DEATH OF SIR RAV LANKESTER

Evening Star, Issue 20255, 16 August 1929, Page 9

DEATH OF SIR RA V LANKESTER

NOTED SCIENTIST Press Association —By Tclegrapli-^Gopyright. LONDON, August 15. The death is announced of Sir Edwin Ray Lankester. —Australian Press Association.

Sir Edwin Ray Lankester was born on May 15, 1847. The son of a doctor, he was educated at St. Paul’s School and Downing College, Cambridge. Ho won a travelling fellowship at Oxford, where he began his teaching career as lecturer at Exeter College. From 1874-90 lie was professor of zoology at University College, London, and from 1891-98 Linacre professor of comparative anatomy at Oxford. In 1898 he was appointed director of the natural history department at South Kensington.., and there he remained until 1907, when he was knighted.

As a zoologist aaid follower of Darwin and Huxley, Lankester was in the first rank. In 1875 he became a fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1906 was president of the British Association, while his other British and his foreign honours were very numerous. lie founded the Marine Biological Association, and his writings include ‘ Degeneration,’ ‘ The Advancement of Science,’ ‘ The Kingdom of Man,’ ‘ Diversions of a Naturalist,’ 1 Half-hours with the Microscope,’ and ‘Secrets ot the Earth and Sea.’ He also wrote many newspaper columns of science from an easy chair, published in book form, 1910 and 1912. lie edited ‘ A Treatise on Zoology,’ 1900-09, and the ‘ Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science.’ A PERSONAL SKETCH BY ONE OF LANKESTEII’S STUDENTS.

Knowing that Professor llenham studied under Sir Hay Lankester, a representative of the ‘ Star ’ asked that gentleman to supply a few personal particulars as to the famous scientist, and thus was favoured with a direct and intimate description. “ 1 was for twelve years his assistant,” said the professor, first at the University College, London, then tor the seven years just before I came out St Oxford. Lankester was the last of the band of young and keen biologists whom Huxley gathered round him at the College of Science. South Kensington, when ho instituted the modern method of teaching biology. Professor Jeffrey Parker, who will be affectionately remembered in Otago, was another of that band. Lankester was appointed at the end of the seventies — 1879, 1 think —to tho chair of zoology at Edinburgh in succession to Sir Wyville Thompson, who was the naturalist of tho Challenger expedition, but he did not take up the duties. That fact is omitted from some of the published accounts of his career. As a teachei he excelled. His manner was inspiring and direct, not in the least whimsical, rather the opposite, inclined to severity. One of his strong points, telling with students, was that ho was an expert draughtsman on the blackboard, therefore able to illustrate his lectures most explicitly. He stood out notably as an instigator to original .research. He was a big man in every waybig physically, being both tall and rather stout. In tho Royal Academy this year there was a line portrait of him by Orpen. Amongst his doings as a writer it may be mentioned that be contributed important articles on zoology to the ‘ Encyclopedia Britannica,’ and up to a few years ago he supplied the ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ with articles of a more or less popular character on scientific subjects—anthropology, zoology, botany, and other matters of interest. Few men have done so much towards popularising the subject of zoology. It will be borne in mind that at one time of his life he made it his business to expose alleged Spiritualists who claimed powers that were the result of trickery. He came of an English family, his father a medical man witln a distinct leaning to the study of zoology. His brother was a well-known barrister. Tho name “ Ray ” was bestowed after a famous scientist. John Ray (or Wray), one of the first English authorities on botany-zoology, Cuvier considered Ray’s works as the foundation oh modern zoology. So in a sense our Sir Ray Lankester was set apart from his birth to the work which he carried on to date. He never married.