| Biographical Notice of Alcide D’ Orbigny. 71 
lips, Scrope, Daubeny, and Lyell, together with those of foreign 
geologists, including the great Von Buch and Boué. That Re- 
port alone is sufficient to prove his masterly acquaintance with 
the history of his favorite science, and with all its bearings, 
whilst it marks the liberal spPrit with which he entered into 
geological inquiries. The advance of geology since that Report 
as been enormous; and, if a period of twenty years from the 
publication of Cuvier and Brongniart had done so much in 
raising Tertiary Geology to a high position, may we not say that 
the result of the next twenty-five years has been still more re- 
markable, and has richly rewarded the. continued and judicious 
researches of some of our most distinguished geologists, such as 
Lyell, Forbes, Prestwich, and Austen, whilst the elevation to 
which the Silurian system has arrived by the persevering exer- 
tions of Murchison is a monument of progress which we can 
scarcely hope will be equalled in that peculiar branch of geology 
in future times. : 
The zeal of Dean Conybeare for geology never forsook him ; 
and when obliged to visit Madeira on account of the health of 
the other volcanic phenomena of the neighboring islands, How 
i ittered by 
survive him; although all who recollect his air of gravity and 
2. AuctipE D’ORBIGNY. 
Alcide D’Orbigny, Professor of Paleontology at the Museum 
of Natural History in the Jardin des Plantes, was remarkable 
for the vast magnitude, as well as for the interesting character 
of his palzontological works, intended as they were to embrace 
the whole field of geology in France, and, of course, compara- 
tively to notice the relations of the ancient inhabitants of all 
portions of the earth whilst describing those of his native coun- 
try. Mr. D’Orbigny was born at Couézon (Loire Inférieure), 
and was, in succession, Travelling Naturalist for the Museum of 
Natural History, Secretary Naturai History Society, 
Member of the Central Commission of the Geographical Society, 
: t of M. Cordier in the Geological Course, and latterly 
Oceupant of the chair of Paleontology which had been created 
expressly for him. He was a Knight of the Legion of Honor, 
