184 Reports and Proceedings — 



of the College of Surgeons, to whom I was well known, and where I often went 

 as a student, would not give me up ; and this proof of the Society's favour just 

 received shows that he was not altogether mistaken. 



In my younger days, when I resided in London, I was a regular attendant at the 

 meetings of this Society, then held in Somerset House, where I was a humble but 

 (I hope) not inattentive listener to the papers read and the discussions which 

 followed, and I recall with pleasure the many intellectual combats between the 

 geological giants of those days. I regret that distance from London and the 

 higher duties of my profession prevent my attending our meetings so often as I 

 could wish ; but though now a septuagenarian, I am thankful to say that I can 

 still hammer the rocks, and that my zeal and love for the noble science we all love 

 so well has not abated ; but I fear I shall not be able to do much more to elucidate 

 their history, though, if younger, this Medal would encourage me to make still 

 further efforts ; and my chief regret is that, for reasons stated, I have not been able 

 to do more to deserve the honour which the Society has kindly conferred upon me. 

 I can only hope that the Society will pardon me for saying so much about myself. 



In handing the Balance of the Proceeds of the Murchison Geo- 

 logical Fund to Dr. Henry Woodward, F.E.S., for transmission to Mr. 

 Eobert Kidston, F.G-.S., the President said : — 



Dr. Woodward, — The balance of the Murchison Fund has been awarded by the 

 Council of the Geological Society to Mr. Kidston, to aid him in his important in- 

 vestigations among the fossil plants of the Palseozoic period. Mr. Kidston's great 

 knowledge of the extensive literature and the complicated synonymy of these forms 

 is borne witness to by the valuable catalogue which he has prepared under your 

 superintendence, and which was issued only a few months ago by the Trustees of 

 the British Museum ; a large number of remarkable memoirs have also shown his 

 capacity for dealing with this difficult and intricate subject. In seeking to extend 

 our knowledge of the earliest forms of plant-life, Mr. Kidston seems determined to 

 leave no museum unvisited and no stone unturned, if perchance it should be found 

 to exhibit any traces of an ancient vegetation. I will ask you to convey to Mr. 

 Kidston, with this award, the hope of the Council that it may be of some assist- 

 ance to him in enabling him to prosecute his researches. 



Dr. Woodward, in reply, said : — Mr. President, — It is with much pleasure that 

 I am permitted to act as Mr. Kidston's representative here this day, and to receive 

 for him, at your hands, the award of the Murchison Donation Fund. I am sure 

 Mr. Kidston would, had it been possible, have been present in person to receive the 

 award. He writes as follows : — " I desire to express my thanks to the President 

 and Council of the Geological Society for the honour they have conferred upon me 

 in acknowledging my labours in Fossil Botany, an honour which I beg to assure 

 them I fully appreciate ; it is one which will act as a stimulus in my future investi- 

 gations in Vegetable Palaeontology. My aim has always been most carefully to 

 work out our Palaeozoic flora, and in this spirit I hope to continue my labours, 

 trusting that the results may be of use to others." 



The President then handed the Lyell Medal to Prof. T. G. Bonney, 

 D.Sc, F.R.S., for transmission to Mr. Samuel Allport, F.G.S., and 

 addressed him as follows : — 



Prof. Bonney, — It is to me an especially gratifying circumstance that it falls to 

 my lot to deliver into your hands for transmission to Mr. Allport the Lyell Medal 

 for the present year. Mr. Allport commenced the microscopical study of rocks at 

 a time when the workers in that department of science were comparatively few, 

 and when the road he had to travel was encumbered with difficulties and stumbling- 

 blocks which have now been, to a large extent, removed by the labours of many 

 earnest and patient workers. It was at that time my good fortune to know him, 

 and to have frequent opportunities of admiring the perseverance and energy with 

 which he carried on his researches. You have yourself from this chair paid a warm 

 and well-merited tribute to the generosity with which, at that time, he was always 

 ready to assist his fellow-workers. The establishment of one very important prin- 

 ciple will always be associated with Mr. Allport's labours, namely, that the apparent 

 differences between the igneous rocks of widely different geological periods are, to 



