186 Reports and Proceedings — The Geological Congress. 

 BBPOBTS J^IXJD IPIROCZEIEIDIIISrG-S. 



I. — The International Geological Congress, Paris, 1878. 



THE International Congress of Geologists held in Paris during the 

 month of September last seems not to have attracted the amount 

 of attention in England that it deserved ; the proceedings of the 

 Congress were by no means devoid of interest, and, indeed, were of 

 some considerable importance, inasmuch as several very valuable 

 papers were read and discussed ; attention was also directed to cer- 

 tain lines of geological inquiry now urgently requiring the earnest 

 study and consideration of all geologists. 



On the whole, the Conference was very successful, and arrange- 

 ments were made for holding such gatherings triennially, a great 

 number of the members present pledging themselves to work at 

 certain questions and to present reports embodying the results of 

 their labours at the next Conference, which it was decided should be 

 held at Bologna in October, 1881. 



The small amount of notice which the Congress here attracted 

 was probably mainly due to the fact that it took place almost imme- 

 diately after the meeting of the British Association, and at a time 

 when many other gatherings of a somewhat similar nature were 

 being held ; many persons were doubtless surfeited with scientific 

 picnics, and others were, at that time, compelled to start for their 

 real holiday excursions, if they wished to take advantage of the short 

 amount of autumn weather then remaining to them. 



The Congress was opened at the palace of the Trocadero on Thurs- 

 day, August 29, under the Presidency of M. Bardoux, Minister for 

 Public Instruction ; there were from 350 to 400 persons present, 

 including amongst their number many of the leading geologists from 

 all parts of Europe and America ; at this meeting the Council of 

 Management was elected, with this was incorporated the members 

 of the original committee, appointed at the Philadelphia Exhibition 

 in 1876, viz. Messrs. E. De Baumhuer, J. W. Dawson, James Hall, 

 C. H. Hitchcock, Sterry Hunt, T. H. Huxley, Lesley, J. S. Newberry, 

 E. Pumpelly, W. B. Eogers, and Otto Torell. 



The following Members of the Congress, who were all present, 

 with the exception of the English representative, were elected to 

 serve on the Council, viz. : 



President: 

 Prof. M. HEBERT, Paris. 



Vice-Presidents : 



For England Mr. Thos. Davidson, F.E.S., Brighton. 



„ Australasia Prof. Liversidge, Sydney. 



,, Belgium Prof. De Koninck, Liege. 



„ Canada Dr. Sterry Hunt, F.B..S., Boston. 



,, Denmark Dr. J. Steenstrup, Copenhagen. 



„ Spain Prof. Villanova, Madrid. 



„ United States ... Prof. J. Hall, New York. 



„ France Prof. Daubree, Ecole des Mines, Paris. 



