IXXX PROCEEDLNGa OF THE 



the crystals. In carryiBg out Ms scheme, he analyzed the minerals, 

 the description of which was published in his father's ' British 

 Mineralogy ' and ' Exotic Mineralogy.' From 1823 to 1850 he con- 

 tributed papers, principally relating to fossil conchology, to the 

 'Philosophical Transactions,' the 'Zoological Journal,' and the 

 ' Transactions ' of the Linnean and Geological Societies. He named, 

 arranged, and described the fossil shells for Professor Sedgwick, Sir 

 Roderick Murchison, Dr. Bucklaad, Dr. Fitton, Mr. Dixon, and 

 Colonel Sykes, all of whom gratefully acknowledge the assistance 

 thus rendered them. In 1840 the " WoUaston Fund " was awarded 

 to him by the Geological Society, to facilitate the prosecution of his 

 researches in mineral conchology. The prize was presented by Dr. 

 Buckland, who took the opportunity of paying a graceful tribute to 

 the merits of father and son as accurate and enthusiastic observers of 

 nature. He observed that the modern " rapid advance in geological 

 knowledge arising from the introduction of the evidences of mineral 

 conchology was largely due to the publications of the Sowerbys." 



In 1846 Mr. Sowerby was appointed Curator and Librarian to 

 the Geological Society. These offices he was soon obliged to resign 

 owing to the increasing demands made upon his time as Secretary 

 to the Royal Botanic Society. This Society, with which his name 

 has been identified from its institution in 1839, was founded by his 

 cousin, Mr. Philip Barnes, F.L.S., who naturally sought the aid of 

 one whose scientific reputation and connexions were so well calcu- 

 lated to promote the success of his project. Mr. Sowerby's name 

 is associated with that of his cousin, the Earl of Albemarle, Colonel 

 Rushbrooke, and others, in the first charter granted to the Society. 

 In this office much of his time was necessarily absorbed in adminis- 

 trative labour, so that he found little leisure to continue his scientific 

 pursuits. But still the infiuence of the secretary was always steadily 

 exerted to promote the scientific utility of the gardens. 



A year or two before his death Mr. Sowerby retired from his office 

 on a moderate pension, and he died on the 26th of August, 1871, 

 at the age of eighty-four. He was elected a Fellow of this Society 

 on the 18th of February, 1823. 



Thomas Hawkes Tanner, M.D., was the son of a former Secretary 

 of the Army Medical Board. He was born in London, and educated 

 at the Charter House, where he sustained an accident which caused 

 a slight permanent lameness, and rendered his health somewhat 

 delicate. In 1843 he entered the medical school of King's College, 

 and in 1847 became M.R.C.S. and took the degree of M.D. at St. 



