2IO The Ottawa Naturalist. [February 



ing his descriptions and correlations, with the fact that he was a 

 man of unusual ability, and possessed of a keen appreciation of 

 the value of thorough palaeontological work." 



Dr. Charles Schuchert, Assistant Curator of the U.S. Nation- 

 al Museum at Washington also writes : — 



" When in Ottawa last summer I was much pleased to see the 

 splendid portrait of Elkanah Billings and delighted to know that 

 it was to be shown amongst the many Canadian fossils which he 

 immortalized. His short but brilliant descriptions hit off the 

 salient characteristics of the species, proof positive ot a distin- 

 guished palteontologist. In short, Elkanah Billings's name stands 

 high amongst North American Invertebrate paleontologists and 

 is one of that great triumvirate of pioneers in our sciences : Hall, 

 Billings and Meek.'' 



Besides these brief but genuine appreciations of the man 

 whom we seek to honour this evening, I feel constrained to add 

 another tribute paid 'to the memory of Mr. Billings by one who 

 formed the main theme and subject of our address last year, viz., 

 Sir William Dawson. In his volume entitled " Salient points in 

 the History of the Earth," Sir William dedicates Chapter XII 

 " to the Memory of Elkanah Billings, first Palaeontologist of the 

 Geological Survey of Canada, who laid the foundations of our 

 knowledge ot the invertebrate fossils of Canada." 



I shall not attempt to give you any further details of his life 

 works or writings, suffice it to say that " though dead he still 

 lives" and his name stands unusually high in the estimation of all 

 who have had anything to do with the unravelling of the Geological 

 problems of Canada, especially as they present themselves to us 

 in the older Provinces of our Dominion. 



In 1876 Billings died, and to fill his position the department 

 engaged the services of the present distinguished occupant of the 

 position of PalEeontologist and Zoologist, Dr. J. F. Whiteaves, a 

 member of our Club since 1883. 



I regret exceedingly that Dr. Whiteaves is not present on 

 this occasion. He has requested me to present his sincere regrets 

 to this audience. We expected some words from him, but he is 

 unfortunately prevented from being here "by an indisposition, and 



