MISS GULIELMA LISTER

Obituary NoticesFungus and allied diseases of crops 1925, 1926 and 1927 (1929). Misc. Pub!. Bd Agric.

Fish., Lond., no. 70., Dry pickling' or 'dusting' seed wheat to prevent bunt: resul ts of co-operative trials by

advisory mycologists in England and Wales 1927-28 (1930). J. Minist. Agric., 37,429. (With W. C. Moore.)

A watery wound rot of the potato (1930) . J. Minist. Agric. 37, 335. (With A. Smith.)England and Wales: new and interesting ph ytopathological records for the year 1931

(1932). Int. Bull. Pl. Prot. 6, 2 1.

A suspected virus disease of zonal Pelargonium (1932). Gdnrs' Chron. 92, 378. (With K. M.Smith.)

Fungus and other diseases of crops, 1928-1932. Bull. Min. Agric. Fish., no. 79. (WithW. C. Moore and A. Smith.)

Potato diseases (1934). J. Minist. Agric.4 1 , 125.Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) rust (1934)' J. Minist. Agric. 41 , 336.Marsh spot in pea seeds (1934) . J. Minist. Agric. 41 , 833.Marsh spot in pea seeds: is it a deficiency disease? (1936). J. Minist. Agric. 43, 55.History and connotation of the term ' Blattrollkrankheit' (leaf roll disease) as applied to

certain potato diseases (1939). Phytopath. Z. 12, 283.The Potato blight yesterday and today (1940). Polytech. Rep. (R. Cornwall Polytech. Soc·),9, 48.

MISS GULIELMA LISTER

With the passing of Miss G. Lister, Mycology has lost yet another of itsoutstanding workers, and the Society an old and much-loved friend.

Gulielma Lister was born on 28 October 1860, in the family house atLeytonstone, where she died on 18 May 1949. She came of a Quaker familydistinguished for its learning and artistic ability. Her grandfather, ]. J.Lister, F.R.S., was an eminent physicist and microscopist, and one of heruncles was Lord Lister, the famous surgeon. Her father, Arthur Lister,F.R.S., by trade a wine-merchant, was a keen all-round naturalist anda good draughtsman who eventually was attracted to the study of theMycetozoa, and in 1894 published a monograph which became thestandard work on the group. Her mother was a good amateur artist, whohad studied under David Cox, so that the scientific and artistic abilities ofthe children were derived from both sides.

Gulielma, one of seven children, was educated at home, except for oneyear at Bedford College, and became the constant companion of her fatherin his studies of natural history. In the preface to his work on the MycetozoaMr Lister stated that throughout his studies and in the preparation of thedrawings he had been assisted by his daughter. After his death in 1908 MissLister was responsible for the second (19 I I) and third (1926) editions ofthis standard monograph, in which through her generosity many of theillustrations were reproduced in colour. She became the world authority onthe group and received material from all quarters of the globe.

Miss Lister joined the British Mycological Society in 1903 as one of thefirst 100 Foundation Members, and throughout her life did much to helpthe Society. Until a few years before the last war she was a regularattendant at forays, and with a few enthusiastic helpers always staged a goodshow of her beloved' creepies'. She was twice President, in 19 I 2 and 1932,and in 1924 was made an Honorary Member in recognition of her servicesto Science and to the Society. From the time the Council was establishedMiss Lister's quiet influence was of the greatest value in the conduct of theaffairs of the Society.

166 Transactions British Mycological Society

She was closely associated with the activities of the Essex Field Club and,until just before the war, was a regular attendant at its fungus forays. Shewas also greatly interested in the School Nature Study Union, and from1918 to 1934 guided its Executive, first as Vice-Chairman and then asChairman. She was elected to the Linnean Society in 1904 when fellowshipwas opened to women, and was twice a member of the Council, from 19 I 5to 1917 and again from 1927 to 1931. From 1929 to 1931 she was a Vice­President.

In addition to being the authority on the Mycetozoa Miss Lister, likeher father, was a good general naturalist. With Miss Hibbert-Ware shestudied especially bird-life, and on fungus forays usually carried with hera small telescope with which to observe any interesting birds. Her artisticability was manifested not only in the illustrations to the MycetozoaMonograph but also in the figures for the Handbook of the Coniferae byDallimore and Jackson, and the beautiful coloured plates in F.J. Hanbury'sIllustrated Monograph of the British Hieracia.

Miss Lister's work was characterized by painstaking, accurate methodsof observation and recording. She possessed in the highest degree thequalifications of the true scientist, an unbiased mind to search after truth,and readiness both to learn and to teach. To many a younger student heroccasional quiet criticism and sound advice must have been a stimulus.When she was no longer able to take an active part in the affairs of theSociety she was greatly missed. We pay tribute to a long and useful life.

E.M.W.

PROFESSOR SIR ROWLAND H. BIFFEN

Sir Rowland Biffen, President of the British Mycological Society in 1905 andagain in 1930, died at his home in Cambridge on r zjuly 1949, aged 75. Bornat Cheltenham, he received his early education at the local grammar school.From his father he acquired an abiding interest in field botany, learning hisplants as a boy by long excursions into the Cotswold country. He enteredEmmanuel College, Cambridge, with an exhibition in 1893, was electeda scholar in 1894, and graduated in 1896 with first classes in both parts ofthe Natural Sciences Tripos. Thereupon he was appointed Frank Smartstudent in botany at Gonville and Caius College and devoted himself toresearch in mycology, although this was interrupted by a visit withMr E. Howard to Mexico, Brazil, Trinidad and Mexico in order to studymethods of preparing rubber from latex-bearing trees. He spent a con­siderable time in Amazonia especially on the river Tocantins, and the north­eastern part of Brazil. He always retained a vivid recollection of thesewanderings. As a result of his investigations he invented a centrifugalprocess for the coagulation of raw latex.

In 1898 he was awarded a research studentship at Emmanuel Collegeand was also appointed university demonstrator in botany by Prof.Marshall Ward. He made contact with Dr C. B. Plowright of King's Lynnand used to hunt for fungi with him in the woods around Brandon. In theearly days of the British Mycological Society, Biffen often attended theautumn forays. During the period when mycology was his principal