204 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Sir James Edward Smith, and not Dr. Latham, the Founder of the Lin- 



nean Society. 

 To the Editor of the Naturalist. 

 Sir, — I apprehend Dr. Latham was not the founder of the Linnean Society, 

 as stated at p. 56, but Sir James Edward Smith, M.D., who brought the Lin- 

 nean Cabinet from Sweden, although chased by a Swedish frigate ! 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



James C. Dale. 

 Glanvilles Wootton, Dorsetshire, 

 June 18, 1837. 



fAt the time we wrote our brief notice of Dr. Latham We were not certain 

 whether it was Dr. Latham or Sir James Smith who founded the Linnean 

 Society, and we trusted to the kindness of some correspondent to correct us if we 

 were in error. If our venerable friend was not the founder of the Society, he at 

 least took an active part in its formation ; and it may even be questioned whether 

 it would ever have existed but for this celebrated man. — Ed.] 



PROCEEDINGS OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



May 17. — The Rev. W. Whewell, Pres., in the chair. — The conclusion of a 

 paper, commenced on May 3, and entitled " A Description of the Geological 

 Character of the Coast of Norway," by Mr. Pearce Pratt, F.G.S., was read. 

 The paper is especially valuable, as it chiefly notes those circumstances which 

 have either been imperfectly or not at all known previously. We shall, therefore, 

 give a brief outline of the communication.— -The chalk cliffs on the coast between 

 Cape Antifer and Cape la Heve consist of chalk marl, and rest upon a bed of 

 green sand, 40 or 50 feet in thickness. Alternate with these are argillaceous beds, 

 ferruginous deposits, indicating the presence of the Gault and Hastings sand. 

 These lie upon argillaceous limestone, separated into* thin strata by layers of clay, 

 the uppermost of which contain Gryphma vingula, Ostrea deltoidea, &c, which 

 represent the Kimmeridge clay. In consequence of a fault, bringing down the 

 argillaceous deposit termed Argile d' Honfleur to the level of the shore, it has 

 been supposed that this was equivalent to the Kimmeridge clay, as well as the 

 deposit on the northern shore of the Seine ; but it actually overlies the iron 

 sand. 



The Kimmeridge re-appears near Cricque Boeuf, and rests on a calcareous rock, 



