LAMONT, Johann von (1805-1879), was born at Braemar, Aberdeenshire, on December 13, 1805. He was sent at the age of twelve to be educated at the Scottish monastery in Ratisbon, and apparently never afterwards returned to his native country,—so that he became to all intents and purposes a German. After passing through the gymnasium and lyceum, he devoted himself to theology; but his strong bent for scientific studies was recognized by the head of the monastery, P. Deasson, and on his recommendation he was admitted to the then new observatory of Bogenhausen (near Munich), where he worked under Söldener, latterly as his assistant. After the death of his chief in 1835 he was, on Schumacher’s recommendation, (Steinheil, supported by Bessel, also competing for the office), appointed to succeed him as conservator of the observatory. In 1852 he became professor of astronomy at the university of Munich. He held both these posts till his death, which took place on the 6th August 1879. Though by no means a man of commanding genius, Lamont occupied a very important place among the scientific men of his day. As evidence of the universal respect in which he was held, it may be mentioned that he was a member of the Academies of Brussels, Upsala, and Prague, of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, and of many other learned corporations. His work bore for the most part on astronomy and magnetism. Among his contributions to the former may be noted his great star catalogue, and his determination of the mass of Uranus from observations of its satellites (Mem. Astron. Soc., 1838). His Handbuch des Erdmagnetismus (Berlin, 1849) is a standard work on the subject....