﻿Geological Society of London. 181 



that it will be a source of pride and pleasure to the veteran explorer in his 

 declining years. 



In presenting the balance of the proceeds of the Murchison Geological Fund to the 

 Eev. J. F. Blake, M.A., F.G.S., the President said:— 



Mr. Blake,— In presenting you with the balance of the Murchison Geological Fund 

 in the name of the Council of this Society, I have to express to you our appreciation 

 of the excellence of the Geological and Palffiontological services which you have 

 rendered to science during the last few years. The Mesozoie formations of England 

 which you are still investigating, require all the energies and accomplishments of the 

 palaeontologist for their elucidation, besides a great knowledge of practical field- 

 geology. You have undertaken a great task in their description, and I trust, that 

 this slight expression of the approbation and sympathy of your fellow-geologists may 

 urge you on in your laborious path. 



Mr. Blake replied as follows :— Mr. President,—! beg to thank the Council very 

 sincerely for the honour they have done me in making this award, and you, Sir, for the 

 kind raannei- in which you have presented it to me. I do not know that there is any- 

 thing that I care for more than the spread and advancement of our knowledge of 

 Nature ; and there is no honour I covet more eagerly than such as show, as I take it 

 this does, that I have to some extent succeeded in doing something towards this end. 

 I think I may conscientiously say that what geological work I have done hits been 

 the best I have known how to do, or have had the opportunity of doing, though I am 

 continually learning how very much better that best might have been. With regard 

 to the Mesozoie rocks, which form so prominent a feature in English Geology, there is 

 very much yet to be learnt ; and the hard and fast lines of the earliest observers have 

 yet to be smoothed down and shaded off, by a study of the physical conditions of the 

 deposits, before we have a complete and artistic picture of the whole. You have 

 assured me, Sir, that the present award is meant not only as an honour but as an 

 encouragement and incentive to me to go on and add, if possible, something more to 

 the picture ; and I hope the futare may prove that I have received it m that sense. 



The President next handed to Professor Ramsay, P. U.S., the Lyell Medal and part 

 of the Lyell Fund, for transmission to James Hector, M.D., F.R.S., Director of the 

 Geological Survey of New Zealand, and addressed him as follows : — 



Prof. Ramsay, — The Lyell Medal I have the pleasure of asking you to forward, on 

 the part of the Council o'f this Society, to James Hector, M.D.., F.R.S., Director 

 of the Geological Survey of New Zealand. It is given to him in recognition of his 

 long and valued services in Geology and Palasontology both in British North America 

 and in New Zealand. Seventeen years ago Dr. Hector communicated a valuable 

 Report to the British Association for the Advancement of Science on the Geology of 

 the Palliser Expedition, and others on the Physical features of British North America, 

 and on the climate of the Saskatschewan district; and in 1861 this Society published 

 his able paper on the Geology of Lake Superior. Having gained great experience as 

 an accomplished surveyor, he commenced his celebrated survey of New Zealand, and 

 the results of it have been to place the geological formation of those remarkable 

 islands plainly before the world. His Geology of Otago, the Reports of the Survey, 

 and his Geological Map of New Zealand— works of great importance— are most 

 valuable contributions to our science. A distinguished naturalist, Dr. Hector has 

 contributed largely to the Botany of New Zealand and to the study of its river-iish, 

 ^yhich have remarkable affinities ; as. a paliBontologist, he has not only described the 

 fossil remains of the gigantic birds, but also of the extinct Reptilia of the islands. 

 Impressed with the volcanic phenomena still in action, he has studied and written 

 iipon the thermal springs, the extinct volcanos, and the earthquake phenomena. 

 He has been able to compure the grand developments of the formations of the islands 

 Avith the European types ; and his labours have ever been influenced by that method 

 of research which rendered the founder of this Medal so illustrious. 



Prof. Ramsay, in reply, said: — Mr. President, — I have very great pleasure in 

 receiving this Medal for Dr. Hector, not only on account of his great distinction, but 

 also because we have both been so much engaged in questions of Physical Geology. 

 As a Physical Geologist, I regard him as standing in the very first rank ; and his 

 qualifications have been shown, not only in North America, but also by his thorough 

 organization of the Geological Survey of New Zealand, which, under his charge, has 

 attained a position second to none in the world. In Dr. Hector's name I beg to 

 thank the Society for this testimony of its appreciation of his labours. 



