ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCGPY, ETO. 
799 
which has appeared of any group of British plants. The descriptions 
are complete and lucid, the synonymy is very carefully worked out, and 
the analyses are in Ralfs’s characteristically terse style. Particular at- 
tention is given to the reproductive states of the plants, which had 
been previously observed in very few species. An appendix contains 
descriptions of the species not known to occur in Britain, and the small 
number of these is an evidence of the leading position Ralfshad taken up 
as an authority upon the group. In a few years he had raised the number 
of known British Desmids from four to 180. Mr. E. Jenner’s beautiful 
drawings contributed much to the value of the work, for he was not only 
an excellent draughtsman, but a good botanist, and well acquainted with 
the Desmids. During the preparation of the works Ralfs had extensive 
correspondence with Brebisson, Kiitzing, Montagne, and other leading 
foreign algologists. Berkeley seems to have been of great assistance in 
many ways. . . . 
In 1856 he undertook the arrangement of the Diatoms and Desmids 
for the fourth edition of Pritchard’s ‘ Infusoria/ but, through repeated 
illnesses, was only able to complete the Diatomacese, and this contributed 
to the delay in the publication of the book, which did not appear until 
1861. His work, however, was very thorough, and gave an account of 
the whole of the known Diatomacese, both recent and fossil. 
The sudden failure of his eyesight about this time rendered future 
microscopical research impossible, thus putting a stop to the great work 
of his life, and he does not seem to have recovered from the shock for 
many years. He turned his attention more and more to working out the 
flora of West Cornwall. . . . 
Mr. Ealfs bequeathed his collection of microscopic plants to the 
Botanical Department of the British Museum, but his will was not wit- 
nessed, and had consequently no legal force. His son has, however, in 
consideration of his father’s wishes, generously resolved to place the 
collection in the British Museum.” 
That of Prof. Parker is an anonymous notice, clearly from the hand of 
one who knew him well, which appeared in the ‘ Times’ of 7th July 
last. 
“ By the sudden death, on the 3rd inst., of Mr. William Kitchen 
Parker, F.R.S., formerly Hunterian Professor of Comparative Anatomy 
at the Royal College of Surgeons, science in this country has lost one of 
its unique investigators, a man of the order of Faraday, if lacking his 
great constructive powers. The son of a farmer in South Lincolnshire, 
his schooling was of a very limited character except for three-quarters of 
a year spent at Peterborough grammar school, after which he became 
an assistant to a chemist at Stamford. He had already been attracted 
to the mysteries of anatomy as they chanced to come under his notice in 
farming life, and with no instruction whatever he had made skeletons 
of many animals. While at the chemist’s, engaged at business from 
7 a.m. to 10 p.m., he rose several hours before his morning’s work began, 
and with a fellow-apprentice scoured the neighbourhood for botanical 
specimens. Thus in two summers he formed and preserved a collection 
of 500 species of plants. 
After a few years he camo up to London as a surgeon’s assistant 
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