By the death of Prof. Cope, of Philadelphia, which took place on April 12th, Biology in America has sustained its greatest loss since the decease of Agassiz, and as zoologist, as well as both geologist and palaeontologist, his life work demands recognition wherever zoology is a cultivated science and pursuit.
Prof. Cope was born in Philadelphia on July 28th, 1840, took his degree of Ph.D. at Heidelberg in 1864, and during the remainder of a busy life effected much for the ever-growing knowledge of both living and extinct animal life in his own land. He became successively Professor of Natural Science in Haverford College, a member of many of the well-known United States Geological Expeditions, Vertebrate Palæontologist to the Hayden Survey, Professor of Geology and Mineralogy at Pennsylvania University, and subsequently Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy. He was also a chief editor of our esteemed contemporary the 'American Naturalist,' and in 1895 President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
It is impossible here to fully refer to his zoological work, which lay among the vertebrata, and which has formed the subject of very many papers, and also the contents of several handsome volumes. These are sometimes somewhat overlooked by referring only to his philosophical opinions. It is not infrequent to see a popular zoological generaliser considered as possessing the technical knowledge of a zoologist, while as often a specialist who indulges in the philosophical discussion of his subject is looked upon chiefly as a man of views and theories. Prof. Cope combined both qualities. To a most exhaustive and accurate knowledge of his subject, both living and fossil, was added a power of drawing conclusions and advancing opinions which, while always displaying a great intellect, were frequently considered heretical by the holders and promulgators of different views and other theories on organic
