THE LATE PROFESSOR PARKER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 11

THE LATE PROFESSOR PARKER.

la Nature of January 6 appears an obituary notice of the late Professor Thomas Jeffery Parker, by Professor G. B. Howes. Aa it will show the estimation in which the deceased gentleman was held in scientific circles, we reproduce the greater portion of the article — which, though lengthy, will be read with interest by the late professor's friends and admirers, Thomas Jeffery Parker was the eldest son of" the late William Kitchen Parker, P.R.S., the world - renowned comparative osteologist. . . . Parker was of a distinctly artistic temperament, atsthefcic, musical, well-read, and possessed of marked literary ability, which a&ierted itself to a conspicuous degree in his little book upon his father, published in 1893, aa altogether ideal filial biography — a good work by & good man. He early cultivated the critical faculty, a? a direct; result of the study of Matthew Arnold, whose writings he knew by heart ; and with the great power of application and strength of character which he displayed dm ing active work, there can be little doubt that he would bave succeeded in any of the higher walks of life. He would have made a mark in literature, and as a caricaturist draughtsman would have achieved renown; and there ia little coubt that his choice of biology fcrliis life's calling was largely due to the charm and influence of his father's career, fend to his early association with Huxley, who knew him from childhood, and became the object of his veneration. Both as a teacher and investigator Paiker was untiring and thoroughly trustworthy. Though easily roused to enthusiasm, iie rarely btcarne excited; and Ms cool deliberation came welcomely to the aid of the troubled student, to whom, if in earnest, his attention knew no bounds. His published papers exceed 40 in number, and though mostly zoological they embody important work and observations in botany. Parker was the first appointed of the litfcle band of biological professors sent out from Home in the '80's, who now fill the Australian and Novozelandisn chairs, and his second paper published in New Zeaiaad deilt -with a new species of HololhurJan (Chirodota Duncdiensis), as it were in anticipation of the later determination by himself and bi« contemporaries at the antipodes to devote their attention to the indigenous fauna, rather than to refiuements in histology »nd the like, which could be belter studied at Home. The work already achieved by this body of investigators, with Parker at their head, is now monumental, and none of it more so than Parker's monographs, "On the Structure and Development of Apteryx" and "On the Cranial Osteology, Classification, and Phylogeny of the Dinornibhicse," ia themselves sufficient to have established his reputation. His lesser writings, though they deal with a wide range of subjects, show interesting signs of continuity of ideas, as, for example, in the association of his early observances on the stridulating organ of JPalinurus, made in London in 1878, with those upon the structure of the head ia certain species of the genus (one of the most charming of his shorter papers), made on the voyage to New Zealand, and upon the myology of P. Edwardsii, which, in co-operation with | bis pupil Miss Josephine Gordon Rich (now I Mrs W. A. Haawell), he in 1893 contributed to ! tfee Macleay memorial volume. And the same i may be said of his work en the blood-va?cular system of the P.Ugiostomi. Soon after his arrival at the antipodes Parker instituted a aerieo of " Sbudies in Biology for New Zealand Students," and, chiefly with the aid of his pupils, these have been continued, either in their original form or in that of theses for the higher degrees of the University of New Zealand, as contributions to the publications of the Museum and Geological Survey department of tbat colony. Botanical as well aszoological topics were thus taken in hand, the series, like that of a companion set of " Notes from the Otago University Museum," which he from time to time contributed to the pages of Nature, containing important observations of general biological interest. Of Parker's books, it is sufficient to recall his "Lessons in Elementary Biology," now in its third edition, and recently translated into German, undoubtedly the most important and trustworthy work for the elementary student which has appeared since Huxley and Martin's epoch-marking "Practical Instruction in Elementary Biology," published in 1875. Patker'a book, in sharp contrast to his previous "Zootomy," which is a severely [ didactic and somewhat uneven laboratory j treatise, ia a book for the study, beautifully I balanced, and poetic in idea. It has a charm I peculiarly ifca owe, and to ponder over ife is to I appreciate to the full the honeEt, loving, sympathetic temperament of its author, and the conviction which he was prone to express that in the progress of scientific education there lies the panacea for mosb human ills, j mental and corporeal. Great though the merits of these books, Parker fiva years ago essayed a more formidable task in the resolve to prepare, in conjunction with his friend Professor W. A. Haswell, F.R.S., of the Sydney University, a general text-book of zoology. This work of 1400 pages, in two volumes, will be noteworthy for the larga number and excellence of its original illustration?, and from a pasoiiag knowledge of its contents I am of opinion that it will do much towards relieving English text-be ok writers of the opprobrium begotten ot a too frequent content with mere translation and Continental methods. And when we consider that Parker wan not spared to ccc this great work in circulation, it is heartrending to relate that, though ailing and weak, he had since arranged with his co-author and publishers for the publication of a shorter text-book to be based upon it, and had prepared the preliminary pages of yet another elementary treatise to have been soiiikd "Biolojgy foe Beginners," while as a

