138 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
ment of a large amount of Eed Sandstone^in the north-western counties to 
the Permian period, and its removal from the New Eed Sandstone, or 
Trias formation, to which it has hitherto been assigned in all geological 
maps. The authors showed that these Red Sandstones are closely and 
conformably united with the Magnesian Limestone or its equivalent, and 
form the natural upper limit of the Palaeozoic deposits. They thus afSrmed 
that a tripartite arrangement of the Permian rocks holds good in West- 
moreland, Cumberland, and Lancashire, and that thetbree subdivisions are 
correlative with those formerly shown by Sir 1. Murchison to exist in 
the Permian deposits of Germany and Eussia ; thus proving the inappli- 
cability of the term Dyas to this group of rocks. 
The difference, in lithological details, of the Permian rocks of the north- 
west of England from those on the opposite flank of the Pennine chain, 
was next adverted to ; and it was observed that, with so vast a dissimilarity 
in their lithological development in England, we need not be surprised at 
finding still greater diversities in Germany and Eussia. 
The discovery, by Professor Harkness, in the central member of this 
siliceous group in Westmoreland, of numerous fossil plants identical with 
the species of the Kupfer Schiefer in Germany, and in the Marl-slate of 
the Magnesian Limestone of Durham, was given as a strong proof of the 
correctness of the author's conclusions. 
The comparative scarcity of igneous rocks, and the evidence of powerful 
chemical action in the Permian strata of Britain, is contrasted with their 
abundance in deposits of that age in Germany ; but proofs are nevertheless 
brought forward to show that the haematite of Cumberland and Lancashire 
was formed in the early accumulation of the Permian deposits. 
In describing in detail the different members of the Permian group of 
the north-west of England, the authors define the downward and upward 
limit of the strata which have undergone dolomitization ; for whilst certain 
bands of calcareous breccia (the " brockrum" of the natives), which occur in 
the central portion of the series, contain much magnesia, the lower breccias, 
composed of the same mountain-limestone fragments, have no trace of it ; 
nor is it to be detected in the Upper Member, or St. Bees Sandstone. 
A large collection of rocks and fossils from A'^ictoria, Australia, pre- 
sented to the Society by A. E. Selwyn, Esq., was exhibited. 
February 19. — Annual General Meeting. Prof. A. C. Eamsay, F.E.S., 
President, in the cliair. — The Secretary read the Eeports of the Council 
of the Museum and Library Committee. The increase in the numbers of 
the Society, and the si ate of the Society's finances, were considered to be 
extremely satisfactory. The President announced the award of the Wol- 
laston Gold Medal to Sir Eoderick Tmpey Murchison, K.C.B., etc., for 
his many distinguished services to palaeozoic geology, especially (1) for his 
great work entitled tlie ' Silurian System ; ' (2) for his important work 
' On the Geology of llussia ; ' and (3) for his remarkable discovery of the 
true relations of all the rocks beneath the Old Red Sandstone that form 
the Highlands of Scotland ; and, in handing the medal to the eminent 
recipient, he took occasion to review briefly the influence of these various 
labours on the progress of geological science. Sir Roderick Murchison, 
on receiving the medal, expressed his deep sense of the honour which had 
been done him by the Society, and which was enhanced by its being com- 
municated to him through his friend and colleague Professor Ramsay. 
The President then stated that the balance of the proceeds of the Wollas- 
ton Donation Fund had been awarded to M. Deshayes, to assist him in liis 
work on the Mollusca of the Paris Basin, and in testimony of the high 
