THE 



GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE. 



NEW SERIES. DECADE II. VOL. I, 

 No. IV.— APEIL, 1874. 



I. — The Volcanic Histoky of Ireland. ^ 



Being the Anniversary Address delivered to the Royal Geological Society of Ireland, 

 February 11th, 1874. 



By Professor Edward Hull, M. A., F.R.S., President; 

 Director Geological Survey of Ireland. 



I HAVE the pleasure of congratulating the Society on its prosperous 

 condition after an existence of forty years, during which time 

 it has numbered amongst its members men of the highest distinction 

 in Science, and has been presided over by some of the most 

 illustrious amongst the cultivators of Geology. In looking over 

 the names of the first officers of the Society in 1833, I am re- 

 joiced to see those of the Provost of Trinity College, Sir R. Griffith, 

 and Professor Apjohn, who are still amongst us ; and to myself it 

 could not have been otherwise than a matter of high gratification to 

 have been elected to an office which has been filled by such eminent 

 men as the former Presidents of this Society. 



But more honourable to the Society than even the names of its 

 officers are the large number of excellent papers, bearing, though 

 not exclusively, on the Geology of Ireland, which are to be found 

 in the pages of its Transactions. It is the merit of the contributions 

 which must stamp the character of a Scientific Society ; and amongst 

 all the Geological Societies — that of London only excepted — there 

 is none which has produced so large a number of excellent memoirs. 



Other Societies — especially those of Glasgow and Edinburgh — are 

 now treading closely on our heels ; and I would, therefore, venture 

 from this chair to urge upon our members a little increase of 

 industry in the preparation of papers founded on observations over 

 various parts of the country. The geological questions and pheno- 

 mena of Ireland are far from being exhausted, and still present 

 materials for the industrious observer. I would, also, observe, that 

 the arrangements recently effected by the Council with the Editors 

 of the Geological Magazine afford authors of papers read before 

 this Society rare opportunities of extended circulation. By that 

 arrangement, all papers of merit, after having been read before the 

 Society, and approved by the Council, will appear in the pages of 

 the Geological Magazine, and subsequently in those of our Transac- 



^ Plate X., illustrating the Volcanic History of Ireland, will accompany the con- 

 cluding part of Prof. Hull's Address in the next Number. — Eoit. Geol. Mag. 



DECADE II. — VOL. 1. NO. lY. 10 . 



