34 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



AWAKD OF THE WoLLASTON MeDAL. 



In handing the Wollaston Medal to Prof. J. W. Judd, F.R.8., 

 for transmission to Prof. W. Crawford Williamson, P.H.S., the 

 PiiEsiDENT addressed him as follows : — 



Professor Judd, — 



The Council have awarded the Wollaston Medal for the present 

 year to Prof. W. C. Williamson, in recognition of his researches in 

 Palaeontology, and especially of the series of important papers in 

 which he has described the structure of the plants that have contri- 

 buted to the formation of coal. His investigations have added 

 greatly to our knowledge of the Carboniferous flora, and have enabled 

 us to form a much clearer idea of the plant-life in those far distant 

 days of the Palaeozoic era than was previously possible. Although 

 Professor Williamson's attention has now for many years been espe- 

 cially devoted to the examination of fossil plants, he had, before his 

 researches on ancient botany commenced, added many valuable 

 details to our knowledge of the fossiliferous rocks of Yorkshire and 

 Lancashire, and he had contributed greatly to the natural history of 

 recent and fossil Poraminifera, whilst in a paper published more 

 than 40 years ago, on some of the microscopical objects found in the 

 mud of the Levant and other deposits, with remarks on the mode of 

 formation of calcareous and infusorial siliceous rocks, he antici- 

 pated many recent discoveries, both as to the part played by minute 

 calcareous and siliceous organisms in rock-formation, and also as 

 to the chemical and physical changes to which such organisms are 

 subject during the conversion of soft deposits into hard stone. 



In asking you to transmit this Medal to Professor Williamson, may 

 I further beg that you will convey to him an expression of our wishes 

 that he may continue his important studies for many years to come, 

 and of our regret that his engagements have unavoidably prevented 

 our having the pleasure of his presence on this occasion. 



Prof. JcTDD, in reply, read the following communication received 

 by him from Prof. Williamson : — 



" I need scarcely say that I feel grateful for the honour dene me 

 in awarding me the Wollaston Medal ; and I trust you will not deem 

 me presumptuous when I express a hope that it has been won by 

 conscientious work. Though the rich deposits of fossil plants dis- 

 covered in the neighbourhood of Scarborough — my native town — 



