232 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



vice to that province at a time of special interest in the history of its 

 schools and educational institutions. He also took an active part in 

 the establishment of a normal school in Nova Scotia, and in the regu- 

 lation of the affairs of the University of New Brunswick, as a member 

 of the commission appointed by Sir Edmund Head for the purpose. 



In 1855 he was called to the position which he still holds, that of 

 Principal and Professor of Natural History in McGill College and 

 University, an institution which, situated in Montreal, the commercial 

 capital of Canada, draws its students from all parts of the Dominion. 

 The university has prospered under his wise and liberal management 

 beyond the most sanguine expectations of its friends and promoters. 



The raising of McGill College to its present position would have 

 been work enough in itself for these years, but in addition to this Dr. 

 Dawson has had under his care the Protestant Normal School. From 

 his position there he has had a great deal to do with the moulding 

 and controlling of the school system of the coimtry. After many 

 years' faithful work, he withdrew (in 1870) from this office. 



His special work in connection with the university and the normal 

 school took up much of that time which would have otherwise have 

 been devoted to orisfinal investigations in his favorite science. 



A review of his more important scientific labors will show us how 

 much may be done even in the midst of engrossing educational occupa- 

 tions. As early as 1830 Dr. Dawson began to make collections of the fos- 

 sil plants of the Nova Scotia coal formation. In 1841 he contributed 

 to the "Werneriah Society of Edinburgh liis first scientific jjaper, on the 

 species of field-mice found in Nova Scotia. In 1843 he communicated 

 a paper on the rocks of Eastern Nova Scotia to the Geological Soci- 

 ety of London ; this was followed in 1844 by a paper on the newer 

 coal formation. In 1845, besides exploring and reporting on the iron- 

 mines of Londonderry, Nova Scotia, he published a paper on the coal 

 fossils of that province. 



During the winter of 1846-47, while studying in Edinburgh, he 

 contributed to the Royal Society of that city papers on the " Forma- 

 tion of Gypsum," and on the " Bowlder Formation," and an article to 

 Jameson's Edinburgh Philosophical Journal^ on the " Renewal of 

 Forests destroyed by Fire." The facts embodied in the last were 

 subsequently employed by him in combating the exaggerated periods 

 of time assigned to such changes by European geologists. 



From 1847 to 1849 we find him, with the same never-flagging zeal, 

 pursuing his geological researches, and giving the results to the world 

 infrequent papers. The most important of these are : 1. " On the 

 Triassic Red Sandstones of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island ; " 

 2. "On the Coloring Matters of Red Sandstones;" 3. "On Erect 

 Calamites found near Pictou;" 4. "On the Metamorphic Rocks 

 of Nova Scotia." He also published his " Handbook of the Geogra- 

 phy and Natural History of Nova Scotia," and delivered courses of 



