Chapter I: Preface

Although the complete manuscript of this volume was placed in the hands of the editor before the publication of the late Mr. C. J. Cornish’s _Life of Sir William Flower_ (in 1904), yet the present writer was aware that such a work was in progress, and that it would deal with the social and personal rather than with the scientific side of Sir William’s career. Consequently it was decided at an early period of the work to concentrate attention in the present volume on the latter aspect of the subject; as indeed is only fitting in the case of a biography belonging to a series specially devoted to men of science. An incidental advantage of this arrangement is that the writer has been able in the main to confine himself to the discussion of topics with which he is more or less familiar, rather than to attempt to chronicle events and episodes to which he must of necessity be a stranger, and to attempt an appreciation of a fine character for which he is in no wise qualified.

It will be obvious from the above, that any references in the text to earlier biographies do not relate to Mr. Cornish’s volume.

In the course of the text, it has been necessary to make certain allusions to the condition and the mode of exhibition of the specimens in the public galleries of the Zoological Department of the Natural History Museum previous to the new _régime_ inaugurated by Sir William Flower. The writer may take this opportunity of stating that these are in no wise intended to convey the slightest reflection on those who had charge of the galleries previous to the new era. Technical museum-installation and display is a comparatively new thing; and the old plan of arrangement had become obsolete, not for want of attention, but because a more advanced scheme had been developed by gradual evolution, and the adoption of this involved a clean sweep.

In conclusion, the writer has to express his best thanks to Mr. C. E. Fagan, of the Secretariat of the Natural History Museum, for kindly reading and revising the proof sheets.

HARPENDEN LODGE, HERTS,
_July 1906_.

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I

GENERAL SKETCH OF FLOWER’S LIFE 1

CHAPTER II

AS CONSERVATOR OF THE MUSEUM OF THE COLLEGE
OF SURGEONS, AND HUNTERIAN PROFESSOR 31

CHAPTER III

AS DIRECTOR OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 57

CHAPTER IV

AS PRESIDENT OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 89

CHAPTER V

GENERAL ZOOLOGICAL WORK 95

CHAPTER VI

WORK ON THE CETACEA 139

CHAPTER VII

ANTHROPOLOGICAL WORK 153

CHAPTER VIII

MUSEUM AND MISCELLANEOUS WORK 169

APPENDIX (LIST OF BOOKS AND MEMOIRS) 179

Life of Flower