xlii PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [May 1906, 



I gratefully remember the time when I, as an undergraduate, entered 

 with feelings of trepidation the rooms of the Geological Depart- 

 ment of the British Museum, then at Bloomsbury ; how I was at 

 once put at ease by you ; and the help which I received. My 

 experience has been that of many, and all who have benefited by 

 your kindness will feel pleasure in the award of this Medal to you. 



But, although the services which I have mentioned are reasons 

 for rejoicing at the award, they are merely subsidiary reasons for 

 the bestowal of the Medal. The recipients of the Wollaston Medal 

 have always qualified for it by increasing our knowledge of the 

 mineral structure of the Earth by their own researches. It is 

 unnecessary to say that you also have done this. Your contri- 

 butions to the study of the palaeontology of the Invertebrates, 

 and especially of the fossil Arthropoda, are known to all workers, 

 and need no further comment on my part. 



I am glad that, during the years of my occupation of this 

 Chair, the Wollaston Medal has been awarded to two British 

 geologists, the one a distinguished petrologist, the other an eminent 

 palaeontologist. 



Dr. Woodward, in reply, said : — 

 Mr. President, — 



It is now forty years ago (on February 16th, 1866) that I received 

 from the President, Mr.William John Hamilton (at Somerset House), 

 the award of the Balance of the Wollaston Donation-Fund. I was 

 then only a youth of 34 years of age, and little dreamed that I 

 should be honoured by receiving at your hands to-day this Medal, 

 the highest recognition that the Council can bestow. 



I feel justified, however, in attributing this great honour quite 

 as much to the personal friendship of the Council, as to any merit 

 of my own ; but I am happy to find that this friendly disposition 

 is also shared by a large body of the Fellows of the Society 

 outside the Council, who have b}' letter and word of mouth 

 expressed their kindly approval of the Council's choice. 



I was elected a Fellow of this Society in 1864, and, from 1867 

 until 1902, I have been (off and on) a Member of the Council 

 (for a period of 35 years), and served also the office of President 

 (1894-96), so that I naturally feel more deeply interested in the 

 welfare of this Society than in any other, although I have been 



