The Zoologist/4th series, vol 3 (1899)/Issue 692/Editorial Gleanings
EDITORIAL GLEANINGS.
There will be few zoologists indeed to whom the name of Prof. Alleyne Nicholson is unknown, and by whom his text-books have not been used. We greatly regret to see his death recently announced, and to observe the ranks of the older zoologists gradually thinning. Henry Alleyne Nicholson was born at Penrith, Cumberland, in the autumn of 1844, his father being Dr. John Nicholson, who gained considerable distinction as a linguist and philologist, especially in Oriental literature. The son was educated first at Appleby Grammar School, subsequently at Göttingen, and finally at the University of Edinburgh. At the latter University he gained the Baxter Natural Science Scholarship, and when only twenty-five he was appointed (in 1869) Lecturer on Natural History in the Extra-Mural School of Medicine in that city, an appointment which he held till 1871, when he became Professor of Natural History and Botany in the University of Toronto. This post he relinquished in 1874, when he moved to Durham in the same capacity. In 1875 he accepted the Natural History Professorship at St. Andrews. This post he held till 1882, when he was appointed Regius Professor of Natural History in the University of Aberdeen, and here he remained till the end. We need not enumerate his special work, as it will follow him. For the facts and dates of the above appointments we have relied on "R.L." in 'Nature.'
Georg Hermann Carl Ludwig Baur was born in Weisswasser, Bohemia, Jan. 4th, 1859, and died very early and mentally exhausted on June 25th, 1898. As a palæontologist and zoologist, his life's work was done in America, and in the January number of 'The American Naturalist' Prof. W.M. Wheeler has given a sympathetic obituary notice of the deceased naturalist, with a list of his scientific publications. These number 144, and perhaps one by which he may be best remembered is that in which he expressed the opinion that "the Dinosauria do not exist." He believed that this group is an unnatural one, and is made up of three special groups of archosaurian reptiles which have no close relation to one another. His other most revolutionary enunciation—one since gaining the assent of many well-known workers—is the subsidence theory. "Dr. Baur rejected the hypothesis of the consistency of continents and oceans, and asserted that the Galapagos, like the Antilles, were formed by subsidence and not by upheaval, and that they were at one time connected with Central America through Cocos Island. This contention Dr. Baur attempted to prove by showing that each separate island has its own peculiar and harmonious fauna and flora—a condition which could hardly exist if the archipelago were of volcanic origin, and had acquired its plants and animals through accidental importation by means of currents from the mainland."
Alfred Hart Everett, whose name as a naturalist and collector is so connected with the Malayan region, died last June from fever, combined with dropsy, contracted during his last voyages. An obituary notice has just appeared in 'Novitates Zoologicæ' (vol. v. p. 606), from which we extract the following particulars:—Mr. Everett "was born in 1848, on Norfolk Island, where his father held the post of medical officer; but in 1853 his family settled in England, where he was educated. He began to show a strong taste for natural history at an early age, and it was not long before he conceived the idea of becoming an explorer. With this in view he entered the service of the Rajah Brooke of Sarawak. His work on Borneo in nearly all branches of zoology is too well known to require description. From there he made his successful expeditions to the Philippines, and to Palawan and Balabac, collecting chiefly birds for the late Marquis of Tweeddale. Being aware of Mr. Everett's abilities as a collector, the Editors of 'Novitates Zoologicæ' felt great satisfaction when, during his stay in England in 1894, he offered his services to Mr. Rothschild, and they heartily regret that they are now terminated by his death. Besides collecting birds and insects for the Tring museum, he did much in other branches of natural history during his last voyages. There never was a more ardent zoologist than Mr. Everett, and when on the sick-bed a few days before his death he talked of nothing but birds and mammals, and of zoo-geographical problems and future trips to unexplored islands as soon as he should be strong again."
On the afternoon of January 23rd, a large Porpoise was to be seen swimming in the Thames off Blackfriars Bridge, which was watched by hundreds of persons.—Daily Chronicle.
"Taxidermist."—Who is responsible for the invention of this vile phrase? It is not in Johnson's 'Dictionary.' I suppose we get it from the French. It would have been easy to suggest a more regular formation, such as "taxidermatist," or more correctly "dermatotaxist," or even "dermataxist." But scientific people are above such matters, and seem to contemn them.—Julian Marshall (Notes and Queries, Jan. 14th).