320 
JAMES WILLIAM DAVIS. 
it was not so popular a role as it is to-day), he competed successfully 
in the Society of Arts Examination for the Chemistry prize, and 
carried off the silver medal for his year. In connection with the 
college a small band of students met together to read and discuss 
papers on various scientific subjects, and it was here that the present 
writer had the good fortune to make Mr. Davis' acquaintance, and 
to commence a lifelong friendship which deepened in mutual respect 
as years passed on, and with never a shadow of coolness or misunder- 
standing to mar it. Very shortly afterwards we were joined by 
Mr. Percy Sladen, F.L.S., and removing the scene of our studies to 
the Halifax Museum we entered upon a course of practical compara- 
tive anatomy, in which we were ably assisted by the resident Curator, 
Mr. Alexander Campbell, who in his youth had been associated 
with Professor Jamieson, of Edinburgh, and who possessed a sound 
knowledge of Osteology in all its branches. Here were dissected 
with youthful enthusiasm types representative of the chief classes of 
the animal kingdom. Parrots, crocodiles, serpents, apes, and last, 
but not least, a chimpanze were procured from a Liverpool dealer in 
foreign animals. At this time Mr. Davis excelled in the preparation 
of the skeletons of fishes, and no doubt acquired much skill and 
knowledge, which afterwards proved invaluable to him when he took 
up as a speciality the study of the Carboniferous fish remains. This 
Society became ultimately merged into a select company, meeting at 
the residences of its members in later years, and was joined by 
C. P. Hobkirk, F.L.S., J. Stubbins, F.R.M.S., and the late George 
Brook, Jun., F.L.S. Month by month the friends met in delightful 
intercourse to discuss new points of scientific interest as they arose 
from time to time, and to spend together in invigorating converse and 
genial fun cheerful hours, which doubtless are treasured up as 
precious memories by the survivors. 
The visit of Professor Sollas, F.R.S., to Halifax, to lecture on 
Geology in connection with the University Extension Scheme, led to 
an intimate friendship which tended to strengthen Mr. Davis' grow- 
ing partiality for Geological and Palaeontological studies, as was 
evidenced by his forming the Halifax Geological Field Club, a 
Society which has flourished for more than twenty years, and still 
