434« Geological Society, 



permit myself to regard it as a reward for the inadequate contri- 

 butions which I have hitherto been able to make to the history of 

 lost species ; and I pledge myself to lose no available time or oppor- 

 tunity which may be applied to further that branch of geological 

 science which has the extinct animals of this planet for its immediate 

 object. 



The following gentlemen were elected the Officers and Council 

 for the ensuing year. 



Pre5^c?e/^^.— Rev. William Whe well, M.A.F.R.S. Vice-Presidents. 

 —William Henry Fitton, M.D. F.R.S. & L.S.; Charles Lyell, Jun. 

 Esq. F.R.S. & L.S.; Roderick Impey Murchison, Esq. F.R.S. & L.S.; 

 Rev. Adam Sedgwick, F.R.S. & L.S. Secretaries. — Charles Dar- 

 win, Esq.; William John Hamilton, Esq. Foreign Secretary. — 

 H. T. De la Beche, Esq. F.R.S. & L.S. Treasurer.— iohn Taylor, 

 Esq. F.R.S. & L.S. Council— Rem^ Boase, M.D. F.R.S.; Rev. 

 William Buckland, D.D. F.R.S. L.S. ; Viscount Cole, M.P. D.C.L. 

 F.R.S.; Charles Giles Bridle Daubeny, M.D. F.R.S. L.S.; Sir P. 

 Grey Egerton, Bart. M.P. F.R.S.; G. B. Greenough, Esq. F.R.S. & 

 L.S.; Leonard Horner, Esq. F.R.S. L. & E.; Robert Hutton, Esq. 

 M.P. M.R.LA.; Sir Charles Lemon, Bart. M.P. F.R.S.; Marquis of 

 Northampton, F.R.S.; Richard Owen, Esq. F.R.S.; Sir Woodbine 

 Parish, K.C.H. F.R.S.; John Forbes Royle, M.D. F.R.S. & L.S.; 

 T. Weaver, Esq. F.R.S. M.R.LA. 



Address delivered by the Rev. William Whewell, M.A. F.R.S. 



President, 

 Gentlemen, 



You have heard in the Reports just read, statements which show 

 that the Society is in a state of healthy progress both in respect to 

 its numbers and its funds. The total number of Fellows of the So- 

 ciety, exclusive of Honorary and Foreign Members, at the close of 

 the year 1836, was 709. At the close of the last year it was 738, 

 the increase being 29, after deducting 18 Members deceased or re- 

 signed. 



A Part of the Transactions has recently been published, which is 

 worthy of its predecessors in the interest of its matter, and which is 

 not inferior to them in its appearance and illustrations. I believe it 

 will be found that improvements have been introduced, especially in 

 the colouring of the maps. 



Our collections have also gone on increasing, and have, as in pre- 

 vious years, derived great additional value from the labour and know- 

 ledge bestowed upon them by our excellent Curator. But your 

 Council has found itself compelled to attend to the great, and I may 

 say intolerable amount of labour which has fallen upon Mr. Lonsdale, 

 and certain alterations in the Society's arrangements, directed to the 

 object of remedying this evil, are now in progress or in contemplation. 

 When they are completed I shall have the satisfaction of announcing 

 them to the Society. 



The Council have awarded the Wollaston Medal, as you have al- 

 ready been informed, to Mr. Richard Owen, for his general services 



