XXIV 



Obituary Notices of Felloius deceased. 



Pteridineous Stem from Brazil" (1913). He compared the specimen with 

 Psaroniiis, but there seems to be some doubt whether he rightly interpreted 

 its structure. 



Two lectures by Solms may be mentioned here, both given before a Stras- 

 burg Society. The first (1906) was on the Significance of Palaeophytology for 

 Systematic .Botany. He points out, with admirable clearness, the bearing 

 of fossil evidence on evolution, especially as confirming the great morpho- 

 logical discoveries of Hofmeister. He dwells in particular on the connection 

 between Ferns and Cycads, and on the geological history of the main groups 

 of Ferns. The other lecture was given at a celebration in 1909 of the 

 100th anniversary of Darwin's birth. While Solms speaks with warmth and 

 just appreciation of Darwin himself, he summarily dismisses the theory of 

 Natural Selection, saying, " To-day it is doubtless wholly given up by almost 

 all botanists and by many zoologists." Thus Solms, like Zeiller, was an 

 Evolutionist, but by no means a Darwinian. In his depreciatory estimate 

 of Darwin's great theory, the influence of Nageli can be clearly traced. But 

 it is true that the Darwinian period was beginning to wane by the time that 

 the celebrations were held. 



All Solms' original work was sound and accurate in the highest degree, 

 and it covered probably a widei field than that of any contemporary botanist. 

 His memoirs, however, are by no means easy reading ; the style is dry, and 

 it is sometimes difficult to extract the important results from the mass of 

 detail. He was personally an infinitely more interesting man than one would 

 imagine from reading his special works. 



His real character comes out better in his reviews, which are often 

 trenchant and piquant. It is quite worth while to look through them in 

 the pages of the ' Botanische Zeitung ' and ' Zeitschrift fiir Botanik,' which 

 he edited for so many years. 



As a teacher Solms must have been impressive and stimulating. The 

 writer once had the good fortune to hear one of his elementary lectures 

 at Strasburg ; the subject was Phyllotaxis and Branching. His manner of 

 lecturing was striking and somewhat eccentric ; all the time' he was pacing 

 up and down like a caged lion, and making free use of his arms, in a way 

 that all his friends will recall. The lecture was clear and vigorous ; he took 

 great pains with the elementary course. 



Dr. Lotsy writes : " I think I can state with justice that I never have 

 had a better teacher than him, in the years I spent at Gottingen. Solms 

 had very curious peculiarities in lecturing ; it even happened that in his 

 enthusiasm the lamps above his catheder came down, but he knew how to 

 rivet our attention to such a degree that such things were hardly noticed 

 by us." 



In the laboratory Solms' great principle was to let his pupils work out 

 everything for themselves. He complained of English students for not being 

 independent enough in their work. 



In private life Solms was a delightful companion, always interesting and 



