XXXVI PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
labour to the mere details of paleontological work, it would be a 
great mistake to count Von Meyer among the mere men of detail. 
On the contrary, his ‘ Paleologica,’ published in 1832, is full of in- 
structive and original thought, especially the second essay of the 
three comprised in the work. Von Meyer strongly insists upon the 
importance of the fact that fossil forms so often fill up the gaps in 
the series of existing forms, and exhibit in combination character- 
istics found at present only in distinct groups. Hence, he justly 
remarks, it results that ‘‘ conclusions drawn from one part of the 
skeleton to the structure of the entire animal have turned out to be 
erroneous, and that even anatomists ike Camper have been de- 
ceived ” (J. ¢. p. 197): andin his later works this eminent paleeon- 
tologist constantly repeats this much-needed warning against the 
current exaggerations of Cuvier’s unguarded phrases. 
Von Meyer died on the 2nd of April, 1869. 
Joun WItiiAm Satter, A.L.S., F.G.S., born December 15th, 1820, 
died December 2nd, 1869. This eminent paleontologist, after an 
education at a private boarding-school, was, in April 1835, by his own 
wish, bound apprentice to the well-known James De Carle Sowerby, 
with whom he hoped to pursue the study of Natural History (espe- 
cially Entomology) for which he had, from childhood, an ardent 
love. He has been known to pull his companions (Wm. and J. 
Sowerby) out of bed on a cold winter’s morning to wade through 
the snow after some insect the habitat of which he had just heard 
of ; or, at other times, knee-deep in the long hay-grass to a favourite 
pond after water-insects. About this time (1836-37) he wrote his 
first paper “‘ On the Habits of Insects,” read at the Camden Literary 
Society. 
With Mr. Sowerby he was engaged in drawing and engraving the 
plates of ‘Sowerby’s Mineral Conchology’ then in progress towards 
completion, of the ‘Supplement to Sowerby’s English Botany,’ of 
‘Loudon’s Encyclopedia of Plants,’ and ‘ Murchison’s Silurian Sys- 
tem.’ The figures for these and many other scientific works, en- 
graved by Mr. Salter at this time, beimg all drawn from the actual 
specimens, he was, naturally, training his eye to that perfect know- 
ledge of fossil forms which in later years rendered him so distin- 
guished and keen a paleontologist. 
In 1842 he visited Cambridge, where he remained for a short time 
to assist Professor Sedgwick in arranging the fossils of the Wood- 
wardian Museum. It is not uninteresting here to note that the first 
and the last independent work of his life was at the Cambridge 
Museum in connexion with Sedgwick, who continued to be to Salter, 
up to the last, what, indeed, he has been to so many others, a staunch 
and generous friend. 
In that and the three following years he made several short trips 
into Wales, and did his first field-geology under Sedgwick’s teach- 
ing, whom he always referred to as “the Master.” 
In 1846 he married Sally, second daughter of Mr. J. De Carle 
Sowerby, with whom he had learnt that art of which, in the illustra- 
