The Pres'ide?il' s Address. 
73 
cation in the study of tlie Diatomacese. By what means he 
was first drawn to the study of microscopic organisms I cannot 
inform you. But^ during the latter part of his life. Professor 
Gregory suffered from an ailment which prevented his walking 
or standing. He could sit, and in this position he could use 
his microscope. I well recollect, on visiting Edinburgh in 
1856, finding him in his laboratory, seated near the fire, 
before a small table on which stood his microscope and innu- 
merable slides of Diatomacese. Though too lame to move, 
and evidently suflPering from bodily disease, his cheerful voice 
indicated how thoroughly the mind was master of the body, 
and he discoursed with the utmost enthusiasm of the interest 
that attached to his new studies. His papers on the Diato- 
macese which were published in the ''Transactions^ of our Society 
in the pages of our Journal, and in the ' Transactions of the 
Boyal Society of Edinburgh,^ are remarkable for the patient 
investigation they display, and thenumber of hitherto unknown 
forms described. A writer in the Edinburgh ''New Philosophi- 
cal Journal/ who seems to have had access to his manuscripts, 
and been intimate with him during life, says — " Whether 
he was right or not in some of his views of specific difference, 
they were not arrived at by hasty examination. Some people, 
who find perhaps only one or two examples of one of his 
species in a slide, would be ready to jump to the conclusion 
that he was content to decide upon too scanty materials. But 
in such cases he persevered through hundreds of slides, — 
often mounted only to be subsequently destroyed, — until he 
had completed his investigation. He kept a record of every- 
thing of interest in every slide he examined, and the amount 
of labour is perfectly astonishing.^'' tie died in the spring 
of 1858, in the 54th year of his age. He was in London at 
the commencement of our last session, and attended one of 
our usual meetings. On that occasion he appeared in better 
health than he had been for years, and his friends hoped 
he might have been long spared to prosecute his scientific 
labours. 
In the death of Bichard Horsman Solly, M.A., F.R.S., 
the scientific societies of the metropolis sustained a general 
loss. He was not known for his original researches or 
scientific contributions, but he devoted his time and his inde- 
pendent means to science. He watched with interest the 
development of microscopic observation, and assisted to the 
utmost of his power those who were engaged in original 
investigations. He was one of the founders of this Society, 
and a constant attendant at its early meetings. 
