288 Miscellaneous. 



Geological Survey of England. 



Mr. E. T. Newton, F.R.S., F.G.S., of the Jermyn Street Museum, 

 retired from the office of ' Palfeontologist ' to the Geological Survey- 

 on May 4th, carrying with him the regret and esteem of a large 

 number of friends and colleagues with whom he has served for 

 forty years. 



Dr. F. L. Kitchin, M.A., F.G.S., assistant palgeontologist in the 

 Museum, has been appointed to succeed him. 



Geological Survey of Ireland. 



The Geological Survey of Great Britain and Ireland, — 

 The Irish Branch of the Geological Survey has been transferred 

 to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for 

 Ireland, and placed under the immediate direction of Professor 

 G. A. J. Cole. 



The Geological Survey in Ii-eland was begun at about as early 

 a date as that in England. Indeed, at the commencement of the 

 Trigonometrical Survey, Colonel Colby expressed his opinion that 

 the work " should be considered a foundation for Statistical, 

 Antiquarian, and Geological Surveys." About the year 1832 

 Captain (afterwards General) J. E. Portlock undertook the formation 

 of a geological department, and in 1837, by Colonel Colby's desire, 

 he formed at Belfast "a museum for geological and zoological 

 specimens, and a laboratory for the examination of soils." From 

 that date the Geological Survey became an organized branch of 

 the Trigonometrical Survey under the Master-General and Board 

 of Ordnance. In 1840 the Belfast Museum was broken up, and 

 everything connected with the geological department was moved to 

 Dublin.^ About four years later the Geological Surveys were placed 

 under the Office of Woods and Forests, and Sir H. T. De la Beche 

 then became Director-General of the Geological Survey of the 

 United Kingdom. The first Local Director for Ireland was Captain 

 (afterwards Colonel Sir Henry) James ; he was shortly succeeded 

 by Dr. Thomas Oldham, who held office until 1850, when Professor 

 J. B. Jukes ^ and after him Professor E. Hull filled the post of 

 Director. Meanwhile in 1854 the Geological Survey was transferred 

 to the Science and Art Department, which in recent years has been 

 merged in the Board of Education. 



' Preface to Portlock's Eeport on the Geology of Londonderry, etc., 1843. 

 * See Address by Jukes, "On Her Majesty's Geological Survey," delivered at 

 the Museum of Irish Industry, 1866 ; Svo ; Dublin, 1867. 



