Nov. 1 1, 1880] 



NATURE 



41 



and the Newer Tertiaries, or crags, in which a large pro- 

 portion of the forms belong to species still living in the 

 seas of some portion of the globe. Mr. Searles Wood 

 naturally chose the latter group for his study, and Mr. 

 Edwards the former. 



Upon the great task he had set before himself Mr. 

 Searles Wood appears to have entered with characteristic 

 energy, and in 1S47 the Pala;ontographical Society was 

 able to issue its first volume, which was entirely from the 

 pen of Mr. Wood, and consisted of a description of the Crag 

 Univalves, illustrated by twenty-one plates. In the years 

 1850, 1853, and 1855 Mr. Searles Wood was able to 

 publish the parts of his descriptions of the Crag Bivalves, 

 illustrated by thirty-one plates. 



It soon became evident however that Mr. Edwards had 

 taken upon his shoulders a lion's share of the work, and 

 his friend Mr. Wood, having completed his own task, had 

 to come to the aid of his fellow-student of the Tertiary 

 fauna. It was then agreed that Edwards should complete 

 his description of the Older Tertiary Univalves and that 

 Wood should take up the description of the Bivalves. 

 Between the years 1859 and 1877 Mr. Searles Wood 

 published his descriptions of the Eocene Bivalves, illus- 

 trated by twenty-seven plates. 



Additional discoveries of fossils having afforded 

 Mr. Wood fresh materials, a supplement to the "Crag 

 Mollusca " was published by him between the years 1871 

 and 1873. This work was illustrated by twelve plates, 

 and included a very valuable memoir on the strata from 

 which the fossils were obtained, written by his son, Mr. 

 Searles V. Wood, jun., and Mr. Harnicr of Norwich, who 

 have both done so much good work in unravelling the 

 complicated problems connected with the geology of East 

 Anglia. 



Nor did the zeal of Mr. Wood allow him to rest even 

 here; for in 1877, in spite of his advanced age, we find 

 him commencing a supplement to his own and Edwards's 

 work on the Eocene mollusca. 



In the year i860 the Geological Society recognised the 

 great services rendered to science by Mr. Searles Wood 

 by presenting him with the blue-riband of geology, the 

 Wollaston INIedal. Prof. Phillips, who, as president of 

 the year, handed the medal to Mr. Searles Wood, spoke 

 in terms of well-merited praise of the important works 

 which were the result of his patient, persevering, and 

 successful labours. 



Mr. Searles Wood and his friend Mr. Edwards were re- 

 markable examples of a type of scientific man which, happily 

 for u5,is far more common in this country than in any other. 

 They were both engaged in the legal profession, but found 

 time in their leisure hours to accomplish most excellent 

 and useful scientific work. In the volumes of the Palse- 

 ontographical Society the work of amateurs like Searles 

 Wood, Edwards, and Davidson appears side by side with 

 that of Richard Owen, Edward Forbes, and John Phillips. 

 The subscriptions of the members cover the cost of 

 engraving and printing, but all other charges are defrayed 

 by the authors, who expect and receive no kind of pay- 

 ment for their important labours. 



The valuable collection of Tertiary fossils made by 

 Edwards and Searles Wood have fortunately been secured 

 by the authorities of the British Museum for our National 

 Collection. They will in the New Natural History 

 Museum at South Kensington be more accessible for study 

 than at Bloomsbury, and as they contain great numbers 

 of type specimens, will be invaluable for purposes of 

 reference to both British and foreign palseontologists. 



Mr. Searles Wood, as Treasurer of the Palajonto- 

 graphical Society, took the heartiest interest in its success, 

 to which his own labours have to such a great extent 

 contributed. Those who had the pleasure of a personal 

 acquaintance with Mr. Searles Wood will ever remember 

 the kindly and genial manners by which he was distin- 

 guished. J. W. J. 



