1886. ] Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 95 
strasse, a bureau organized to examine the credentials of dele- 
gates and provide each with the necessary card and receipt for the 
ten marks cotisation, besides a medal in silver bearing the inscrip- 
tion on one side: “ Geologorum Conventus. Mente et Malleo,” 
with the conventional schlagel und eisen crossed and surrounded 
by a wreath of oak. n the other side, within a similar wreath 
were the words: “ Berlin, 1885.” The medal was suspended by 
a white satin ribbon and worn on the lapel of the coat for identifi- 
cation on excursions, etc. 
A programme of the order of events may be thus condensed: 
Monday, Sept. 28, at 10 A. M., meeting of the council at the Reich- 
stagsgebaude; 5 P.M. social reunion of the members of the con- 
gress in the’ante-chamber of this palace. Tuesday, Sept. 29, If 
A. M., Opening of the congress; 2 P.M., visit to the Bergakademie 
to view the collections and the objects sent to the congress” Wed- 
nesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, sitting of the congress 
at 2 P.M. 7 P.M. Saturday, close of the congress. Sunday, 9 A.M. 
excursion to Potsdam. Then followed announcements of the 
excursions to the Hartz, to Stassfurt, etc. This programme 
was followed in the main, only an extra session of the congress 
being intercalated. The usual course was to devote two hours to 
e discussion of the committees’ reports (2 to 4 P. M.), and the 
last two hours (4 to 6 P. M.) to scientific discourses of various 
delegates, 
The weather during the entire week was very disagreeable, 
cold and rainy. On Sunday morning after the close of the con- 
gress, it promised to be fair, but only to deceive the hopes of those 
who took part in the Potsdam excursion. The commencement of 
this trip was very beautiful, but towards the close it degenerated 
into a procession of dripping and shivering people who tried to 
look as if it were pleasant in order not to offend their kind hosts. 
The language of the congress had been decided upon as French, 
and this, no doubt, accounts for the greater share taken by the 
Swiss, Belgians, and French in the debates, than by the people of 
other nationalities, The Germans, for instance, who outnumbered 
l other nationalities taken together several times over, had only 
one representative who managed the language with fluency and 
led in debate—M. Hauchecorne, the active spirit of this con- 
gress. It is true that M. Neumayer retorted very effectively once 
to M. Lapparent, and his excellency v. Dechen spoke frequently, 
if not easily; but Dr. Beyrich, the nominal president, was en- 
urely unintelligible, and M. Stur was obliged to get a dispensation 
€ congress and speak in German. : 
port of Proceedings—On Tuesday evening at 6 o'clock, M. 
ù enevier, of Switzerland, the secretary of the committêe appointed 
a pee the European map, with a few preparatory words ex- 
ie that what he was about to read did not emanate from 
m but from the committee, presented this report. 
