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interest in the society at its headquarters by continuing to furnish such 

 excellent programmes for our evening and afternoon lecture courses, 

 this interest will gradually spread to the remotest limit, till presently 

 we shall find the little society in Ottawa a gathering centre for 

 information from all parts of the Dominion, concerning which aspect 

 of the question T mav have something further to say presently. 

 Though I regret thai owing to absence I was unable to be present 

 at but two of your excursions, I am glad to know that throughout the 

 season they were markedly successful, both in the numbers attending 

 them and in the greatly increased interest manifested in the seveial 

 scientific branches which were discussed. I think, therefore, on the 

 whole, the club lias great cause to be proud of the work already accom- 

 plished, and, judging from the progress of the last two years, it can 

 safely be predicted that before the next decade, at the present rate of 

 growth, this society will be the largest and most influential scientific 

 body on the American continent. To some this may seem a far-fetched 

 notion, but, I think, if we look at the composition of the club as it is 

 to-day, with its long list of names, among which are those of many 

 men distinguished for scientific attainments in every branch of Natural 

 History, both at home and abroad, you will all agree with me that the 

 realization of this ambition lies entirely within ourselves. And v/hy 

 should it not be realized 1 Why should not Ottawa, the centre of 

 legislative and political influence, the most important city in many 

 respects in the Dominion, the seat also of the largest purely scientific 

 staff in the country, as well as of the Royal Society, with its several 

 important institute ns of learning, be also the headquarters of the 

 largest and most important scientific society in Canada as well *i I 

 firmly believe, if we nursue the proper methods to this end and do not 

 allow our zeal to flag, we shall see this aim accomplished. By enlarged 

 membership we secure enlarged means, and with increased means 

 greater facilities for publication and extended influence. I do not 

 know of any society or scientific institution anywhere, either in this or 

 the adjacent great country of the United States, which, for the small 

 sum of one dollar a year, provides such an amount of valuable informa- 

 tion, both in its lecture courses and in its publications, as the Ottawa 

 Field-Naturalists' Club. 