NOTES 



The following is tlie li-t of officers and council of the 

 Royal Society nominated for the year ensuing. The elec- 

 tion will take place as usual on St. Andrew's Day, 

 November 30 :— President — William Spottiswoode, M.A., 

 D.C.L., LL.D.; Treasurer— John Evans, D.C.L., LL.D.; 

 Secretaries — Prof. George Gabriel Stokes, M.A., D.C.L., 

 LL.D. J Prof. Thomas Henry Ilu.'dey, LL.D. ; p'oreign Secre- 

 tary — Prof. Alexander William Williamjon, Ph.D. ; other 

 members of the Council — William Henry Barlow, Pres. Inst. 

 C.E. ; Rev. Prof. Thomas George Eonney, M.A. ; George 

 Busk, F.L.S. ; Right Hon. Sir Richard Assheton Cross ; Edwin 

 Dmikin, V.P.R.A.S. ; Alexander John Ellis, B.A. ; Thomas 

 Archer Hirst, Ph.D; William Huggins, D.C.L., LL.D. ; Prof. 

 John Marshall, F.R.C.S. ; Prof. Daniel OUver, F.L.S. ; Prof. 

 Alfred Newton, M.A., Pres. C.P.S.; Prof. William Odling, 

 M.B., V.P.C.S.; Henry Tibbats Stainton, F.G.S. ; Sir James 

 Paget, D.C.L. ; Wilham Henry Perkin, Sec. C.S. ; Lient.- 

 General Richard Strachey, R.E., C.S.I. 



It is proposed to erect a monument to Spallanzani in Scan- 

 diano, where the distinguished naturalist was born in 1729. A 

 committee for the promotion of the scheme has been formed there, 

 and at Reggio and Modena. A monument in marble is contem- 

 plated, more or less splendid according to the sum provided, 

 and it will be inaugurated on August 21, 1SS5 (if circumstances 

 do not allow of an earlier inauguration). The committee mean- 

 while propose (if practicable) to publish a new and accurate 

 edition of the writings of Spallanzani, including some which 

 have not hitherto appeared. Contributions are hoped for not 

 only from Italians, but from foreigners generally among whom 

 the work and principles of Spallanzani are honoured. 



M. Leox Humblot, a well-known naiuralisie-voyagair, has 

 just returned to Paris from Madagascar with large and valuable 

 collections. Amongst the living specimens (destined for the 

 Menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes) are ts\o examples of the 

 aye-aye (Chiromys madagascariensis], which, M. Humblot main- 

 tains, it is now moi-e difficult to procure in Madagascar than in 

 Europe ; a pair of the rare carnivore Cryptoprocta ferox, and 

 specimens of several of the smaller lemuroids. M. Humblot 

 has also brought a valuable series of mammals and birds in skin 

 and a large collection of orchids. 



No naturalist who visits Florence should omit to inspect the 

 series of Italian vertebrates which has been brought together in 

 the Reale Istituto degli Studii superiori, by the 'exertions of 

 Prof. II. H. Giglioli. The collection embraces a series of 

 authenticated specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, batra- 

 chians, and fishes from every part of Italy and the adjoining 

 districts which belong essentially to the same fauna, arranged in 

 systematic order, and is far more complete than any other 

 Italian collection of the same sort. Prof. Giglioli is preparing 

 a catalogue of this collection as a basis for a new "Fauna 

 Italica." 



Ox the 1st inst. a very fine Naval and Marine Engineering 

 Exhibition was opened in the Corporation Galleries, Glasgow, 

 altogether probably the finest exhibition of the kind we have 

 had in this country. It is divided into five sections : — I. Naval 

 architecture, including war vessels, sailing ships, paddle and 

 screw steamers, yachts, dredges, and miscellaneous craft, boats 

 and life-boats ; (2) Marine engineering, including engines and 

 parts of engines, boilers and boiler appliances, &c. , governors ; 

 (3) Eiiuipment, including anchors, boat-lowering apparatus, 

 pumps and hydraulic machinery, steering-gear, telegraphs, wind- 

 lasse-;, &c., machines and tools; (4) Navigation and harbour 

 works ; (5) Miscellaneous. The first section is of special interest, 

 containing models of vessels of all ages and of all kinds, from 



