Vol. 70.] ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. lxix 



Professor of Geology & Mineralogy at the Reale Istituto di Studi 

 Superior! in Florence. 



He founded the Alpine Club of Florence, and in 1867, under 

 successive Ministers of Agriculture (Cordova and afterwards 

 Broglio), established the Reale Comitate Geologico. 1 



He was not a prolific writer. Only a dozen papers stand to his 

 credit in the Royal Society's Catalogue, and some twenty or so 

 separate memoirs. 



He was elected a Foreign Correspondent of the Geological 

 Society of London in 1874, and died at Florence on August 18th, 

 1913. [H. W.] 



John Lubbock, first Baron Atebury, was the son of Sir John 

 William Lubbock, Bart., head of the banking firm of Robarts, 

 Lubbock & Co. He was born on April 30th, 1834, and was 

 educated at a private school and at Eton, but left school at the age 

 of 14 to commence a distinguished career as a banker, man of 

 business, and legislator. Many reforms were introduced by him 

 into the banking system, and several Acts of Parliament were due to 

 his initiation ; but probably his promotion of Bank Holidays in 1871 

 was what appealed most strongly to public feeling. He served on 

 Royal Commissions appointed for the consideration of such subjects 

 as International Coinage, Public Schools Education, Advancement 

 of Science, and Gold & Silver ; while he was Chairman of the 

 Committee which selected designs for the last coinage of Queen 

 Victoria. When the London County Council was formed, he was 

 elected to represent the City, and in 1890 succeeded Lord Rosebery 

 as Chairman. From 1870 to 1880 he represented Maidstone, and 

 from 1880 to 1900 the University of London, in Parliament. In 

 1900 he was raised to the peerage. 



In science he proved himself to be a man of wide interests, with 

 much power of original research. His attention was first directed 

 to prehistoric times, as illustrated by ancient remains, and the 

 manners and customs of modern savages ; but subsequently he 

 devoted himself more especially to observations on the social life 

 and intelligence of insects. The results were incorporated in a 

 work on Ants, Bees, & Wasps, which went through no less than 

 fourteen editions and was circulated in all parts of the world. 

 Among other of his works dealing with kindred subjects may be 



1 See Grubernatis, ; Dictionnaire International : — Ecrivains du Jour.' 



