THE MEDALS COMMEMORATIVE OF NATURAL 
SCIENTISTS. 
BY H. R. STORER. 
In view of the rapid advance of the natural sciences, and the 
constantly progressing substitution of improved classification 
and methods of research, there is danger that the work and even 
the names of earlier naturalists may be forgotten. To remind 
workers of to-day of some of those who have preceded them, 
may therefore be of value. I shall endeavor to enumerate what 
there may be of this character in numismatics, which have done 
so much to\)reserve from oblivion, not merely the most impor¬ 
tant events of history, but the memory of distinguished men. 
So vast, however, is its field that in comparatively few clirections 
have attempts been made as yet to present, exhaustively, what 
exists upon any isolated subject. 
An instance of such special research is the work of T. F. Don¬ 
aldson (Architectura Numismatica, London, 1859, 8°),wherein the 
architectural medals of classical antiquity are illustrated and ex¬ 
plained by comparison with the monuments themselves, and the 
descriptions of ancient authors. 
The writer need hardly say that he will value assistance from 
other naturalists, alike in extending and correcting the present 
list. If similar catalogues could be prepared, by those having 
the taste, opportunities and leisure, of the statues, busts, portraits 
and engravings that exist of scientists, not only would these 
enumerations be of value in themselves, but of assistance to 
societies and individuals desirous of possessing such mementos 
of authorities, most of whom are no longer living. As regards 
physicians, material for lists of this kind has been incidentally 
published during the cataloguing, by Surgeon John S. Billings, 
of the immense medical library belonging to Government, at 
the office of the Surgeon-General of the Army, at Washington. 
When the same shall be done in connection with the other, also 
extremely large and valuable, medical library presented to Gov- 
