324 
JAMES WILLIAM DAVIS. 
from his pen. At the meeting held at Huddersfield in October, 
1877, he proposed and carried a resolution that the sphere of the 
Society's operations should be extended from the West Riding so as 
to embrace the whole of the county, and that the future title 
of the Society should be " The Yorkshire Geological and Polytechnic 
Society." 
During 1878 the number of members was increased by 30 per 
cent. Meetings were held at Selby, Scarborough, and Wakefield ; 
ten papers were contributed, and five additional local secretaries 
were appointed. 
In 1879 the number of members reached 207. Three meetings 
were held, viz., at Barnsley, North Grimston, and Skipton. This 
year the Secretary obtained an addition to Rule vi. of the Society, 
viz., " That members may compound for their annual subscriptions, 
and become life members on payment of six guineas." The wisdom 
of this alteration is demonstrated by the response with which it 
has been met, and by the fact that the Society has now a capital 
sum of £350 safely invested as a provision against unexpected 
contingencies. 
Perhaps the most notable excursion of this year was the one 
to Raygill to inspect a fissure in a limestone quarry, from which the 
bones of elephant, rhinoceros, bison, urus, hyaena, &c, had been 
obtained. At a succeeding meeting of the Council it was considered 
desirable that steps should be taken to secure a thorough investi- 
gation of the Raygill fissure and its contents, and Professors Green and 
Miall, with Messrs. Brigg and Davis, were appointed a committee, 
and empowered to collect subscriptions, to make necessary arrange- 
ments, and to carry out the exploration. 
In 1880 four general meetings were held, viz., at Halifax, York, 
Middlesborough, and Leeds. At the annual meeting the Secretary 
had to report the number of members at 234. 
During 1881 two meetings were held, one at Bradford, and one 
at Hull, from the latter place an excursion was made to Withernsea, 
when Prof. James Geikie explained the glacial phenomena of the 
district. 
The three 1882 meetings were held, one at Dewsbury, one at 
