180 Reports & Proceedings — Geological Society of London. 



He has made imporfcant contributions to the history of the Algonkian 

 formations, and his discoveries lead us to hope that the less altered of those 

 ancient sediments may ultimately yield more abundant and definite relics 

 of pre-Cambrian life. His detection of fish-remains in the Ordovician rocks 

 of Colorado, again, carried back by a stage the earliest appearance of 

 vertebrates in the succession of life-forms. But it is in the Cambrian 

 strata that Dr. Walcott has found chief scope for his labours, which, 

 pursued principally upon the American continent, have often had a world- 

 wide importance. Realizing the dual part which the exponent of 

 Palaeontology is called upon to sustain, he has illuminated that science 

 alike in its geological and in its biological aspect. Under the former head 

 should be mentioned the determination and collation of the stratigraphical 

 sequence in numerous districts, and the light thrown thereby upon the 

 problems of Palseophysiography. In particular, Dr. Walcott's study of 

 the geographical distribution of the Cambrian faunas, establishing the 

 existence of two distinct provinces, marked a signal advance in this field. 

 On the biological side his work has been no less fruitful in results. It is 

 sufficient to recall the series of memoirs dealing with the Trilobites, in 

 which he greatly elucidated the organization of that important group, and 

 again his two handsome volumes on the Cambrian Brachiopoda. 



In recent years, with energy which a younger man might envy, he has 

 pushed his researches into the Pvocky Mountains of Canada, amidst scenery 

 which his beautiful photographs have made known to many. There he has 

 been rewarded by the bringing to light of two richly fossiliferous horizons 

 in the Middle Cambrian succession, including in one an assemblage of 

 fossils marvellous for the perfect preservation of their detailed structure. 

 The preliminary account of the discovery has aroused keen interest, and 

 palaeontologists eagerly await the full description by a master hand of this 

 unique collection. 



If by his official status, joined with his personal record, Dr. Walcott is 

 in some sense representative of American geology, with its large oppor- 

 tunities so ardently embraced, the occasion may remind us that community 

 of scientific interests is pei'haps not least among the links which unite your 

 country to ours. I have much pleasure. Sir, in placing this Medal in j'our 

 hands for transmission to its recipient, and trust that his future career may 

 include achievements no less brilliant than those which we commemorate 

 to-day. 



Mr. Buckler replied in the following words: — 



Mr. President, — Mr. Page greatly regrets that a long-standing engage- 

 ment prevents him from receiving this Medal in person. He has asked me 

 to convey to you Dr. Walcott's deep appreciation of the honour awarded 

 by your Society and to assure you that this feeling is shared by our fellow- 

 countrymen. Let me thank you, not only for this high distinction con- 

 ferred upon American Geology in the person of one of its leading 

 representatives, but also for the wishes which you have expressed, and in 

 which all Americans will heartily join, for Dr. Walcott's future labours. 



As a former President of the Baltimore Society of the Archaeological 

 Institute of America, I may mention that Dr. Walcott presides over the 

 Washington Society of that Institute, a fact reminding us that his wide 

 interests include Archaeology, the younger sister of Palaeontology. 



In these times and on such an occasion one cannot but recall — as you, 

 Sir, have said — the community in scientific, as in literary and political, 

 activity which exists between the English-speaking peoples on both sides 

 of the Atlantic. It is significant that of the two American Institutions in 

 which Dr. Walcott has served as Secretary, the Smithsonian was founded 

 by an Englishman, the Carnegie by a Scotsman. The partnership in arms, 

 which now as never before unites our peoples, cannot fail in the coming 

 years to strengthen and to extend that scientific comradeship of which your 

 tribute to Dr. Walcott is a signal recognition. 



