BRITISH ASSOCIATION MEETING. 



401 



Sir Chaules Lyell moved a vote of tlianks to Sir Roderick for the clear 

 and admii'able illiistration he had given them of the Geology of Scotland, which 

 Professor Phillips seconded, remarking on the high estimation in which Sir 

 K. Murchison was held over half the globe as the master of the Silnrian. 



Sii- David Brewster, as Yice-president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 

 then presented the Brisbane Medal to Sir Roderick, an act that met with great 

 applause from the audience. 



The deputation of the council accompanying Sir David Brewster, consisted 

 of Dr. Christison, Professors Allman and BaKour, and Mr. Robert Chambers ; 

 the latter addi'essed Sir Roderick in the following speech : — 



" Sir Roderick Murchison,— The Royal Society of Edinburgh, viewing your 

 late researches in the Higlilands of Sutherland with an interest and admiration 

 shared by the whole scientific world, has thought proper to vote to you the first 

 example of a gold medal, founded by its respected President, Sir Thomas S. 

 Brisbane, for remarkable scientific services. In the paper read by you to the 

 Geological Society in December last, the Society sees an admirable instance 

 of laborious investigation in coimection with a Scottish field. You have, sir, 

 succeeded in putting into a new and correct place in the geological series, a 

 band of formations which, from the days of M'CuUoch do^Aiiwards, has attracted 

 a large share of attention, both on account of its constituent materials and the 

 magnificent scenery which it forms ; and you have thus conferred a great favour 

 upon your native country. It seems suitable that the Royal Society of Edin- 

 burgh, which heard the first speculations of Hutton and of Playfair, should 

 take upon itself to stamp with the national approbation services so distin- 

 guished as yours. The Society, however, must not and camiot overlook the fact 

 that your researches in Sutherlandshii-e only follow up a most remarkable series 

 of geological investigations performed during the last thii-ty-five years, and 

 which have placed you so high among the great chiefs of living British 

 geologists. In succession, the mountains of Auvergne, the Alps, the Car- 

 pathian, the Urals, have owned your genius for research. You have recalled 

 to the world the story of the first ages of Hfe upon its surface. In the mde 

 plains of Russia your diligence has been as conspicuously shown as in that 

 Siluria which is aU. your own. Two superb and voluminous works and a 

 hundred separate memoirs but faintly express the amount of your geological 

 \mtuigs. Nor, on the present occasion, should your services, as the head of 

 the Geological Survey, and as the frequent President of the Geographical 

 Society, be forgotten. Neither should we fail to remember that remarkable 

 triiunph of science of which you are the instrument — the vaticination of an 

 auriferous region in Australia from the observations you had made in the Ural 

 Mountains. Viewing these many merits and your present active course, the 

 Royal Society of Edinburgh camiot but feel proud in having the privilege of 

 conferring upon you the first Brisbane prize ; and it is their earnest wish and 

 prayer that you may long be spared to enjoy the many deserved honours 

 which a grateful country and an admiring band of fellow-labourers and a 

 beneficent Sovereign have conferred upon you." 



Sir Roderick Murchison replied in very feeling language, that no honour 

 ever conferred upon him had touched him more than tliis testimonial at the 

 hands of his own countrymen. He was gratified beyond measure at receiving 

 this honour from a Society which, of aU others in Europe, is most chary in con- 

 ferring its honours, and has a more limited number of honorary members. And 

 aU the more would it be esteemed that it was put into his hand by one of the 

 most eminent of living philosophers. 



The following is a summary of the other papers read in the Geological 

 section : — 



Dr. Black, E.G.S., "On Coal at Ambisheg, in the Island of Bute." 



