BEAL, William James, botanist, born in Adrian, Mich., 11 March 1833. He was graduated at, the University of Michigan in 1859, and at Lawrence scientific school in 1865 with the degree of B.S. From 1860 till 18(;3 he taught in the Friends' academy and in the Howland school in Union Springs. During 1869-'70 he was professor of natural sciences in Chicago University, and in 1870 he became professor of botany in the State agricultural College of Michigan and lectured on forestry and horticulture. Professor Beal is a member of numerous societies, and was vice-president of the section on biology of the American association for the advancement of science in 1883; he was also president of the Michigan state teachers' association in 1881, and of the Society for the promotion of agricultural science in 1880 and 1881. He has contributed numerous original papers to the "American Naturalist," "American Journal of Sciences," and to the reports of the State board of agriculture, State horticultural society, and American pomological society. He is the author of "The New Botany" (Philadelphia, 1881), and "The Grasses of North America" (Lansing, 1886 et seq.).