speciality is a necessary — lor altlioiigli every geolo.^ist sliuulJ be 

 fairly up in the general principles and features of all the rocks that 

 compose our earth's surface, yet few of us can ever hope to reach 

 the general perfect knowledge of a Lyell or a Mantell — but each 

 in liis department can carefully and thoroughly work out that 

 formation in which circumstances have placed him ; and even 

 should he not succeed in becoming an authority in his department, 

 the very humblest observer, if he observe with care and caution, is 

 contributing to the more solid foundation of existing knowledge, 

 and adding his mite to the ever increasing train of diticovery. 



It is the duty of the retiring President to chronicle the events of 

 the past year in the proceedings of the Club, more particularly with 

 regard to the excursions. With your permission, then, I intend in 

 my address, first, to touch briefly upon the affairs of the Club, and 

 second, to give a short outline of the geological events and dis- 

 coveries that have taken place in the past year in the Palaeozoic 

 formations. First then, the state of the Club ; upon which, as 

 regards the number of Members and the commercial state of affairs, 

 we may congratulate ourselves and our Secretaries, though I fear 

 they have often more troi;ble than they should have in obtaining the 

 current subscriptions. But while congratulating ourselves on our 

 full lists, we have to deplore a vacancy which will be long ere it is 

 filled up. Death has robbed us of one of our Members — one, 

 whose knowledge of science and contributions to geological discovery 

 not only reflected honour on the Club of which he was so pro- 

 minent a ]\Iember, but also on the whole body of English geologists. 

 As a geologist, Ave are all aware how honourably the name of the 

 Eev. T. T. Lewis was associated with the early labours in the 

 Silurian strata, and of the important value attached to his discoveries 

 by the greatest authorities of the day. As long as geology endures, 

 the name of the Aymestry limestone will ever bring back to mem- 

 ory the loss of our friend and late President, who was beloved and 

 respected by all, as much for his private virtues, as for his scientific 

 attainments. 



