294 Botanical Society of London, 



denced by slight modifications of the bony structure of the hind- 

 feet, appear to me to be not the least original and interesting. 



Wholly incapable, as I am, to do justice to this masterly inquiry 

 by the necessarily brief allusion which is imposed upon me by the 

 nature of this discourse, I shall best execute my task in quoting 

 the words with which Professor Owen sums up his reasoning. 



" On the Newtonian rule, therefore, this theory has the best claim 

 to acceptance ; it is, moreover, strictly in accordance with, as it has 

 been suggested by, the ascertained anatomy of the very remarkable 

 extinct animals, whose business in a former world it professes to 

 explain. And the results of the foregoing examination, comparisons 

 and reasonings on the fossils proposed to be described, may be 

 summed up as follows. All the characteristics which exist in the 

 skeleton of the Mylodon and Megatherium, conduce and concur to 

 the production of the forces requisite for uprooting and prostrating 

 trees ; of which characteristics, if any one were wanting, the effect 

 could not be produced: this, therefore, and no other mode of 

 obtaining food, is the condition of the sum of such character- 

 istics, and of the concourse of so great forces in one and the samd 

 animal." 



This, Gentlemen, is the true Cuvierian style, in which, as in num- 

 berless parts of his works, Professor Owen has continued to breathe 

 out the very spirit of the founder of palaeontological science. 



It is by such labours that geology is steadily gaining a higher 

 place among the sciences. Comparative anatomy has truly been 

 our steadiest auxiliary, and well may we do honour to those 

 who impart to us such truthful records ; for, whilst the histories of 

 the earlier beings of our own race are shrouded in obscurity, whilst 

 the first chronicles of ancient Rome and Greece are now admitted 

 to be exaggerated, and often even fabulous, we turn back the leaves 

 of far more antique lore; and, not trusting to perishing inscriptions, 

 mutilated by successive conquerors, and assuming a hundred meanings 

 under the eyes of doubting antiquaries, we appeal only to the proofs 

 in nature's book, and find that their reading is pregnant with evidences 

 which must be true, because they are founded on unerring general laws. 



In concluding this Address, I can assure you. Gentlemen, that, 

 although not prepared without some labour, its composition has af- 

 forded me both gratification and instruction. Had I not felt a 

 strong obligation to fulfil my duty, I should necessarily have been 

 absorbed in the preparation of the work upon Russia to which I 

 have alluded, and could not therefore have been imbued with an 

 adequate sense of the vast progress which our science has recently 

 made in all quarters of the globe. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 

 Sept. 1, 1843.— J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. &c., President, in the Chair. 



Dr. Wood of Cork presented a specimen of Neottia gemmipara, 

 found in Ireland. 



Dr. Thomas Taylor presented the following sp6cies of Junger- 



