vi SIR WILLIAM FLOWER 



element is accorded rather more space than might 

 have been expected in a memoir of a distinguished 

 man of science, and any critic cares to press this 

 point, the writer is prepared to say mea culpa. 



Much of Sir William's work in life is its own 

 record, more especially the lasting monuments in 

 the cases of the Natural History Museum and in 

 the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons. 

 But his character and charm in social and family 

 life were such that any memoir of him would be 

 incomplete and one-sided were an account of him 

 in these aspects entirely omitted. 



To Mr. L. Fletcher, F.R.S. ; Mr. G. A. Bou- 

 lenger, F.R.S. ; Mr. Charles Fagan, Secretary of 

 the Natural History Museum; Mr. J. W. Clark, 

 Registrary of Cambridge University ; to the mem- 

 bers of Sir William Flower's family, and especially 

 to Lady Flower, the writer is more particularly 

 indebted for assistance and information. But each 

 and every one of the late Director's friends have 

 most readily contributed their recollections when 

 asked, with expressions of warm regard for his 

 memory. 



An estimate of Sir William's great and prompt 

 service to the better understanding of the facts of 

 evolution, at a time when the knowledge of these 

 facts was confined almost entirely to specialists, will 

 be found on page 57, and in chapter v., pp. 64-65 

 and 66-68. 



Those who have only seen his method in the 



