JST. 34-35.] PAL^EONTOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 59 



' Mineral Conchology/ of which the first part appeared in June 

 1812, and was followed by other parts for over thirty years. The 

 portions of this work were brought out slowly and irregularly, 

 and rarely illustrated more than ten species at a time. During 

 the publication of this contribution to geological science, an asso- 

 ciation was formed (about the year 1836), called "The London 

 Clay Club," the members of which were enthusiastic collectors 

 of shells of the Tertiary deposits in the neighbourhood of the 

 Metropolis. At one of the meetings of the club, about the year 

 1845, the late Dr (then Mr) J. S. Bowerbank suggested that as 

 the ' Mineral Conchology/ at its then rate of issue, could not 

 possibly depict all the British fossils within a moderate period, 

 it would be well to have recourse to a new method. . . . The 

 idea was favourably received ; Mr Sowerby was asked to under- 

 take the copperplate engravings, and many geologists living in 

 different parts of the country were communicated with. In the 

 furtherance of this object Mr Bowerbank laboured with much 

 zeal and energy. 



It is also stated that at a meeting held at the 

 apartments of the Geological Society, Somerset House, 

 on March 23, 1847, with Sir Henry De la Beche in 

 the chair, it was resolved that a society should be con- 

 stituted, the object of which should be "to figure and 

 describe, as completely as possible, a stratigraphical 

 series of British fossils." A further light is thrown on 

 the foundation of the Palseontographical Society, from 

 a paragraph in the fascinating ' Memoir of Edward 

 Forbes,' l in which it appears that the reading of a 

 paper by Joseph Prestwich hastened the foundation of 

 a projected Tertiary Publishing Society. 



At a meeting of the Geological Society (February 3, 1847) a 

 discussion ensued upon a paper by Mr Prestwich on the " Ter- 

 tiaries of the London and Hampshire Basins." Forbes, in the 

 course of his speech, remarked with regret how much information 



1 By George Wilson, M.D., and Sir Archibald Geikie, p. 412. 



