326 Geological Society. 
baffled the skill of comparative anatomists, are in fact the upper 
and lower jaws of extinct species of Chimera, a rare genus of 
living fish. These fossils had been found by Sir P. Egerton in the 
Kimmeridge clay, by Mr. Townsend in the Portland stone, and by 
Mr. Mantell in the chalk. They belong to four distinct species, 
of which the characters are given by Mr. Agassiz. The scientific 
world is indebted to the splendid museum of comparative ana- 
tomy at Leyden for the opportunities enjoyed by Dr. Buckland 
of comparing the skeleton of the recent Chimera with the fossils 
alluded to. 
Mr. Agassiz has described two very singular genera of fossil fish 
from the lias, one of which has been known under the name of 
Squalo-raia from Lyme Regis; the other from Whitby, called Gy- 
rostris mirabilis, probably the largest known fish. 
Hitherto the new red sandstone in Great Britain had been desti- 
tute of all organic remains, but some distinct impressions of fish of 
the genus Paleoniscus, 4g., have now been observed in this for- 
mation near Dungannon in Ireland. The geological position of these 
has been pointed out by Mr. Murchison, and a slab of sandstone 
presented to the Society by Mr. Greer exhibits on a single surface 
only two feet square, impressions of about 250 fishes. 
I have already had occasion to allude more than once to the 
name of Agassiz, on whom the Council have this day conferred the 
Wollaston Medal. I may say with pleasure, that in his second 
visit to England, as in that of the preceding year, he has given an 
impulse to the study of fossil remains in various departments which 
will long be felt in this country. It is not merely sound knowledge 
which he has freely communicated to all who have enjoyed his so- 
ciety, but what is even of more lasting profit, a generous enthusiasm 
for the study of every department of natural history and particularly 
of fossils. The great work on which he is now engaged yields not 
in importance to any that has ever been undertaken for the illustra- 
tion of organic remains, and the progress which he has already made 
at so early an age, holds out the most encouraging prospects of his 
future success. 
When we consider the strong ties of affinity which unite together 
all animals of the vertebrate classes, and reflect that man himself, 
viewed in reference to his organization, belongs to this great divi- 
sion of the animal kingdom, we cannot but feel the highest interest 
in tracing the remains of the vertebrate animals through geological 
formations of every age, from the newest to the most ancient. Ina 
small part of Europe alone more than 800 species of ichthyolites 
have already been determined. They are distributed through strata 
of all epochs; no less than 54 species have already been discovered 
in the carboniferous rocks, and five or six have been met with in 
the still older Silurian formations. 
The museums of Great Britain alone have afforded to Mr. Agassiz 
no less than 300 new species of ichthyolites, 50 of which have been 
added since our last anniversary. He had previously pointed out 
as a general law that particular generic types are strictly confined 
