PKOCICEIIlNfiS i;i;()l,()(ilCAL SOCIKTIHS. 
1G3 
PROCEEDINGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
GeoijOgical Society of London. — Annual General M-eetin a.— February 
I8th, 1859.— l^rof. J. Phillijis, President, in the Chair. 
The Reports of tlie Council, of the Museum and Library Committee, and of the 
Auditors, having been read by the Secretary, were adopted, and ordered to be 
printed. 
The President stated the Council had unanimously awarded the WoUaston 
Medal to Mr. Charles Darwin, F.R.S., F.G.S., in testimony of their appreciation 
of the great value of his long-continued and successful geological researches botii 
abroad and at home, and both in the practical and the philosophical branches of 
the science. 
The President then announced the award of the balance of the proceeds of the 
Wollaston Fund to Mr. Charles Peach, of Wick, N.B. 
The President then proceeded to read his Anniversary address, briefly alluding 
to the loss the Society had of late sustained in the decease of several Fellows and 
Foreign Members, among whom were H. Warlmrton, Esq., the Dean of Ely, the 
Duke of Devonshire, Lieut.-Col. Sir W. Reid, Sir W. G. Cunmiing, Rev. E. Tagart, 
Herbert Mackwortli, P-sq., Richard Taylor, Esq., Prof AVeiss, &c. 
The ballot for the Council and Officers was then taken ; Prof John Phillips, 
M.A., LL.D., F.R.S. was re-elected President. 
Ordinary General Meeting. — February 23d, 1859. — The following com- 
munications w ere read : — 
1. " On the occurrence of Liassic Deposits near Carlisle." By E. W. Binney, 
Esq., F.G.S. 
The author's attention had been drawn by Mr. Richard B. Brockbank, of 
Carlisle, to the district lying between Carthwaite, on the Carlisle and Maryport 
Railway, and the Solway, especially about Aikton and Oughterby, as containing 
a lime.stone, supposed to belong to the coal-measin-es, but foinid by Mr. Brockbank 
to contain an Ammonite and other fossils, which he thought to be Liasjic. Mr. 
Binney subsequently went over the district with ilr. R. B. Brockbank, and found 
that, although the country is thickly coated with boulder-clay or till, yet lias- 
limestone and shales were observable in several spots, in wells, streams, &c., 
especially at Quarry Gill, Fisher's Gill Farm, and in Thonibybrook, south-east of 
Aikton. Gryphcea incurva and other Gryphww, with Oysters and Ammonites, 
characterise these beds. The area occupiecl by the Lias is known to extend under 
the rising ground lying between Crofton and Orton, on the south, and the Solway, 
on the north, comprising Aikton, Thornby, Wiggonby, Oughterby, and probably 
other places on the rising ground between the Carlisle and Maryport and Carlisle 
and Port Carlisle Railways. 
This paper was illustrated by specimens of the Lias, forwarded by Mr. E. W. 
Binney. 
2. " On tlie Fossils of the Lingnla-flags or Zone Primordiale. — L Paradoxides 
and Conocephalus from North America." By J. W. Salter, Esq., F.G.S., of the 
Geological Survey of Great Britain. 
After briefly noticing the relations of the "Zone Primordiale" instituted by 
M. Barrande, the author described the remains of a large Paradoxides sent from 
the vicinity of St. John's, Newfoundland, by Mr. Bennett. The fossil belongs to 
a new s)iecies of Paradoxides, the lai'gest yet known (91 inches broad), and termed 
P. noro-repertii.H by Mr. Sillter. A new species of Conocephalus, from Georgia, 
