Reports and Proceedings—The Geologists’ Association. 571 
note that the specimens submitted to him belong to a species of 
Annularia, probably A. longifolia, Brough, abundant in the British 
Coal-measures, and found both on the Continent and in North 
America. 
GroLoaists’ AssocraTrion. 
\HE first ordinary meeting of the session was held on Friday evening, 
5th November, when the usual anniversary address was read. The 
President (Professor T. Rupert Jones, F.R.S.) took for his subject 
“The Origin and Progress of the Geologists’ Association.” A pro- 
posal for the formation of an Association of Amateur Geologists was 
started in the “Geologist” of August, 1858; and, although the 
writer of the first letter never came forward, yet the subject was 
taken up by others, notably by Mr. G.S. Penson, in the October 
number of the “ Geologist,” p. 449, and by Mr. J. E. Wakefield and 
the late Mr. E. Cresy (of the Metropolitan Board of Works), among 
their friends and others interested in the scheme of studying 
geology by mutual help and on an economical plan. Mr. George 
Potter, Mr. J. Toulmin Smith, Mr. J. Slade, Mr. J. E. Saunders, the 
Rev. T. Wiltshire, and Mr. F. J. Furnivall, were especially enthusi- 
astic in the project, and among the early founders of the Society. 
After some preliminary meetings at Highgate, at 2, Upper Wellington 
Street, and at 45, Great Ormond Street, and the issue of a pro- 
spectus, the first ordinary meeting of the Association was held at 
St. Martin’s Hall on Jan. 11, 1859. Mr. Toulmin Smith, the first 
President, resigning in February, was succeeded by the Rev. T. Wilt- 
shire, who, with Mr. J. E. Wakefield as honorary secretary, and with 
164 members in the first year, most successfully carried on the young 
society with the aims of its founders. The object in view was to 
facilitate the study of geology and its allied sciences among asso- 
ciated amateurs, by the reading of papers, the delivery of lectures, 
the formation of a library and a cabinet of typical fossils, the prac- 
tice of field-lectures or excursions, and the publishing of proceedings. 
On each of these branches Professors Rupert Jones made some 
observations, as to the cultivation they had received, and the fruit 
they had borne. He noticed also some subsidiary points of interest 
in the constitution and administration of the Society. The periodical 
meetings for the reading and discussion of papers, for the interchange 
of thought and information by word-of-mouth, and for the exchange 
of specimens, were important in the existence and well-being of the 
Association ; and, except as regards the exchange of specimens, they 
had been well attended to. The character of the papers, not always 
devoted to new matter, but often résumés and explanations of known 
facts and observations, was dealt upon; and good results had been 
and were to be obtained among amateur geologists and students by 
the reading and publication of such papers. The failure of the 
“ exchange,” and the disappearance of the collection of fossils, were 
treated of, and the former in a modified form was recommended for 
consideration. An earnest plea for more books was advanced. The 
Excursions and visits to Museums are well known to have been 
