224 Beviews — The Geological Society of Glasgoio. 



which the fossils of the district were described, and most of thera so 

 well illustrated that the species can be easily identified ; John Craig, 

 a practical geologist and mineral surveyor, who conducted classes 

 and gave lectures on geology ; and Dr. John Scouler, for some years 

 Professor of Mineralogy to the Royal Society of Dublin, and afterwards 

 President of the Glasgow Geological Society from 1859 to 1862, whose 

 name is associated with a species of Eurypterus. 



The chapter on the Origin and Early History of the Society is 

 reprinted from a paper by Mr. T. M. Barr (1883). It appears that 

 as early as 1840 there was in existence a Glasgow Geological Society, 

 of which no particulars can be obtained, further than the mention of 

 it on a handbill announcing two lectures by Mr. John Craig on the 

 geology and mineral resources of the west of Scotland. In 1850 

 a society under the same name was established by members of 

 Mr. Craig's class, when he was chosen as president, and James Smith, 

 of Jordan Hill, consented to be Honorary President. This society, 

 however, ceased to exist early in the following year. 



The present Society was founded at a meeting held in May, 1858 ; 

 it was started by William Kirkland, Hugh Reid, Thomas M. Barr, 

 and George M. Barr, students keenly interested in geology, and at the 

 first meeting they were supported by Edward A. Wiinsch, who was 

 then elected Yice-President and was an active supporter until 1881, 

 when he went to reside in Cornwall. Among those who joined at an 

 early date were James Thomson and the Rev. H. W. Crosskey. 



Various excursions were made during 1858, one to Arran, under the 

 guidance of Dr. James Bryce, another to the Campsie District, under 

 John Young, afterwards Assistant Keeper of the Hunterian Museum 

 at Glasgow. 



James P. Eraser, F.R.S.E., was chosen as the first President in 

 October ; but it was not until 1860 that the rules and a complete list 

 of members (178 in number) were printed, and in the same year 

 a lecture on "The Geology of the Campsie District", delivered by 

 John Young in 1858, formed the first paper issued by the Society in 

 the form of ' Transactions '. 



In the course of 1859 lectures by David Page, James Bryce, 

 Dr. Scouler, and others served to fester an interest in geology. 



The Society soon became firmly established, and during its first ten 

 years it was joined by James Smith of Jordan Hill, Dugald Bell, 

 David Robertson, D. C. Glen, Robert Craig, James Croll, James 

 Armstrong, Professor John Young, and Sir Archibald Geikie (as an 

 Honorary Member). Dr. Robert Slimon, whose name is perpetuated 

 in the genus Slimonia, was elected a corresponding member. In later 

 years Sir William Thomson was chosen President and served for 

 twenty-one years (1872-93), towards the end of which period he 

 became President of the Royal Society, and was created Baron Kelvin. 



An important section of the volume is the review of the fifty years' 

 work comprised in the Transactions of the Society. It is divided into 

 five chapters. That on Physical and Dynamical Geology is by 

 Professor J. W. Gregory, who points out the large field of study open 

 to Glasgow Geologists, their province extending from the Southern 

 Uplands of Gil'van and Moffat to the North-West Highlands, and to 



