58 The Irish Naturalist. June, 



It is a relief in these days of narrow specialisation to 

 review the life-work of a man of such refreshingly wide 

 and varied interests. In addition to his petrological work 

 he effectively dealt in turn with such varied subjects as 

 glacial geology, mineralog^^ and palaeontology. His contri- 

 butions to the latter include papers on Hemitrypa hihernica ; 

 the Fenestellidae of the Carboniferous, Oldhamia and other 

 organic remains from the enigmatical Bray Series ; Belinurius 

 kiltorkensis and an Irish Cretaceous Cirripede. In association 

 with O. H. Little he made some interesting determinations 

 of the mineral condition of the calcium carbonate in fossil 

 shells, and pointed out that, whereas the more recent 

 fossils are mainly preserved as arragonite, those from the 

 older formations are invariably calcite. 



We have recently re-read some of Cole's scientific papers 

 and addresses with the object of evaluating his contribution 

 to the advancement of science. We are struck anew^ by 

 one of his outstanding characteristics — the generous 

 acknowiedgment of the work of others. He had an amazing 

 knowledge of the literature of his subject, and his meticulous 

 care that no previous contribution should escape notice 

 w^as sometimes carried to such an extent as even to 

 obscure his owtq line of thought. This quality of appreciation 

 he carried also into his daily relations with others, and 

 it was ahvays possible for those who worked under him 

 to gain his sympathetic co-operation in any scheme which 

 promised results of scientific value. 



Cole travelled widely and acquired an extensive 

 knowiedge of European geology. His reputation spread 

 far beyond the country of his adoption and was recognised 

 in various w^ays. In 1909 he was aw^arded the Murchison 

 Medal bv the Geological Societv of London in recoernition 

 of his petrological studies on the glassy igneous rocks and 

 his work on the metamorphic rocks of Northern Ireland. 

 He was. President of the Geological Section of the British 

 Association at Manchester in 191 5, and in his opening 

 address he took an original line in pointing out that 

 mountain-building processes were subject to sudden and 

 catastrophic culmination at certain periods of the world's 

 history-. Many of his conclusions and suggestions fore- 