QtzL subject of research he hid begun to work out. in conjunction with Mr J. P. Hill, Demonstrator of Biology in the Sydney, Univer- . sity, a series of emu chicks, including those collected by Professor R. Samon during his expedition into the Australian busb. The thoroughness>of Parker's best work was itemoat distinctive character, and when tempted to generalise ho always did so with extreme caution and consideration for others, faiily presenting all tides ct an argument. As he remarked of himself with characteristic modesty, in a letter written in 1894- commenting upon his chances of securing a chair of zoology a 5 Home then vacant, ;"I don't profess to b3 brilliant, but j I am vain enough to think that I have the [ gift of exposition and can do a straightforward 1 research so long as it does not involve anything about the iubieiitance of acquired characters. " ■ F&r-reaching generalisation and random rhetoric . had no cbarm for him, nor was hs tempted into i ovsr ambition and haste so oft productive of I slip-shod and ill-conditioned results. As a ivriter and lecturer he was always logical, c*ufciou3, temperate, content could he but spreac l , extend, and help and systemise our knowledge of observed facts, convinced tbat if thw be dove properly- their ultimate teachings beuornß *elfevident His work is of that order which marks the growth of real knowledge and the consequent battering of mankind, and the thought tbat fchei-3 has thus early passed from the ranks one so good and earnest, so well . fitted by nature for the responsible tank of training the young and susceptible, fills us with \ sorrows. ! Parker matriculated at the London University in June, 1868. ' He was an active member of the New Zealand Institute, to which he communicated several papers, and" he became in turn aecretary-and president of its Otago branch. " j Before these bodies and elsewhere in New Zealand ho delivered addresses which will linger in the memory of his heareis and those who have j read them. Theie may be especially mentioned an address delivered before the OSago University Debating Society on September 17, 1892, upon " The Weak Point in our University System," in reality an eloquent appeal for post graduate f-tudy. Proceeding to classify an average assemblage of students into "the abl«% thß mediocre, j and tbe stupid," he remarked that " the ; only duty of members of the university j towards the third cla?s appeared to be | that of imposing a sufficiently severe entrance examination to keep them from wasting their cwa time and their parents' money in the vain attempt to train to purely intellectual pan aits an organism which nature intended to make ics way by virtue of mu3cle i and mother wit." A more icganiou3 defeocs of an examination system could hardly be imagined. It io preceded by the ehrewd remark that " the republic of tciencs ■ and letters is an aristocratic, not a : democratic, republic." Parker was evidently ! -of opinion that what the world tarms breeding and feeding count for a great deal in the end, and the whole context of his address j is apposite to the share he took in the work of : organisation of the University of New Zealand, ■ which led at least to a humanisißg of its syllabus ia biology. ... , The keynote of Parkei's life work i» his connection with Huxley, and in testimony to j hia devotion to his great chief (" The General." as he loved to call him) there remains the delightful dedication of his '« Lessons in Elementary Biology." Parkoi entered Huxley's j service as demonstrator in biology at South I Kensington in 1872, immediately after the conclusion of the memorable course of instruction there given, now historical as having marked the introduction of rational methods into the teaching of natural science. In the conduct of j that course Huxley, as is well known, secured j the aid of leading British biologists of the time, j It waa, however, reserved for Parker to fill the ; more important vole of lieutenant in the develop- j ment of the Huxleian system and to assist in carrying it beyond the experimental stage. At the time of his appointment labDratory appliances j were lacking, and a practical teaching museum, | based on the type system, was a desideratum, j Under instruction to supply these needs Parker j in due course entered upon the task with a will, i his only materials, a freehand and an early set of proofs of Huxley and Martin's " Elementary Biology" (with the final revision of which he was largely entrusted, since the junior author was leaving fos Baltimore), and | in carrying the task to a successful issue he i founded the first practical biological museum j or teaching collection on the now generally i adopted type system, the prototype of all j those subsequently established afc Home j ! and abroad, in some cases even to the ' measurements of the furniture. The Huxleian method of laboratory instruction, in the course of its development at headquarter?, has witnessed no change on the