234 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



coal of Nova Scotia. This publication was followed, in 1864, by a 

 " Handbook of Scientific Agriculture." It was in 1864, moreover, that 

 Dr. Dawson made what may be considered as one of the most impor- 

 tant of his scientific discoveries that of Eozoon Canadense. Previ- 

 ous to this the rocks of the Laurentian age were looked upon as de- 

 void of animal remains, and called " Azoic." 



In 1865 Dr. Dawson, at the meeting of the British Association at 

 Birmingham, gave illustrations of his researches on the " Succession 

 of Palaeozoic Floras," the " Post-pliocene of Canada," and the " Struct- 

 ure of Eozoon." 



While in England, in 1870, Dr. Dawson lectured at the Royal In- 

 stitution. He also read a paper on the " Afiinities of Coal Plants " 

 before the Geological Society, and one on the " Devonian Flora " be- 

 fore the Royal Society. The same year his " Handbook of Canadian 

 Zoology" appeared, being followed in 1871 by a "Report on the Si- 

 lurian and Devonian Flora of Canada," and a " Report on the Geo- 

 logical Structure of Prince Edward Island." His studies of the De- 

 vonian plants were begun as early as 1858, and Gaspe, St. John's, and 

 Perry in Maine, were twice visited in order to collect material to aid 

 in their pursuance. 



His " Notes on the Post-pliocene of Canada " were published in 

 1873. From them we learn that the number of known species of Post- 

 pliocene fossils had been raised principally by his labors from about 

 thirty to over two hundred. We also find that Dr. Dawson is still 

 what he has always been, a stanch opponent to the theory of gen- 

 eral land glaciation. " The Story of the Earth and Man," issued last 

 yeai', was a republication of papers published in the Leisure Hour in 

 1871 and 1872. A report on the "Fossil Flora of the Lower Carbo- 

 niferous Coal Measures of Canada," and communications to the British 

 Geological Society on the probable Permian age of beds overlying 

 the coal-measures of Nova Scotia, and also occurring in Prince Ed- 

 ward Island, and on recent facts as to the mode of occurrence of 

 Eozoon in the Laurentian rocks, are still more recent labors. A 

 course of six lectures delivered in New York in the winter of 1874-'75 

 has been largely circulated both in America and England, under the 

 title "Science and the Bible;" and last fall there apjjeared in London 

 and New York a popular illustrated resume of the facts relating to 

 Eozoon and other ancient fossils, entitled " The Dawn of Life." At 

 the Detroit meeting of the American Association, Prof. Dawson, as 

 Vice-President of Section B, delivered an address in which he vigor- 

 ously combated the docti'ine of evolution. 



Dr. Dawson was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society of 

 London in 1854, and of the Royal Society in 1862. He is a Master of 

 Arts of Edinburgh, and Doctor of Laws of McGill ; and is an hon- 

 orary or corresponding member of many of the scientific societies on 

 both sides of the Atlantic. 



