112 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 
—_—_ > —_—_——_. 
I.—JULIUS VON HAAST, PH.D., F.R.S., ‘(C.M.G.. &C. 
— > 
This well-known geologist and geographical discoverer, whose 
portrait we present to our readers in the current number, was 
born at Bonn, in Germany, on the Ist of May, 1824, his father 
being a wealthy merchant of that city, and for many years occupy- 
ing the position of Burgomaster. 
After passing through the Grammar Schools of Bonn and 
Cologne, the subject of our memoir entered the University of 
Bonn, and devoted a considerable portion of his time to geological 
and mineralogical studies, forming a collection of minerals which, 
in arecent review of his work in the German “ Naturen,” is de- 
scribed as having been of considerable value. After leaving the 
University,he spent some years in France,and afterwards returned 
to Germany. For the eight years previous to his departure 
for New Zealand, he made extensive journeys over the chief 
parts of Europe, visiting Russia, Austria, and Italy. A large 
portion of these journeys was spent in mountain explorations, 
and during the eruption of Etna in 1852 he ascended the moun- 
tain for scientific purposes. 
A large firm of shipowners, who wished to direct the stream of. 
emigration from Germany to New Zealand, made him an offer 
to visit the Colony on their behalf, and report upon it as a field 
for emigration for his countrymen. Dr. Haast visited London 
and accepted the offer. Arriving at Auckland in December, 
1858, he met Dr. Hochstetter, who was a distinguished member 
of the staff of the celebrated “ Novara” expedition. As Dr. 
Hochstetter’s companion he visited the greater part of the North 
Island, and a portion of Nelson, writing full reports of all he saw 
to the leading German periodicals. The state of the Colony at 
the time, and the fact of the breaking out of the Maori war at 
Taranaki, forced upon him the conclusion that the Colony was 
not then a suitable field for his countrymen to emigrate to, he 
therefore wrote requesting his employers to terminate the engag- 
ment he had made with them. 
The Provincial Government of Nelson having requested Dr. 
Haast to explore the Western and Southern portions of that 
province, he accepted the offer, and accompanied by Mr. Burnett 
and three others,—one of whom was a Maori—he started on an 
expedition which took him for eight months away from civilised 
life. During the journey, in addition to the discovery of the 
Grey and Buller Coal Fields and of several gold-bearing districts, 
he filled in the topography of a large part of Nelson, and added 
largely to the knowledge of the geology, as well as the fauna and 
flora, of these alpine portions of New Zealand. On his return 
the Government printed a full report of the journey, and of the 
scientific and other discoveries made, How arduous the journey 
