26S 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
discoveries led to his being visited by several eminent 
botanists (one of them a Norwegian); as well as to corres¬ 
pondence with others. Besides exploring the Blairgowrie 
series of lochs, Sturrocb explored some other lochs in 
Perthshire and Forfarshire with successful results. 
Though thus devoted to aquatic plants, he did not 
neglect the other groups. Latterly, at my suggestion, he 
had taken up the brambles. In proposing to him the 
collecting of the Bubi (brambles) in his district, I did not 
suggest that he should also study them. This group of 
plants is admittedly a most difficult one, and I thought 
that, to begin with at least, he would be content with 
merely collecting specimens. But it is eminently charac¬ 
teristic of the man that he not only collected specimens 
with the greatest enthusiasm, but commenced to study 
them in down-right earnest. Had he been spared to us, I 
believe that very soon he would have acquired an intimate 
knowledge of these difficult plants. 
Mr Sturrock did not, unfortunately, put in print, 
so frequently as might have been desired, the valu¬ 
able observations that he made. The reason for this 
waslchiefly, I think, a desire to do a thing thoroughly 
and exhaustively when he did do it, and he thus 
delayed, thinking that some additions might be made 
to his knowledge of the subject. Thus he had pro¬ 
mised me to give papers to the Society upon the botany of 
the Blairgowrie lochs and upon the botany of the Muirton 
Wood, but he always asked for more time until he was 
satisfied that no other discoveries were to be made. The 
above-mentioned Muirton Wood was a favourite resort of 
Mr Sturrock, and he found there some very remarkable 
species. In it that lovely and rare plant, the Linnce 
borealis, grew, but was supposed to be extinct. One day, 
however, Sturrock, in company with our fellow member, 
Mr Barbour, rediscovered it, and, though naturally un¬ 
demonstrative, could not refrain from manifesting, both 
vocally and muscularly, his great delight. 
In this brief sketch I have necessarily omitted many 
details, but I think that enough has been said to make it 
apparent that Abram Sturrock’s characteristics as a 
botanist were not only great enthusiasm and perseverance, 
but a desire to know all about, and an ability to discrimin¬ 
ate, the object he was studying. He was not a mere plant- 
collector, but a scientific botanist. As a man, he was 
eminently companionable, sympathetic, and lovable ; and 
I, amongst many others, will miss him more than words 
can express. 
One word as to his collection. Owing principally to his 
donations, our herbarium is probably richer than any 
similar one elsewhere in specimens of the local Naiadacete, 
Characese, and Batrachian Banunculi, all of them being 
represented by numerous and excellent examples. In the 
other groups there are also numerous specimens collected 
and presented by him. These were given by himself, but 
I am now authorised to say that his own private collec¬ 
tion, and notes relating to it, have been genereusly pre¬ 
sented to the Museum by Mrs Sturrock, who rightly 
thinks that the gift will be highly appreciated by her late 
husband’s fellow-labourers in the field in which he did so 
much good and enduring work. 
On the motion of the President, the following resolu¬ 
tion was unanimously agreed to :—“ That the Society has 
heard, with great regret, of the death of Mr Abram Stur¬ 
rock, a member who has done so much to further the 
objects for which the Society was founded ; that it more¬ 
over desires to express its respectful sympathy with Mr 
Sturrock’s family in the irreparable loss that they have 
sustained ; and that a copy of this minute be sent to Mrs 
Sturrock.” 
[On the suggestion of Dr White, a sum of money was 
subscribed by members of the Society to erect a head¬ 
stone in memory of Mr Sturrock. 
The following papers were read :— 
1. “ The Gall-making Biptera of Scotland.'” By Professor 
J. W. H. Trail, F.L.S. 
2. “Perthshire Botany in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth 
Centuries.” By Dr F. Buchanan White, F.L.S. 
[The Council hopes to be able to publish these papers 
on some future occasion.] 
