112 SoientifiG Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, the Reports of the 

 British Association, and various scientific periodicals. The terms 

 " terrestrial magnetism " and " earth currents " at once suggest the 

 reason why geologists are interested in his labours in that line. 

 The part played by magnetism as a geological agent is still very 

 imperfectly understood, but we have already some intimations of 

 it; this form of energy is mentioned by Dana among the causes 

 of events in the earth's geological progress, and as one the laws of 

 which the geologist cannot know too weU. Judging from ex- 

 perience we cannot doubt that increased knowledge will, in the 

 course of time, render the magnetical researches of Dr. Lloyd 

 available for the elucidation of various geological problems in a 

 way and to an extent that we cannot now divine. 



A third subject which largely occupied the thoughts and time 

 of Dr. Lloyd was that of Meteorology, which is perhaps still more 

 closely connected with geology than either of his two other 

 pursuits. Dr. Lloyd was one of the first scientific men who per- 

 ceived the importance of ocean currents :s heat carriers and effective 

 agents in modifying climates, and was a firm believer in the 

 view first put forward by Sir' John Herschel that, in order to 

 account for changes in geological climates, it would be found 

 necessary to take account of secular changes in sun-heat as well 

 as of local alterations in terrestrial conditions. Dr. Lloyd's 

 masterly discussion of the Meteorological Observations made in 

 Ireland, in 1850-1, by the Royal Irish Academy, marked an epoch 

 of decided advance in the treatment of meteorological data. 



In his Presidential Address to the British Association, at its 

 meeting in Dublin, in 1857, Dr. Lloyd did not fail to give to 

 geology its due share of notice. But, as we have seen, independently 

 of the fact of his direct interest in our science he was a powerful 

 and helpful ally thereof. In the two fields of researcli last men- 

 tioned he was dealing with cosmical forces which affect both 

 generally and locally the body of our globe. This is a region of 

 discovery into which geology is being ever more and more com- 

 pelled to extend her outlook, and she is thankful for all light 

 obtained from thence, not being able to work therein for herself. 

 But we must not forget the reflex action between geology and 

 other lines of investigation of nature, of which we have just had 

 an illustration in the matter of sun-heat, not to mention others 



