"HOOKER, JOSEPH DALTON, M.D., the only surviving eon of Sir William Jackson Hooker, ie, like his father, distinguished as a botanist. Educated for the medical profession, and holding the degree of Doctor of Medicine, Dr. Hooker has forsaken the .practice of his profession for the more fascinating pursuit in which his father has so greatly distinguished himself. Dr. Hooker is already known as a traveller, and his contributions to the science of botany are so eive and valuable, that the son's reputation is bidding fair to eclipse that of the father. In 1839, on the occasion of the fitting out of the expedition to the Antarctic Ocean, under Sir James Rose, Dr. Hooker was appointed assistant-surgeon on board the Erebus. Although appointed surgeon, his real object was to investigate the botany of the district through which the expedition paased—an object which was generously encouraged by the enlightened commander of the squadron. The result was the publication of the Flora Antarctica,' in which Dr. Hooker has not only figured and described a large number of new plants, but by comparison of the species obtained in this voyage with those of other parts of the world, has succeeded in advancing greatly our knowledge of the laws which govern the distribution of plants over the surface of the earth. In 1848 Dr. Hooker started on another expedition. He had investigated the plants of temperate and cold climates, and he could not rest till he had investigated those of tropical countries. His choice lay between the Andes and the Hima laya, and it fortunately fell upon the latter. His route lay through districts not under British superintendence : his adventures were numerous, and his position occasionally even dangerous, having been for some time kept prisoner by the presiding governor of a district in the Sikkim-Himalaya. He returned to England in 1852, and published his 'Himalayan Journals,' in 2 vols., constituting one of the
most readable contributions to scientific travelling that has been made during the present century. His Himalayan Journals' however give but an imperfect idea of his scientific labours. His large collections of plants, and the first volume of a large work entitled 'Flora Indica,' afford the best evidence of the industry. and intelligence displayed during his three years' peregrinations in the Sikkim and Nepal Hima layas. Some of his contributions to scientific botany are better known than his ' Flora Indica;' thus in 1851, long before he returned to this country, the public were surprised at receiving from his pen and pencil descriptions, with beautiful illustrations, of a large number of new species of Rhododendrons from the Sikkim-Himalaya. Many of these species have been since introduced, and are the glory of our annual exhibitions of Rhododendrons and their allied forms. In these travels Dr. Hooker received considerable assistance from the govern ment, but a large proportion of the expense was defrayed from his own private resources.
Previous to his travels in the Himalaya, Dr. Hooker held an appoint ment in the Museum of Economic Geology, and has contributed a most valuable paper to the eecond volume of the Transactions' of that institution. This paper was on a subject with which he was peculiarly fitted to deal, and was entitled the Vegetation of the Carboniferous Period, as compared with that of the present day.' On his return from the Himalaya, Dr. Hooker married the eldest daughter of the Rev. W. Henelow, Professor of Botany in the Univer sity of Cambridge. He is one of the examiners of the candidates for the East India medical service. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a member of the council of the Liunman Society.