Geological Society of London. 183 



In presenting the Murchison Medal to Mr. William Talbot Aveline, 

 r.G.8., the President addressed him as follows : — Mr. Aveline, — 



The Council have this year awarded to you the Murchison Medal, together with a 

 sum of Ten Guineas, in recognition of the importance of your work as a geological 

 surveyor. Nearly half a century has elapsed since your first communication to this 

 Society, in conjunction with the late Sir Andrew Ramsay, on the structure of 

 portions of Wales. Later on, we find you engaged in mapping and describing some 

 of the Mesozoic Rocks of Central England, and it is now rather more than thirty 

 years since you commenced your work on the Permian and Carboniferous of 

 Nottinghamshire and Drrbyshire. Still more recently you were engaged, as district 

 surveyor, on the borders of the Lake Country, being associated with Prof. Hughes, 

 Mr. Tiddemnn, and other well-known geologists. That your supervision of the work 

 then progressing has yielded excellent results in relation to the survey of that difficult 

 region is a matter of notoriety. 



Although it is some time since you retired from active employment I feel sure that 

 you will be gratified to find that the record of former years is not overlooked by a 

 generation of geologists who recognize the value of the work in which you had so 

 large a share. 



Mr. Aveline, in reply, said : — Mr. President, — 



It is with feelings of great gratification I receive this Medal, founded by my 

 former chief. Sir Roderick Murchison, whose friendship and kindness I experienced 

 during the time he was Director- General of the Geological Survey, and in whose 

 company I made some very pleasant geological explorations. 



I am very much pleased to think that my work on the Geological Survey has been 

 appreciated by the Council of this Society, and that they should have thought me 

 worthy of receiving this Medal. 



Mr. President, I cannot let this opportunity pass without spying a word as to 

 another Director- General of the Geological Survey, the distinguished successor of 

 Sir Roderick Murchison - Sir Andrew Ramsay, who for over forty years was a 

 sincere friend of mine, and to whom I owe so much for his ready assistance and 

 advice when he was Director of the Geological Survey ; we have together worked 

 out many a knotty pomt in the geology of Wales and elsewhere, tramping together 

 many a mile of mountain and valley. I am sure, if he were living now, he would 

 have rejoiced at the honour this day conferred on me. 



i must add that among the most pleasing results of receiving this Medal are the 

 kind congratulations which I have received from my old colleagues. 



The President then handed the Balance of the Proceeds of the 

 Murchison Geological Fund to Mr. George Barrow, F.G.S., addressing 

 him as follows : — Mr. Barrow, — 



The Balance of the Proceeds of the Murchison Geological Fund has been awarded 

 to you by the Council as a testimony of the value of your geological work both in 

 Yorkshire and in Scotland. As regards the former district, I would draw especial 

 attention to your description of the geology of North Cleveland. Since your transfer 

 to the Survey of the South-East Highlnnds you have evinced a remarkable aptitude 

 lor petrological studies, whilst your recent paper in the " Quarterly Journal" on 

 the Muscovite-biotite-Gniess of Glen Clova bids fair to rank high in that category. 

 The Council hope that this mark of appreciation may not only aid but encourage 

 you to further research in the same direction. 



Mr. Barrow replied in the following words : — Mr. President, — 



I beg to thank the Council for the unexpected honour that they have done me in 

 conferring this Award. In receiving it at your hands, Sir, pleasant memories are 

 revived of my early geological days in East Yorkshire, when your writings weie of 

 much assistance to me. In those happy times we had no difficulty in deciding 

 which way up the succession lay. But now, in working on the Highland Series it is 

 often difiicult, if not impossible, to decide this very elementary point, and any kindly 

 encouragement in such work is most welcome. It is the more welcome as in this 

 case it is a recognition that my efforts so far are not entirely without value. 



In handing the Lyell Medal (awarded to Prof. John Milne, 



