150 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



feature in the past twenty-five 3-ears has been the iiicreasiug 

 acceptance of ' the Evolutionary ' as contrasted with the 

 uniformitarian view of Geological phenomena." 



Apparently no objection was made to this remark bj- the 

 Director of " the Natural History Department" of the British 

 Museum, I do not know exactly what views are held by our 

 distinguished townsman, Professor Johnson, the Astronomer, 

 or whether he would be inclined to concur in denouncing 

 " the Nebular theory " as Atheistical. Whether they agree or 

 not, perhaps we may hold their respective opinions of equal 

 value. 



Dr. Lankester's Paper was the increase of knowledge in 

 the several branches of Science during the past twenty-five 

 years. He alludes to the astounding properties of the New 

 Chemical Elements discovered, of radio-activity and radium, 

 of the five inert gaseous elements of Rayleigh and Ramsay, 

 helium of L,ockyer, X rays and Becquerel's discoveries in 

 France, of the Curies and the loss Science sustained by the 

 tragic death of the great Chemist, referring also to Professor 

 Rutherford, Montreal. He points out the great revival in 

 the oldest Science, Astronomy, since 1881, and Photography 

 is credited with the expansion. 



In Geology he states the oldest fossiliferous rocks known 

 to us are still far from the beginning of life. The boring 

 by Sollas, in Australia, of a coral reef 1114^ feet. The 

 recognition of Graptolites as indices of horizons in Palseczoic 

 beds. The ape-like skull found in Java in gravel of great 

 age, he pronounces to be human. That the limbs of 

 Vertebrates are correctly derived by Thatcher, Mivart and 

 Balfour in the lateral fins of fish-like ancestors. In Botany 

 the distinction between Phanerogams and Cryptogams was 

 broken down. 



