] Mar. 6, 1873] 
of this great distinction. I cannot presume to think that the 
humble contributions I have been enabled to make to geological 
knowledge (and indeed to but a limited branch of it) can have 
been weighed in the balance against the labours of many others 
on both sides of the Atlantic, whose lives have been devoted to 
geological research, but who have not yet attained the distinc- 
tion awarded to me to-day. In comparison with these my 
claims are quite insignificant. I must therefore look elsewhere 
to discem the motive which has influenced the Council 
in selecting my name on the present occasion in pre- 
ference to others whose scientific claims are far greater than 
my own, and I think I am right in assigning it to a desire 
on their part to recognise, encourage, and occasionally 
reward the labours of those who although their lot in life 
has been cast in a sphere entailing many paramount duties 
which ought not to be neglected, nevertheless devote their 
- leisure time to the promotion of scientific research rather than 
waste it in frivolous and unproductive amusements. In this 
_ sense I interpret the mind of the Council in awarding me this 
medal, and in this sense, as also as a stimulus and incentive to 
persevere in the cause of that science in which I take so deep an 
interest, and from the study of which I have derived so much 
intellectual enjoyment, I can, without arrogance, most gratefully 
accept it. May I be permitted to add, that if anything could 
enhance the feelings of gratification I experience in receiving 
this, the J/ue ribbon of geology, it is that it is presented by a 
President who, although occupying the highest social rank, and 
called by our gracious Sovereign to fill the highest offices of 
State, entailing most onerous duties and grave responsibilities, 
has nevertheless devoted himself to the study of scientific pro- 
blems, and has inscribed for himself a name on the tablets of 
scientific literature, indelible so long as the Reign of Law shall 
continue to exist.” 
The President then presented the balance of the proceeds of 
the Wollaston Donation-Fund to Mr. J. W. Judd, F.G.S., and 
addressed him as follows :—‘‘ Mr. Judd,—I have much pleasure 
in delivering to you the award of the Council of this Society in 
- recognition of your valuable researches in the Neocomian and 
Jurassic rocks of England, researches which you are now extend- 
ing with such marked success to the Secondary and Paleozoic 
rocks of Scotland. I rejoice to know that you are to carry to 
an investigation of the West coast of Scotland the experience 
and knowledge you have shown in your recent account of the 
Secondary rocks of the East coast. The scattered and broken 
_ remains of the Oolites in the Hebrides constitute a most inte- 
resting field of investigation ; and a detailed examination of them 
conducted by you cannot fail to cast important light on many 
geological problems of the highest interest to our science.” 
Mr. Judd made the following reply :—‘‘ My Lord President,— 
_ The recollection of an occasion like the present may well be 
cherished by a student of science as an incentive to exertion 
second only to the enthusiasm of research itself. Having learned 
to look to this Society, and never in vain, for the encouragement 
_ of sympathy and the guidance of criticism, it is with especial 
gratification that I receive this mark of confidence at the hands 
of my teachers and fellow-workers. When I think of the origin 
and traditions of this bequest—the objects contemplated by its 
illustrious founder, the distinguished geologists who have been 
its former recipients, and the important researches to which it 
has been made contributory—I am deeply impressed by the trust 
_ which you have reposedin me. It is my hope that by earnest. 
Jabour I may be able to testify that my feelings of gratitude are 
_ not evanescent, nor my sense of responsibility light, in connec- 
tion with the great honour which you have this day done me.” 
The President then presented the Murchison Medal to Mr. 
William Davies, of the British Museum, and addressed him as 
follows :—‘‘ Mr. Davies,—I have much pleasure in delivering 
to you the Murchison Medal, which has been awarded to you by 
_ the Council of this Society in recognition of the services you 
_haye rendered to Palzontology, in the skill and knowledge you 
have displayed in the reconstruction of extinct forms of life. I 
have the more pleasure in giving this medal, as I believe you 
_will have the greater pleasure in receiving it, from the fact that 
it is the first award made under and in fulfilment of the will of 
_ the great geologist and excellent man whose loss we have all 
had so lately to deplore. I trust it may long serve to stimulate 
others to such services as you have rendered, and which have 
appeared to the Council of this Society to make you a worthy 
recipient of the First Murchison Medal.” 
_ Mr. Davies in reply said :—‘‘My Lord Duke, I desire to 
NATURE 
355 
return my most sincere thanks to your Grace as President, and 
to the Council of this Society, for the honour they have con- 
ferred upon me in awarding me the Murchison medal. It is 
extremely gratifying to find that the humble services I have 
rendered to Palzontological science have been so kindly appre- 
ciated and deemed worthy of this high recognition. The pleasure 
is greatly enhanced by the fact that I have never considered my 
scientific work of sufficient importance to deserve any recog- 
nition—the acquisition of scientific knowledge and the happiness 
of communicating it to others having, in my own case, been its 
own reward. I shall now feel it to be my duty as well as my 
ambition to render myself more worthy of the distinction you 
have this day conferred upon me—one which has also an especial 
significance to a-servant of that great National Institution for 
which Sir Roderick Murchison so long and beneficially acted as 
a Trustee.” 
