Obituary Notices. 
xxxix 
whole energies to zoological pursuits. His first essay — communi- 
cated to the British Association at Southport — w r as on “Wool 
Plugs and Sterilised Fluids,” a subject for which his conscientious 
exactness and ingenuity peculiarly fitted him. He concluded by 
expressing doubts as to the efficiency of wool plugs as filtering 
agents when a strong current passed through them. 
When Professor Ewart was transferred to Edinburgh, Mr 
Matthews followed him — becoming Demonstrator in Zoology in 
the University. While in this position, he won the favour of the 
students and others by his unvarying courtesy, punctuality, and 
attention to duty. Professor Prince, now of St Mungo’s College, 
Glasgow, who was associated with him in class-work during the 
summer of 1884, writes of him thus : — “One of the brightest spots 
in my Edinburgh experience was my daily association with Duncan 
Matthews, a devoted and unwearied worker amidst all the dis- 
advantages of ill-health and bodily weakness. He was a most 
accurate and painstaking zoologist, a skilful draughtsman, and was 
well acquainted with foreign ichthyological literature. Edinburgh 
never had a more worthy and accomplished, or a more unobtrusive 
and kindly, professorial assistant. His published papers give no 
idea of his laborious industry and devotion to zoological work — 
work which social and other circumstances rendered by no means a 
necessity.” 
Along with Professor Ewart he drew up and published a series 
of directions for the students of the Practical Class on the examina- 
tion of various invertebrates — similar to those used in University 
College, London. The critical acuteness of Mr Matthews was 
well fitted for this work, which, indeed, mainly fell on his shoulders. 
Yet at this time he seemed to experienced eyes to be on the verge 
of grave thoracic complications, and one could not but feel for the 
young assistant gallantly adhering to duty in the absence of his 
senior when the cold winds of spring told so heavily on his cough. 
Nevertheless, no complaint fell from his lips, and he performed 
every task cheerfully and well. He subsequently, ^however, had to 
interrupt his labours, and obtain partial relief of the symptoms by a 
visit to the quiet grounds of Springhill. JSText year (1885) he 
published a very interesting paper oil the presence of an oviduct in 
an adult male skate, besides another series of the joint notes for the 
