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320 OBITUAEY.
Gardeners Chronicle (Aug. 30). — Nepenthes stenophylla Mast.,
sp. n.— (Sept. 6). H. Frieud, ' Fungus on Herb Paris ' (fig. 45).
(Sept. 13). E. Bonavia, ' Fertilisation without Pollen.' —(Sept. 20).
Masdevallia fulvescens Eolfe, n. sp. (fig. 65).
Journal de Botanique (Aug. 1). — C. Sauvageau, ' Sur la feuille
des Hydrocliaridees marines.' . Hue, ' Lichens de Canisy et
des environs.'
Oesterr. Bat. Zeitschrift. (Sept.).— H. Zukal, ' Rjiii/loea hactro-
spora' (1 plate).—E. Heiuricher, ' Bluthen vom Symjdii/tum officinale
mit einer ausseren Nebenkrone.'— L. Simonkai, Trifolium perpusillum,
Sedum deserti-himgarici, spp. nn.
OBITUARY.
The name of Lydia Ernestine Becker is chiefly known in
connection with the "Women's Suffrage" movement, audit may
surprise some to find that she had any claim to notice in these
pages. But at one time of her life she paid much attention to
Botany, in which indeed she always retained her interest. She
was born in Cooper Street, Manchester, on February 24th, 1827.
When about eleven years old her family removed to Altham, near
Accrington, where the greater part of her life was spent, and where
her love for flowers developed. She gave lectures on Botany in
girls' schools, and in 1864 published under her initials a little
introductory book entitled ' Botany for Novices.' It was while at
Accrington that she was struck with the remarkable appearance of
some flowers of Lychnis diurna attacked by a parasitic fungus, and
on this she read a paper before the British Association in 1869, a
summary of which will be found in this Journal for that year,
p. 291.
Her political career need not be referred to here ; but it may be
noted that those who knew her bear warm testimony to the care
and afl'ection with which her domestic duties were discharged, and
to the womanliness of her character. Their testimony, indeed,
runs counter to the popular conception of the prominent advocate
of " Women's Sufirage." Sketches of her life and character wall
be found in the ' Women's Suffrage Journal ' for August last,—
periodical which she established more than twenty years ago and
has conducted throughout, and which ends with her life.
In June, Miss Becker went to Aix-les-Bains for the benefit of
her health. She derived much benefit from the change, and proceeded
to St. Gervais-les-Bains in July. Here, however, she
became worse ; she with difficulty proceeded to Geneva, and died
witliin a few hours of her arrival on the 18tli of July. She was
buried on the 21st in the cemetery of St. George, at Geneva. A
portrait of Miss Becker was painted five or six years ago by Miss
S. J. Dacre, which it is hoped may be secured for the National
Portrait Gallery.