Anniversary Address. 231 



Lieut.-Colonel Godwin Austen was at one time attached, has 

 furnished the Royal Geographical and the Geological Socie- 

 ties with some of their most valuable members. 



The Geological Section was presided over by Professor W. 

 C. Williamson, a veteran and enthusiastic worker among the 

 Yorkshire formations. In his youth he had had " almost daily 

 intercourse with William Smith, the father of English 

 Geology," and the latter part of his life has been devoted to 

 Palaeontology, especially that of the vegetation of the Car- 

 boniferous Age. By request, his opening address was de- 

 voted to that subject. Professor Hull propounded a bold 

 theory regarding the distribution of limestone from an ele- 

 vated volcanic formation in Mid- Atlantic. Principal Daw- 

 son, of Montreal, gave an interesting account and shewed 

 several specimens of the Eozbbn Canadense found in the 

 limestone strata, the second of the Laurentian series of rocks 

 of Canada, and supposed to be the first indications of animal 

 life, and occuring in coral like masses in the thick bedded 

 serpentine of the St. Lawrence. A number of large blocks 

 of the Laurentian limestone are to be laid before the British 

 Association next year, when the strongest microscopes are 

 to be used for the solution of this interesting question. 



In my capacity as Delegate from this Club I took an 

 active part in a meeting of Delegates from various local 

 scientific clubs and societies, who had referred to them a list 

 of new rules drawn out by the committee of scientific local 

 societies at the instance of the General Committee of the 

 Association. It appears by their report 



" That the numbers of local clubs have latterly very greatly in- 

 creased, and comprising upwards of 170 societies for natural his- 

 tory and antiquarian study, the number of Delegates from each 

 club to the Congress had been reduced from two to one. Also 

 that the Delegate appointed by his Club transmit to the Secretary 

 on the first day of meeting of the Congress a copy of his Club s 

 proceedings, and furnish other information regarding his Society 

 or Club."* 

 If appointed the Delegate would be a temporary member of 



* Report of Committee to British Association. 



