182 Reports & Proceedings — Geological Society of London. 



of your visit to Bohemia, where you had been commissioned by the University 

 of Cambridge to investigate the ' Cambrian ' and Silurian sequences, with 

 special reference to the boundary between them. In carrying this work to 

 a successful issue, you were not only able to institute a comparison of the 

 Bohemian and British developments, but incidentally to show that there 

 existed serious objections to the acceptance of Barrande's 'colonies', both on 

 palseontological and on stratigraphical grounds. Extending your investigations 

 to Scandinavia, you proved that Sedgwick's classification was applicable in that 

 country also, and that the principal stratigraphical and physical break occurred 

 at the base of the equivalents of our May Hill Beds. 



Your ripe experience of the Lower Palaeozoic rocks was then turned to 

 account in South Wales, where, in collaboration with the late T. Eoberts, you 

 undertook the task of subdividing the groups which had been outlined by the 

 early surveyors. Your success in carrying out this programme may be judged 

 when I say that during the recent re-examination of the district by the 

 Geological Survey all the subdivisions made by you and your colleague in 1885 

 were adopted, and will be utilized in the forthcoming maps and memoirs. 



Eeturning later to the scene of your earliest labours, with the late 

 H. A. Nicholson as your colleague, you completed further palseontological 

 zoning in the Stockdale Shales, and proved by precise field-work that an 

 appearance of unconformity between the lowest zone and the Ashgill Shales 

 was defective and due to strike -faulting. 



In 1891, with Dr. A. Harker, you made a detailed study of the effects 

 produced by the intrusion of the Shap Granite upon the surrounding rocks. 

 Your familiarity with the Lake District strata, combined with the petro- 

 graphical skill of your colleague, enabled you jointly to produce a classic 

 account of the phenomena of contact-nietamorphism, as exhibited in calcareous 

 and siliceous sediments and in igneous rocks. 



Of late years physiographical problems have engaged your attention, and as 

 a result of your observations on mountain-lakes it may be expected that 

 a wiser caution will be exercised than heretofore in identifying rock-basins as 

 such and in postulating glacial erosion for tarns. 



But it is not only this long record of original research, of necessity incom- 

 pletely outlined, which the CouncU have had in mind in making this award. 

 They remember that since 1880 you have been continuously engaged at your 

 old University in assisting the Woodwardian Professor to create the foremost 

 school of geology in Britain. The influence of your teaching in the lecture- 

 room, in the field, and as conveyed by your textbooks has extended farther 

 than perhaps you yourself realize. A happy combination of the power to make 

 original research with a facility for imparting your knowledge has enabled you 

 to exercise a profound influence on the growth of our science. 



It is, therefore, with great satisfaction that I hand to you, on behalf of the 

 Council, the highest honour which it is in their power to bestow — the 

 WoUaston Medal. 



Dr. MaiT, in reply, said : — 



Mr. President, — I feel that the award of this Medal is due to a combination 

 of a number of favourable circumstances. 



I have been fortunate in having worked and published papers in conjunction 

 with many geologists, including T. Boberts, Nicholson, Harker, Garwood, and 

 Fearnsides. Two of them have, alas ! passed away, and one of the gi'eat 

 griefs of my life was the loss of that ardent geologist and genial companion, 

 AUeyne Nicholson. 



My long association with this Society as Officer and Member of Council has 

 brought me into contact for many years with men from whom I could learn the 

 results of the recent discoveries in our science. 



I regard this award as made not only to myself but to the Cambridge School 

 of Geology, and in speaking of this school would first bear tribute to the 

 advantage of the teaching which I received in my undergraduate days from 

 Professor Hughes and Professor Bonney. During the seventies a number of 



