Geological Society of London. 179 



the work on " Siluria." Dr. Geinitz has contributed many other important works 

 to our science than those which the Council consider to be the most meritorious, and 

 it therefore is a privilege that I should be able to ask you to convey to our old and 

 much esteemed Foreign Member this Medal, which, I am sure, he will appreciate. 



Mr. W. W. Smith replied : — I have much satisfaction in receiving from the hands 

 of the President for transmission to Prof. Geinitz the Medal awarded to one who has 

 done so much to advance our knowledge of Central Germany. I have received a 

 letter from the Dresden Professor, in which he states that he is deeply touched at 

 being in this way again associated with the name of his old and venerated friend 

 Sir Eoderick Murchison, that he regrets being unable to attend this meeting, 

 but begs to assure the Society of his high appreciation of the honour, and of his 

 intention to consider it a spur to urge him on to fresh work in the same path. 



In presenting the balance of the proceeds of the Mui-chison Geological Fund to 

 Mr. H. Hicks, F.G.S., for transmission to Mr. Charles Lapworth, F.G.S., the 

 President said: — Mr. Hicks, — The Society has lately had the benefit of receiving a 

 most important communication from .Mr. Lapworth upon the Silmian rocks of the 

 South of Scotland, and the Graptolites contained in them. This work has been the 

 result of many years' successful labour ; and in recognition of its merits, and with 

 the desire of stimulating its author to fui-ther investigation, the Council has made 

 this award, which I will request you to convey to him. 



Mr. Hicks, in reply, expressed his high appreciation of the value of the work done 

 by Mr Lapworth among the Silurian rocks of Scotland, and the satisfaction that it 

 gave him to be selected as the medium through which an award so well merited was 

 to be conveyed to Mr. Lapworth, from whom he read the following letter : - 



"Mr. President and Gentlemen, — Permit me to express my grateful acknowledgment 

 of the honour you have conferred upon me by the award of the Murchison Fund. It 

 is, indeed, a matter of the most profound gratification to myself that what little I 

 have already accomplished has been regarded as meriting this valued distinction. 

 "Were any incentive needed beyond the pleasm-e which ever accompanies the diligent 

 prosecution of original research to animate me to continued exertions in my endeavours 

 to aid, in some degree, in determining the perfect order of nature among the rocks 

 and fossils of the grandest of the geologic formations in the native country of its 

 illustrious founder, it would sufiice for me to recollect that the Trustees of his bounty 

 deem these labours worthy of substantial encouragement, and to feel assured therein 

 of the sympathy and approval of the Fellows of the Geological Society of London. — 

 Chaules Lapworth, 4, Kmburn Place, St. Andrews, February 12, 1878." 



The President next handed to Mr. J. "W. Hulke, F.R.S., F.G.S., the LyeU Medal 

 and part of the LyeU Fund for transmission to George Busk, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S., 

 and addressed him as follows : — 



Mr. Hulke, — The public duties of Mr. Busk prevent his receiving this token of the 

 Council's appreciation of his merits as a palfeontologist ; and in asking you to forward 

 this Medal and Fund to him, I am glad to express my personal gratification in being 

 able to present an award, through you, to so distinguished a scientific man. 



The Council and this Society are under great obligations to Mr. Busk, not only for 

 his long series of contributions to science on the fossil Polyzoa and extinct Mammalia, 

 but also for his having very constantly given most careful and conscientious advice 

 upon the value of communications. In giving this award to Mr. Busk I trust that 

 you will remind him that, although he has been awarded the Lyell Medal for those 

 researches which appear to the Council to be the most important in relation to the 

 science of geology, his great industry and careful method of study have enabled him 

 to advance our science in many subjects which refer to the antiquity of man and the 

 Quaternary cave- and gravel-faunas. The examination of the spoils of Brixham 

 cave and of the bones of the breccias of Gibraltar have been published by him, and 

 the results are lasting proofs of the ability of an accomplished and cautious naturalist. 

 Moreover, Mr. Busk, whilst studying the fossil Polyzoa, investigated the recent forms, 

 and his descriptions and classifications are those which are the most followed. In his 

 numerous researches, whether they relate to biology or to palaeontology, the induc- 

 tive method has always been followed ; and as in connexion with the study of the 

 fossil forms, he has constantly availed himself of the knowledge he was acquiring of 

 their recent representatives, the award of the Lyell Medal to him is consistent with 

 the wishes of its great founder. 



Mr. Hulke. in reply, said that, although he regretted that circumstances had pre- 

 vented Mr. Busk from being present to receive personally the award of the Council, 



