Royal Microscopical Society. 
101 
borne out by numerous microscopic sections of the parts to which 
his observations referred. 
The obituary of the past year is unusually heavy, and comprises 
the names of several of the veterans of microscopical science. 
Dr. Edwin Lankester was born April 23, 1814, at Melton, 
Suffolk. His school education, at Woodbridge, terminated at the early 
age of twelve, and it was through his own persistent zeal for know- 
ledge that, in spite of serious difficulties, he attained an important 
position in the scientific world. According to an obituary notice 
in the ' Lancet,' he narrowly escaped apprenticeship to a watch- 
maker, and was articled to Mr. Grissing, a surgeon. After leaving 
Mr. Gissing he acted as assistant to Mr. Spurgin, surgeon, of Saffron 
Walden, who was celebrated for stimulating the intelligence and 
promoting the studies of his pupils. While with this gentleman he 
acquired a strong taste for botany, which ever after remained a 
fevourite pursuit. He became secretary of a local society of 
naturalists and curator of the museum. He was so highly 
esteemed in Saffron Walden that, as the * Lancet' states, some 
friends offered a loan of 30 OZ. to enable him to go through a course 
of medical study in London. From 1834 to 1837 he was a hard- 
working student at University College, where he won the Lindley 
silver medal, and was elected President of the College Medical Society. 
Having become a member of the Eoyal College of Surgeons, and 
a Licentiate of the Apothecaries' Company, he visited the Continent 
and graduated at Heidelberg in 1 839. His first important pubHc 
position was that of Lecturer on Materia Medica and Botany at 
the school adjoining St. George's Hospital, and in 1850 he was 
appointed Professor of Natural History in New ? College, London. 
In 1851 he received the degree of LL.D. from Amherst, U.S. In 
1853 he lectured at the Grosvenor School of Medicine, and in 
1858 became Superintendent of the Food Collection at South 
Kensington. 
Dr. Lankester became a member of the Microscopical Society 
in May, 1842, was elected President in 1869, and delivered two 
Addresses published in the Society's Transactions. 
In 1853, the * Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,' 
published by Mr. Highley, and under the editorship of Dr. 
Lankester and Mr. Busk first appeared, partly as the organ of this 
Society, and partly as an independent Journal. This connection of 
the Society with Dr. Lankester lasted till 1868, when it was found 
desirable to obtain earlier means of publishing the Society's papers 
than could be afforded by a periodical issued at quarterly intervals, 
and the ' Monthly Microscopical Journal,' edited by Dr. Lawson, 
was set on foot by Mr. Hardwicke for that purpose. 
Amongst Dr. Lankester 's numerous pubhcations may be men- 
tioned, as most in connection with, or nearest allied to, microscopical 
