ANNIVERSAllT ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. XXIX 



"Wollaston Fund, awarded to him by the Council, in aid of his valu- 

 able researches on the Tertiary and Cretaceous strata of Holland and 

 Belgium. It is hoped that this acknowledgment of his services 

 will be an encouragement to M. Bosquet, inciting him to continue 

 those labours which he has for some years with much success carried 

 on during the time snatched from his business avocations. 



Mr. Godwin- Austen- replied as follows : — 



Sir, — I shall take an early opportunity of transmitting to M. 

 Bosquet, of Maestricht, the proceeds of the Wollaston Fund, accom- 

 panied by an assurance of the cordial unanimity with which it was 

 awarded him. The Members of the Geological Society of London 

 cannot fail to entertain a high opinion of the zeal, industry, and 

 ability which have produced M. Bosquet's contributions to Palaeon- 

 tology. Of these, perhaps, the most interesting to us are those re- 

 lating to the Cretaceous formation of the neighbourhood of Maestricht, 

 the richness of the fauna of which is in striking contrast to that 

 of the equivalent portion in this country. 



His researches amongst the so-called Tongrian beds have contri- 

 buted greatly to our knowledge both of the forms of life and the 

 general character of the physical conditions which closed the great 

 iN'ummulitic period in that part of Northern Europe. 



I may add that geologists who may visit Maestricht will find in 

 M. Bosquet's collection the vouchers for the accuracy of his pub- 

 lished works ; and I can speak from experience as to his kindness and 

 readiness in guiding others about a district which, from its covered 

 character, cannot be profitably visited without such assistance. 



THE ANNIYEBSAEY ADDEESS OF THE PEESIDENT, 

 Warington W. Smyth, Esq., M.A., F.E.S. 



It is now, gentlemen, my duty, in accordance with your long^ 

 established custom, to enter upon the painful task of reminding you 

 of the loss which we have sustained in the past year by the death of 

 several of our scientific brethren. And, first of all, it behoves me to 

 speak of one unwearied in his devotion to your interests, one en- 

 deared by personal friendship to many of us, my immediate pre- 

 decessor in this honourable Chair. 



"William John Hamilton was the eldest son of Mr. William 

 Hamilton, some time British Minister at the Court of Naples, a gen- 

 tleman whose classical tastes and erudition influenced to a consider- 

 able extent the career of our late President. He was born in London 

 on the 5th July, 1805, and after an early education at Charterhouse 

 School, passed over to Hanover, and completed his studies at the 

 University of Gottingen. Proposing to devote himself to the diplo- 

 matic service, he paid in his youth especial attention to modern lan- 

 guages and history, and in 1827 was appointed attache to the Lega- 

 tion at Madrid. In 1829 he received a similar appointment in Paris, 



