268 



progress in after-years, he laboured wisely and well in the rich field 

 of special discovery : now collecting and describing the mighty rep- 

 tiles like Plesiosaurus and Iguanodon, or the flying wonder the 

 Pterodactylus ; at another time studying the beaks of Chimaera, the 

 wings of Neuroptera, the ink-bags of Sepiadse ; now questioning the 

 great English Botanist on the reticulated stems of Cycadeoideae, and 

 fathoming the mind of Owen on the little Marsupialia of Stonesfield, 

 or inviting the eagle glance of Cuvier on the serrated teeth of Me- 

 galosaurus Bucklandi. 



So passed the life of this man, strong in mind and strong in body ; 

 working hard and setting others to work ; gathering and giving 

 knowledge; a patient student, a powerful teacher, a friendly asso- 

 ciate ; a valiant soldier for Geology in days when she was weak, an 

 honoured leader in her hour of triumph. 



Perhaps of all the varied marks of respect which were heaped upon 

 him by the learned societies in all parts of the world, none yielded him 

 higher gratification than that which threw a ray of splendour over 

 his latest appearance at the meetings of the Geological Society. For 

 there, in February 1848, he received from the hands of Sir H. T. 

 De la Beche, with very appropriate expressions, the Wollaston Medal, 

 which is the highest mark of honour known in Geological Science 

 an honour which would, doubtless, long before have been paid to 

 him, but for the frequency of his election to office in that Society*. 

 In the reply of Dr. Buckland to the Address of the President, we find 

 expressions such as could only be uttered by a geologist convinced of 

 the grand destiny of his science, and conscious of his own right to be 

 remembered among the authors of " discoveries whose names are in- 

 scribed on the annals of the physical history of the globe." And 

 these are followed by words which embody a humble confession of 

 the comparative littleness and incompleteness of all human know- 

 ledge words too prophetic of the approaching close of his own 

 valuable and honourable career, for within two short years that 

 apparently indefatigable mind ceased from its labours, and only the 

 form of Buckland survived till the 15th of August, 1856. 



DR. WILLIAM FREDERICK CHAMBERS died of paralysis in De- 

 cember 1855, aged G9 years. Prior to his retirement from active 

 * He was President for the second time in 1840-1841. 



