52 LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LOKDOIf. 



Linnean Society to the award of the Linnean Medal. I have 

 the great satisfaction of announcing that as a botanist the Council 

 have unanimously selected Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker for the 

 one Medal, and as a zoologist, with the same unanimity, Sir 

 Eichard Owen for the other Medal." (Proceedings, 1887-88, 

 pp. 80-81.) 



A list of the later recipients is to be found in the official ' List' 

 of the Society, following the enumeration of the Associates. 



A memorandum drawn up by Prof. J. 'W. Trail, P.E.S., on a 

 proposed Pimd for research on Protoplasm, accompanying a gift 

 of ilOO for its foundation, was considered in Council 1st April, 

 1909, and after being reviewed iu detail, the following is the 

 constitution of the Trail Award and Medal. Prof. Trail's 

 memorandum is as follows : — 



1. The object in view is to encourage study that throws 



light upon the substance known to us as Protoplasm, 

 or on Avhat may iu the progress of knowledge be 

 regarded in a corresponding w^j as the phj'sical basis of 

 life. To me it appears that a wide interpretation should 

 be given to the scope of such a study, and that under 

 it should be included direct experimental research into 

 the properties and responses of Protoplasm, healthy or 

 pathological, including galls, and also the indirect 

 evidence afforded by many branches of the , biological 

 sciences, including classification, and certain branches of 

 the study of mankind. The interpretation or decision 

 of the studies most helpful at any period must be left to 

 the governing body at the time. 



2. The method of encouraging such research that has occurred 



to me as perhaps the best at present is by the award, at 

 intervals of five or ten years, of a medal, or other 

 recognition of noteworthy researches carried out or 

 published during the interval since the previous award; 

 but with power to make no aAvard if there have been no 

 researches carried out that appear worthy of i-ecognition. 

 A\Aards should not be limited by nationality or in any 

 other May than by merit. 



3. The decision as to giving awards or withholding them, on 



the merits, must rest with the awarding body, whose 

 decision must be final. There should be no feeling that it 

 is necessary to make an award if there is doubt as to the 

 merit of the researches under consideration for any of 

 the periods. 



4. If an award should not be made the question might arise 



whether the sum then available should be added to the 



