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gifted with the irrepressible bump of destructiveness. Around the lake stretch grounds broken into every variety of wood, meadow, morass, and rivulet—all encompassed by a lofty wall, entirely shutting in the domain. Thus secured from attack, and confiding in the tried favour of the master of the estate, birds and beasts of every known British species came to live with Charles Waterton. For the starlings, owls, and jackdaws he built lodgings expressly; the other feræ naturæ took apartments as it suited them. You might look from his study window and see the 'natural history' of the British islands unrolled, with illustrations by Nature herself."

Hugh Cuming was perhaps less widely and popularly known. To conchologists his name is a household word. In 1826, and when thirty-five years of age, he gave up his business, built himself a yacht, and started on a twelvemonth's cruise among the islands of the South Pacific, in search of objects of natural history. After a second and longer cruise, he returned with his stores to his native land. In 1835 he again left to spend four years in exploring the Philippines, and returned to England "with the richest booty that had ever been collected by a single man." His dried plants numbered about 130,000 specimens, and his cabinet of shells was the largest and most valuable private collection in existence. After an active life of upwards of threescore years, he quietly sank to sleep surrounded by the treasures which he had collected.

The lovers of geology and palæontology lost a chief in Dr. Hugh Falconer, Vice-President of the Royal Society, who died on the last day of January, just on the completion of his fifty-seventh year. At the age of twenty-one he was an M.D., with an appointment as assistant-surgeon in the Bengal army. In 1832 he was left in charge of the Botanical Gardens at Saharunpore, whilst Dr. Royle returned on leave to Europe. During this temporary charge, in concert with Sir Proby Cautley, the exploration of the Sewalik Hills was undertaken, with which their names are so intimately associated. Acting on the advice of Dr. Falconer, in 1834 the Bengal Government commenced the cultivation of tea in the Himalayas, now so successful. He also afterwards recommended the cultivation of the Cinchona, which promises to be equally successful. In 1848, when Dr. Wallich retired from the superintendence of the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, Dr. Falconer was appointed his successor; and in 1852 finally retired from the service. In concluding their notice of him, the Reader says:—"It is obvious that Falconer did enough in his lifetime to render his name immortal in science, as one of the greatest palæontologists who ever lived. But the work which he published was but a small fraction of that which he accomplished. The amount of scientific knowledge which has perished with him is prodigious, for he was cautious to a fault; he never liked to commit himself to an opinion until he was sure that he was right; and he has died in the fulness of his power, before his race was run."

Dr. Samuel P. Woodward, born at Norwich in 1821, died at Herne Bay in July last. As well as geologist and palæontologist, he also was a botanist; and in 1845 was appointed Professor of Botany and Geology to the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester; and in 1848 removed to the British Museum. His "Manual of Recent and Fossil Shells" is the only separate work which he published; but he contributed many important papers to various scientific journals. During the last twenty years of his life he suffered much, which will, in a large measure, account for the little published work which he has left behind as a memorial of his name.

In botanical science, the "cold hand" has fallen upon its chiefs, and a trio, long to be remembered have been gathered to their rest. Sir Joseph Paxton, the representative of horticulture, died early in June, at the age of sixty-one, at Sydenham, within sight of the Crystal Palace, the great work which caused his name to be best known both at home and abroad. Except his "Botanical Dictionary," his literary productions are confuned to the Magazine of Botany and the Flower Garden, which he conducted. As a landscape gardener he stood deservedly high, and Chatsworth remains as his testimonial, the Crystal Palace as his monument.

Sir William Hooker is no less intimately associated with Kew Gardens, and here, within scent of the floral odours which he had collected from every clime, his liberated spirit passed away, after having spent fourscore years on earth. Sir William was born at Norwich in 1785; at first destined for a commercial life, which was soon abandoned. At the age of twenty-four he published his "Tour in Iceland," in which the flora of that country received notice; but unfortunately all his collection was lost, which prevented justice being done either to himself or his subject. We could not enumerate the contributions to his favourite science which Sir William made between that time and the day of his death. He was for many years Professor of Botany at Glasgow, whence he removed to become Director of the Royal Gardens at Kew. In this latter position, he merits the gratitude of his country for the development of this truly national institution. Sixty years ago he discovered a little moss, which had not before been noticed in this country. It was Buxbaumia aphylla. From that period, for more than half a century, he watched the progress of botany in Britain,—as ot was when the Linnæan Society was established, when Sir J. E. Smith had scarcely done half his work, and Sowerby's "English Botany" had but recently commenced, till it became what it was when he, as one of its patriarchs, passed away.