412 The American Naturalist. [April, r891] 
the illness of his only son, Mr. Thomas Davies, F.G.S., senior assistant 
of the Mineralogical Department of the British Museum.—AGngs 
CRANE. « 
Dr. John LeConte, Professor of Physics in the University of 
California, died April 29. He belonged to a distinguished scientific 
family. His father and uncle were both naturalists. His younger 
brother is a prominent geologist and chemist, and his nephew was an 
explorer and naturalist and served as chief clerk in the United States 
mint in this city for the five years preceding his death. 
John LeConte was born in Liberty county, Georgia, on the 4th day 
of December, 1818, graduated at Franklin College, University of 
Georgia, in 1838, and studied medicine at the College of Physicians 
and Surgeons of New York, where he graduated in 1841. He settled 
in Savannah, Ga., in 1842, and there began the practice of his pro- 
fession, but in 1846 was called to the chair of Natural Philosophy and a 
Chemistry in Franklin College, which he held until 1855. He lectured 
on chemistry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 
in 1855-56, and in 1856 became Professor of Natural and Mechanical — 
Philosophy in South Carolina College, at Columbia. “In 1869 he 
was appointed Professor of Physics and Industrial Mechanics in the 
University of California, and after holding the office of president of 
the university, in addition to his chair, from 1876 until 1881, he 
retired to the chair of Physics, which he retained up to the time 
his death. His scientific work extended over fifty years. ; 
