PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



from d\vellinf]f upon them. But I must refer to your numerous 

 expositions of tlu' structure and affinities of particular species, to 

 your pliilosophic interpretation of the vertebrate skeleton, and to 

 the marvellous exposition and restoration of extinct animals from 

 their fraj^mentary remains preserved to us. Tou have given to 

 ancient continents tlieir former inhabitants — South America with 

 its sloths and armadilloes, South Africa with its turtles, Australia 

 with its giant marsupials, and New Zealand with its huge moas 

 — so that they stand before us almost as vividly as their living 

 representatives. Tifty years ago the Greological Society recog- 

 nized your services to Pakeoutology by bestowing on you the 

 highest honour in their gift— the AVollaston Medal. Now, after 

 half a century's further work, towards the close of an active and 

 honoured life, this Society presents to you their Linneau Medal. 

 " It is a special gratification to me that, after a long friendship 

 and a close official fellowship with you in the British Museum, 

 and with grateful memories of benefits derived from your intro- 

 ductory works in my student-days, that I now hand to you this 

 Medal." 



Sir Kichard Owen, with some emotion, suitably acknowledged 

 his appreciation of the award of the Linneau Medal. 



The President then presented the Linneau Medal to Sir Joseph 

 TJ. Hooker, addressing him as follows : — 



" It is with siucere gratification that I place in your hands 

 this Linneau Medal, which has been awarded to you by the 

 Council of the Society in recognition of your distinguished ser- 

 vices to Botany. 



" There was, happily, no difficulty in determining what botanist 

 should be the recipient of this first Medal. Your numerous 

 labours in all departments of botanical science are known not only 

 to the Pellows of this Society but to the whole world. 



" The botanical explorations to which you devoted some of the 

 earlier years of your life supplied materials for the important 

 Floras of New Zealand and Tasmania and the islands of the 

 Southern Ocean visited by you. By the examination and philo- 

 sophic exposition of remarkable plants or special groups, mainly 

 published in the Transactions of our Society, you have greatly 

 advanced botanical science ; let me mention only your memoirs 

 on Welwitschia,BalanophoyecB, and Myzodendron. Your investi- 

 gations into the strncture and affinities of fossil plants were of 

 such value that every pakeontologit^t regrets they are so few. In 

 fellowship with our late distinguished President, you have given 

 us a ' Genera Plant arum ' whicli is universally accepted as the ex- 

 pression of long and faithful work, of extensive knowledge, and 

 of philosophic appreciation and interpretation of the position aud 



