PRESENTATION TO DR. HECTOR.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5018, 24 April 1877, Page 3

PRESENTATION TO DR. HECTOR.

In the report of the proceedings of the Geological Society of England we read : The President next handed to Professor RamBay, F.R.S., the Lyell Medal and part of the Lyell Fund, for transmission to Jame* Hector, M.D., F.R.S., Director of the Geological Survey of New Zealand, and addressed him as follows :—Professor Kamsay,—The Lyell Medal I have the pleasure of asking you to forward, on the part of the Council of this Society, to Jame 3 Hector, M.D., F.K.S., and Director of the Geological Survey of New Zealand. It is given to him in recognition of hia long and valued services in geology and palaeontology both in British North America and in New Zealand. Seventeen years ago Dr; "Hector communicated a valuable re-i

port -'to the British Association for the Advancement of Science on the geology of the Palliser Expedition, and others on the physical feature** of British North America, and on th*> climate of the Saskatchewan distriot; and in 1861 this society published his able paper on the Geology of Lake Superior. Having gained great experience as an accomplished surveyor, he commenced his celebrated survey of New Zealand, and the results of it have been to place the geological formation of those remarkable islands plainly before the world. His geology of Otngo, the reports of the survey, and his geological map of New Zealand—works of great importance—are most valuable contributions to our science. A distinguished naturalist, Dr. Hector, ha 3 contributed largely to the botany of New Zealand and to the study of its river-fish, which have remarkable affinities —as a palaeontologist, he has not only described the fossil remains of the gigantic birds, but also of the extinct reptilia of the islands. Impressed with the volcanic phenomena still in action, he has studied and written upon the thermal springs, the extinct volcanoes, and the earthquake phenomena. He has been able to compare the grand developments of the formations of the islands with the European types ; and his labors have ever been influenced by that method of research which rendered the founder of this medal so illustrious. Professor Ramsay, in reply, said : Mr.

President,—l have very great pie mure in receiving this medal for Dr. Hector, not only on account of his great distinction, but also because we bive both been so much engaged in questions of physical geology. As a physical geologist, I regard him as standing in the very first rank ; and hi 3 qualifications have been shown, not only in North America, but also by '*, his thorough organisation of the Geological '' J '3urvey of New Zealand, which, under his v irge, has attained a position second to none in the world. In Dr. Hector's name I beg to ' - thank the society for this testimony of its appreciation of his labors.