1910-11.] Obituary Notices. 695 
life. He made an admirable judge, his opinions and judgments being 
models of lucid exposition. 
Throughout his life Lord M‘Laren took a keen interest in science,, 
especially in botany and astronomy. He became a Fellow of the Royal 
Society of Edinburgh as early as 1869, and in 1883 was elected a Member 
of Council. From that date to the year before his death he served faith- 
fully on the Council, filling three terms of office as Vice-President, namely, 
from 1885 to 1891, from 1893 to 1899, and from 1901 to 1906. He took his 
full share in presiding at meetings both of the Council and of the Society, 
acting in this capacity on more occasions than have fallen to the lot of any 
other Fellow. He was also of invaluable service to the Society when 
delicate questions arose requiring careful deliberation and knowledge of 
affairs. His skill in drafting documents was in continual request, and 
several of the more recent modifications in the rules of the Society were 
framed by him. In the negotiations which preceded the transference of 
the Society from its original rooms in the Royal Institution in Princes 
Street to its present abode in George Street, Lord M‘Laren’s advice and 
support formed an important factor. 
Outside the Royal Society, Lord M‘Laren’s scientific activities found 
expression in his interest in the Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill, the 
Scottish Meteorological Society, of which he was President for several 
years, and the Ben Nevis Observatory, of which he was a Director. In the 
organisation of the Royal Observatory he was closely associated with Lord 
Lindsay and Professor Copeland ; and in helping to carry out the work of 
the Ben Nevis Observatory, he ably seconded the efforts of Dr Buchan, Sir 
John Murray, and others in keeping the great experiment before the minds 
of his countrymen. 
Although never of a robust constitution, Lord M‘Laren continued to do 
his work till within a year of his death, which took place at Brighton on 
April 6, 1910. To the end he remained in touch with the affairs of the 
Royal Society and of the Royal Society Club, of which he had been a 
member since 1883. He was a close friend of Lord Kelvin, who was 
frequently his guest when Royal Society business brought the great 
natural philosopher to Edinburgh. 
Lord M‘Laren was an amateur of science in the highest sense of the 
term, and devoted himself whole-heartedly to the advancement of the 
varied interests of the Royal Society. 
As will be seen from the list of published papers given below, Lord 
M‘Laren was an analyst of considerable skill, as well as a student of 
astronomical science on its observational side. 
