12 REMINISCENCES OF 



" Geology of the Yorkshire Coast." Up to this time 

 my father's collection of fossils was practically un- 

 named, but the appearance of Phillips' book, in 

 which most of our specimens were figured, enabled 

 us to remedy this defect. Every evening was devoted 

 by us to accomplishing the work. This was my first 

 introduction to true scientific study. I had long 

 before accompanied my father on his geological 

 excursions, and about the same time we worked 

 together forming collections of the coleoptera and 

 lepidoptera of North-Eastern Yorkshire; but exact 

 scientific palaeontological nomenclature had not pre- 

 viously constituted any part of my study. We had 

 hitherto had nothing to guide us beyond the un- 

 scientific volume of Young and Bird on the " Geology 

 of the Yorkshire Coast." Phillips' accurate volume 

 initiated an entirely new order of things. Many a 

 time did I mourn over the publication of this book, 

 and the consequences immediately resulting from it. 

 Instead of indulging in the games and idleness to 

 which most lads are prone, my evenings throughout 

 a long winter were devoted to the detested labour of 

 naming these miserable stones. Such is the short- 

 sightedness of boyhood. Pursuing this uncongenial 

 work gave me in my thirteenth year a thorough 

 practical familiarity with the palaeontological trea- 

 sures of Eastern Yorkshire. This early acquisition 

 happily moulded the entire course of my future 

 life. 



One of the grandest figures that ever frequented 