zoological sid3 at all comparable to the inversion in the order of the work originally prescribed —i c , the subatitution of the anatomy of a vertebrate j for the microscopic examination of & unicellular organism r.s the opening study, and this we owe entirely to Parker. As one privileged at the time to play a minor part, I well recall the determination in Parker's mind that the change ! was desirable, and in Huxley's that ifc was not. Again and again did Parker appeal in vain, , until at last, on the morning ol October 2, 1878, he triumphed. Dyer and Vines were Parker's ■ more immediate associates in the early work of development ot the Huxleian laboratory sya- ■ tern ; and among the persons who studied under him as it progressed, now occupying prominent positions in the biological world, may be named F. E. Beddard, A. G. Bourne, G. C. Crick, J. J. Fletcher, Pa' rick Geddes, Angelo Heilprin, C. H. Hurst, C. Lloyd-Morgan, Daniel Morris, R. D. Oldham, F. H. Osbofn, W. B. Scott, T. W. Shore, Oldfleld Thomas, and H,

Marshall Ward. Parker's first paper (" On the Stomach of the Fresh-water Crayfish") and his first book (" Zootomy ") were alike a direct outcome of the undertaking, and the scheme for bis "Lessonß in Elementary Biology," formulated while still he was in London, was similarly begotten of his experience during its development, which oft formed the topic of conversation as he and I in the late '70's safe working side by aide. Nor mast it be forgottea that Parker rendered Huxley commendable aid in the production of hia wonderful book on " The Crsyfiah." I venture to think that in recognition of all this Parker has established a claim to distinction in connection with theeducational workef his great master second to Lhat of none other ; and whea it is remembered that tha unparalleled activity among botanists and zoologists during the last two decades has rendered it impossible for one man to efficiently _ teach the two subjscts from a professorial chair in the manner originally laid down under the Huxleian dispensation, Parker's name will occupy a unique position in the. history this as that of the only man prominently associated with its inception who taught bath subjects to the end of his career. To the task of founding the Hnxleian teaching collection, moreover, is due Parker's interest in the work of the preparafcor, which led to his being the first person to successfully prepare » mount in a condition fit for prolonged display cartilaginous skeletons in a dry state. Under Parker's ouratorship the Otago Museum advanced by leaps and bounds, and while to his reputation as a" teacher and investigator he thus added distinction as a conservator and administrator in zoology, he attained also a reputation' in botany, both as a manipulator and discoverer. .He came unon the botanical platform at a time when Alfred Bennett and Dyer wera at work upon the English translation of tha third edition of Sacb's monumental " Lahrbuch der Botanik," and when the methods of that great man, already introduced into Britain by WE 'Nab, were by these botanists and tteir associates becoming established. For Parker, however, carrot-drill bad little charm ; while to his aesthetic nature glycerine and gold-sizs were messy and distasteful. He was at the time repeating the work of Nicholas Kleinenberg on " Hydra/ busy with ostnic acid and cocoa - butter, nnd the well-known result* of his labours led him to apply vhe method to the treatment; of plant tissues, with the result that through a short paper communicated to the Royal Microscopical Society in March, 1879, he ranks as the firsb to apply the modern dry methods o£ micro-chemical technique to vegetable histology. As a discoverer in botany he will remain memorable fo? having first directed attention to the existence or sieve-tubes in tha marine algse (macrocystis) in a'short communication to the il Trfinsactiocs of the New Zealand Institute " for 1881. Truly his is a great record, worthy of his noble character and his association with a Huxley; but while the world will cherish his memory for that which he achieved, those who knew him feel tbat by hia* de^ch something more than a link with the historic past has gone, and fchat they have lost s true friend, a noble man, an example. In the autumn of 1892 Parker came Home on a visit. Soon after his return his wife died, and ' this event probably helped to bring on an illness which showed itself formidably about two years ago. Recurrent attacks of influenza, the last of which rendered him prostrate for three month", told severely upon his health and strength, but despite all, following the example of his beloved father, he worked on whenever he could, patient under suffering and affliction, the like of which has killed many a man ; beautiful iv his unselfishness and lack ot ostentation, loving .and sympathetic. On October 26 lasfc he had recovered sufficiently to start on a journey of some 40 mile 3to visit a friend at Shag Valley, in company with his eldest sister, who for several years had lovingly shared, his anxieties and administered to the needs of his three boys. While half way onwards he became so prostrate that a halt was necessary, his friends deeming ifc advisable to take him towards home again. He reached only as far as Warrington, where he bacame weaker and comatose, and passed peacefully away on Sunday, November 7, at 1 a.m. He was buried two days later iv the presence of sorrowing friends, a few among the many by whom he was universally beloved.