142 Obituary. 



sonian Institution, which acquired a fresh life under his auspices, and 

 continued to prosper under his presidency. He was the founder of 

 its Natural History Museum. The very complete collection of Scotch 

 coins attached to the museum was formed and presented by Mr. Smith. 

 His first geological paper, entitled, " An indication of Changes in 

 the relative Levels of Sea and Land in the West of Scotland," was 

 read to the G-eological Society of London on November 16th, 1836. 

 This was followed by a series of papers on the same subject, read 

 before the Geological and Wernerian Societies. His last paper to 

 the Geological Society was read in February, 1862. These have now 

 been published in a collected form, entitled, " Eesearches in Newer 

 Pliocene Geology." Glasgow, 1862. The importance of Mr. Smith's 

 original researches can hardly be over-estimated by geologists of the 

 present day, evincing, as they do, not only changes in the relative level 

 of land and sea, but also great climatal changes, as indicated by the 

 remains of various organisms now extinct within the British seas, 

 and which he was the first to point out as occurring in these raised 

 beds, and as being of an Arctic character. Sir Charles Lyell, Mr. 

 Geikie, and other recent writers on these deposits, all acknowledge 

 the very great importance of Mr. Smith's observations in this de- 

 partment of geology, which, as Mr. Geikie truly states, were destined 

 ultimately to cast much light on the complex history of the superficial 

 accumulations of the country. The importance of these and subse- 

 quent researches have entitled Mr. Smith to be considered by many 

 as the father of Post-pliocene geolog5^ Mr. Smith resided for several 

 years' in the south of Europe, and published papers on the geology of 

 Madeira, on the tertiary formations of Lisbon, and on the structure 

 of the rock of Gibraltar. 



Among the services rendered by Mr. Smith to the cause of 

 scientific inquiry and research, special mention is due to his labours 

 in the field of Scriptxu-e criticism and interpretation, which are 

 connected with this period of his life, as it is in this department that 

 he has acquired his most extensive, and what will probably be 

 his most lasting reputation. In an essay on the " Sources of St. 

 Luke's Writings," he gave evidence of an acute and scholarly cast of 

 mind — though, from the difficult and somewhat speculative nature of 

 the subject, different opinions will doubtless be entertained respect- 

 ing the particular view advocated in the essay, and the measure 

 of success with which the investigation is conducted. But in regard 

 to another and more laborious line of inquiry — that relating to 

 the voyage and shipwreck of St. Paul — there can scarcely be said to 

 be any difference of opinion among competent judges, and theologians 

 of high name and of various countries have united in their com- 

 mendation of the eminent ability and skill displayed by Mr. Smith 

 in his treatment of the subject. Mr. Smith was a member of the 

 Geological Society of France, and was the President of the Geologi- 

 cal and Archaeological Societies of Glasgow — .J.Y. 



EoBERT Dick, of Thurso, though a hard-working man all his life, 

 had such an irrepressible love for natural history, and so employed 



