XX1U 



the commencement of his scientific career may be dated. He con- 

 tributed numerous papers on the botany of South America to the 

 " Transactions " and " Journal " of the Linnean Society, the London 

 "Journal of Botany," and the "Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History." He also published several larger works, which although 

 consisting in great part of reprints of his smaller memoirs, are enriched 

 .ith many additional observations, and with numerous plates executed 

 from his original drawings, and many of them drawn by himself on 

 the stone. His " Illustrations of South American Botany " appeared 

 in 1850, and his " Contributions," in three volumes, followed in 1867, 

 1869, and 1871 ; the third and concluding volume of the latter work 

 is occupied exclusively with his " Monograph of Menispermaceous 

 Plants," and is the most valuable of his contributions to science. His 

 latest volume, a " Memoir on the Apocynacese," was published in 1878, 

 when its author was in his 89th year. * 



Mr. Miers was elected E.L.S. in 1839, and F.R.S. in 1843, and was 

 a member of several foreign learned Societies, He served as Juror in 

 the Brazilian Section of the International Exhibition of 1862, and for 

 his services the Emperor conferred upon him the Cross and Grand 

 Cross of the Imperial Order of the Rose. 



As a botanist, Mr. Miers was distinguished by the extreme careful- 

 ness and accuracy of his observations and descriptions, and the great 

 beauty and fidelity of his drawings and analyses. He was to the last 

 an opponent of the theory of Evolution. In private life he was ever 

 regarded with affection and esteem by all who knew him. 



In June, 1879, he was compelled by failing health to desist from 

 active work, and after several months of ever- increasing infirmity, 

 borne with unfailing patience, breathed his last on the 17th October. 

 1879, in the 91st year of his age. 



His extensive botanical collections have been bequeathed to the 

 British Museum. 



Charles Muechison was born in Jamaica in 1830. Some time 

 afterwards, his father, who belonged to a Scotch family, and was 

 nearly related to Sir Roderick Murchison, left the West Indies, where 

 he had been practising as a physician, and returning to his native 

 land went to reside at Elgin. At the age of fifteen Charles 

 Murchison went to the University of Aberdeen, and two years after- 

 wards began the study of medicine in Edinburgh University. Even 

 as a student he displayed the same qualities which characterised him 

 in after life, manual dexterity, retentive memory, clearness of thought, 

 and plainness of exposition, combined with great energy and industry. 

 These qualities not only enabled him to gain many distinctions in the 

 classes he attended, and to take his degree with the highest honours, 



