so Proceedings, &c., for 1887. 



and that the members of the Microscopical Society would probably 

 be balloted for at the next meeting of the Royal Society. He 

 hoped that other Scientil&c Societies would follow the example set 

 by the Microscopical Society. 



The Librarian, Dr. Neild, in making his usual report upon the 

 Library, referred to the President's recent munificent donation of 

 £2000 to the University, to be devoted to Scholarships in Physics 

 and Chemistry, and trusted that others would do likewise. 



The President thanked Dr. ISTeild for his " honourable 

 mention " of the fact, and gave as his reasons for specially 

 supporting the Sciences of Physics and Chemistry, rather than 

 his own profession of Engineering, that they had been particularly 

 interesting to him in his early career ; that they really were the 

 bases of all other sciences ; and that he thought that their 

 importance had scarcely been adequately recognised hitherto in 

 the University. 



Mr. G. S. Griffiths, F.G.S., then read a paper "On the 

 'Geology of the Portland Promontory." (Article VI., Transactions.) 



Mr. Ellery thought the paper embodied valuable work. He 

 regretted that the Geological Survey of the country had been 

 discontinued before the Portland district had been surveyed. The 

 Society and the colony were all the more obliged to Mr. Griffiths 

 for his contribution to geological knowledge. He thought the 

 Government would, perhaps, publish the sketch maps which 

 Mr. Griffiths had made. 



Mr. Sutherland regretted that such work had been neglected 

 by the State, and that it should be left to such gentlemen as Mr. 

 Howitt, Mr. Stirling, and Mr. Griffiths, who could devote only 

 their holidays to it. Their work was not only very creditable, but 

 extremely valuable. He alluded to the theory, that the land as 

 well as the sea was gradually rising and subsiding, but it appears 

 from Dr. Croll's " Climate and Time," that it was the sea only 

 and not the land which did so. 



Mr. Ellery said it was commonly asserted that there was such 

 gradual elevation and subsidence, but he thought the evidence 

 was extremely doubtful. It was a question very difficult to 

 determine, and required continued observations during centuries. 

 High and low water marks are occasionally great subjects of 

 dispute, and he doubted if they could be fixed with accuracy. 

 He had recommended the establishment of tide gauges at various 

 places in the Straits. 



Mr. White remarked on the constant removal and uncertainty 

 of land marks, which would otherwise be useful. 



After some remarks from the President as to the care with 

 which statements on the subject should be received, Mr. Griffiths 

 expressed his thanks for the criticism upon his paper, and replied 

 to it at some length ; and the meeting adjourned. 



