MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION AT PORT ERIN. 53 
After Sir Wyville Thomson’s death, when Murray came 
to be recognised by the scientific world as the moving spirit 
in connection with all the ‘‘ Challenger’ work, and especially 
when the great series of publications was completed, honours 
of all kinds came pouring in upon him—for which he probably 
cared little. He was an honorary doctor of many Universities— 
including our own here—he was awarded the “ prix Cuvier ” 
medal by the Paris Academy of Sciences, and he was created 
K.C.B. in 1898. He gave the Lowell lectures at Boston in 
1899, and again in 1911. He was chief British Delegate at the 
International Congress for the Exploration of the Sea, at 
Stockholm, in 1899. He was President of the Geographical 
Section of the British Association in the same year; and it 
is an open secret that he might have been President of 
the Association had he been able to undertake it. He was 
approached no less than three times in connection with three 
different meetings (two of them overseas meetings, at which 
it was felt that a man of world-wide associations, such as 
Murray, would be singularly appropriate), but after some 
hesitation and careful consideration he felt that circumstances 
compelled him to decline the honour. Some of his letters to 
me, from which I quote a few passages, allude to these offers. 
This is a letter from Mentone, on Ist April, 1904, referring 
to the first of these occasions :— 
fs At first, I said it was impossible to alter our 
family and other arrangements so as to go to South Africa 
To my astonishment my wife seems taken with 
the idea of going to the Cape, and says it is by no means 
impossible to alter our arrangements. I’ve promised to think 
over the matter for a week. I'll let you know definitely a day 
or two after I reach Edinburgh. 
“T feel that you are predisposed to honour me, but I also 
feel I have given the Association very little of my attention : 
others have more claims on the honour. I don’t care a bit 