The President then delivered to Prof. Ansted, F.R.S., For. 
Sec., for transmission to Prof. Oswald Heer, of Ziirich, the 
balance of the Murchison Fund, and spoke as follows :—‘‘Mr, 
Secretary,—The labours of Prof. Heer in fossil botany and ento« 
mology have this year been recognised by this Council in the 
vote of the Murchison Fund. No branch of Palzontology 
requires more minute research, more careful comparison, 
more circumspect conclusions—and there are none, I may 
add, which, when so conducted, are richer in suggestions 
on the history of geological change. The fragmentary 
character which generally belongs to terrestrial and especially 
to botanical remains, places the study of them under special 
difficulties, difficulties which have been met with special skill by 
Prof. Heer. The remains of the Miocene flora are connected 
with some of the most perplexing problems of-our science, and 
the light which has been thrown upon them by Prof. Heer more 
than deserves the recognition which I have now the pleasure of 
delivering into your hands for trnnsmission to that distinguished 
man. This is the second mark of recognition which this Society 
has given to Prof. Heer, the Wollaston Donation Fund having 
been voted to him in 1862.” 
Prof. Ansted having suggested that Sir Charles Lyell, as a 
particular friend of Prof. Heer’s, might very appropriately speak 
in his name, Sir Charles Lyell in reply referred briefly to the 
nature of Prof. Heer’s work, and said that he was sure that 
gentleman would appreciate highly this renewed expression of the 
interest taken by the Geolozical Society in his pursuits. Sir 
Charles Lyell remarked further, that he was particularly gratified 
that this award had been made at the present time, as Prof. 
Heer was well advanced in years and in an exceedingly infirm 
state of health, so that perhaps another opportunity of showing 
him respect and sympathy might not occur. 
The President then read his Anniversary Address, in which 
he discussed the phenomena of denudation, referring especially 
to the influence of subterranean and other movements of the 
crust of the earth upon the denudation of its surface, and dis- 
puting the greatness of the denuding effects of glacial action. 
The Address was prefaced by biographical notices of deceased 
Fellows, including Prof. Sedgwick, Dr. Kelaart, Mr. Augustus 
Smith, Mr. N. Beardmore, and Prof. Pictet—The Ballot for 
the Council and Officers was taken, and the following were duly 
elected for the ensuing year :—President : the Duke of Argyll, 
K.T., F.R.S.; Vice-Presidents: Prof. P. Martin Duncan, 
F.R.S. ; R. A. C. Godwin-Austen, F.R.S. ; Joseph Prestwich, 
F.R.S.; Prof. A. C. Ramsay, LL.D., F.R.S. Secretaries : 
John Evans, F.R.S.; David Forbes, F.R.S. Foreign Secre- 
tary: Warington W. Smyth, F.R.S, Treasurer: J. Gwyn 
Jeffreys, F.R.S. Council: Prof. D. T. Ansted, F.R.S.; the 
Duke of Argyll; W. Carruthers, F.R.S. ; Prof. P. M. Duncan, 
F.R.S. ; Sir. P. de M. G. Egerton, Bart., M.P., F.R.S.; R. 
Etheridge, F.R.S. ; J. Evans, F.R.S.; J. Wickham Flower ; 
D. Forbes, F.R.S.; Capt. Douglas Galton C.B., F.R.S. 
R. A. C. Godwin-Austen, F.R.S. ; J. Whitaker Hulke, F.R.S. 
J. Gwyn Jeffreys, F.R.S. ; Sic Charles Lyell, Bart., F.R.S. 
C. J. A. Meyer; J. Carrick Moore, F.R.S.; J. Prestwich, 
F.R.S.; Prof. A. C. Ramsay, F.R.S.; R. H. Scott, F.R.S. ; 
W. W. Smyth, F.R.S.; Prof. J. Tennant, F.C.S.; W. 
Whitaker ; Rev. T. Wiltshire, M.A., F.L.S. 
wee ewe 
Meteorological Society, Feb. 19.—Dr.J.W.Tripe, president, 
in the chair. The following papers were read:—‘‘A de- 
scription of an electrical self-registering Anemometer and 
rain-gauge,” by the Rev. F. W. Stow, M.A. The general 
principle on which the registering apparatus is constructed is 
