^6 PROCEEDINGIS OF THE 



work, and there has also been great scientific development in 

 morphology and physiology, we by no means neglect Natural 

 History, that more familiar study of plants and animals which is 

 to be carried on less in the herbarium, the museum, and the labora- 

 tory, than in the field, and only successfully by those who are born 

 with the true instinct of the naturalist. 



It is not too much to say that the retrospect in which we have 

 today indulged, imperfect though it be, has brought before us a 

 past rich in noble traditions of lofty aim and often of high achieve- 

 ment. May we not gather from such a past happy auguries for a 

 not less glorious future ? 



It was moved by Col. Sir Henry Collett, and seconded by 

 Dr. Eobert Braithwaite : " That the best thanks of the Society be 

 given to the President for his excellent Address, and that he be 

 requested to allow it to be printed and circulated among the 

 Pellows," which motion was carried unanimously. 



The Linnean Gold Medal of the Society was then formally awarded 

 by the President to Sir Geokge King,'K.C.I.E., F.E.S., F.L.S., in 

 recognition of his important services to Botanical Science, in the 

 following terms : — 



" Of the many duties attaching to the occupancy of this Chair, 

 there is none more honourable than the annual presentation of the 

 Linnean Medal. For this is one of the rare occasions when we, 

 breaking through our traditional reserve, permit ourselves to 

 express our admiration for the labours of some distinguished fellow- 

 worker in the field of biology, whilst his ears can still hear our 

 words and his heart can still be encouraged by our sympathy. But 

 to be the adequate mouthpiece of a great Society on such an occasion 

 is as difficult as it is honourable. 



" It is peculiarly grateful to me that it should fall to my lot, on 

 this the first occasion that I perform this duty, to present the 

 Medal to one who has achieved so much for the science in which I 

 am myself especially interested. In obedience to the regulation 

 which prescribes that the President, in presenting the Medal, shall 

 specify the grounds upon which it has been awarded, I may begin 

 by saying that Sir George King can count more than thirty years of 

 service in India ; that for most of these years he was Superin- 

 tendent of the Botanical Gardens at Calcutta ; and that for many 

 of them he was, as Director of the Botanical Survey, at the head of 

 the botanical work in that great dependency. It is, indeed, well 

 that such great botanical and economic interests should have been 

 entrusted for so long to the care of an official who combined in so 

 singular a manner administrative capacity with expert knowledge. 



" Striking as Sir George King's administrative achievements have 

 been, comprising as they do the regeneration of the Botanical 

 Gardens at Calcutta and the recoustitution of the quinine-industry, 



