. 



