Dr. H. F. Gadow, F.R.S.

Abstract

DR. HANS FRIEDRICH GADOW died suddenly on May 16, aged seventy-three years. He was born in Pomerania, the eldest son of the Inspector of the Prussian Royal Forests. He was a Wend, by birth, and he was deeply interested in the languages and aspirations of all the peoples of East Prussia. He was being trained for a commission during the Franco-German war. Afterwards he was educated at Frankfurt, Berlin, Jena, and Heidelberg, and he regarded himself as a pupil both of Haeckel and of Gegenbaur. For the former he edited “The Last Link,” and he suggested his striking and picturesque comparison of past evolution with the spectrum. In his morphological work he always remained a pupil of Gegenbaur, who suggested his employment by the British Museum in 1880. Here he remained until 1882, when he was appointed Strickland curator of birds at Cambridge, in 1884 becoming lecturer on the advanced morphology of vertebrates as well; he also became naturalised. He remained in these same posts until 1920, when his lectureship was changed into a readership. During all these years he was responsible for the advanced teaching in the comparative anatomy of vertebrates at Cambridge, but on becoming reader he undertook at his own desire for some years the elementary teaching as well. He also lectured at times on the history of zoology and on geographical distribution. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1892.