166 

 PRESIDENT'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS— 1890. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — In opening the lecture course of the 

 Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club for the present season, I feel that there 

 are several things which call for a word of general remark before 

 we enter upon the discussion of the several scientific subjects which, 

 as you will see by reference to your programmes, the Soiree Com- 

 mittee have so liberally provided for our entertainment. And, first of 

 all, I think this society has great cause for rejoicing, in the fact that 

 we have had placed at our disposal, through the kindness of the 

 authorities in chai'ge of the Normal School building, and more particu- 

 larly through the courtesy of Dr. MacCabe, the Principal, the large 

 and commodious rooms of this institution in which to hold our lecture 

 courses: a change, I am sure, that all will appreciate, not only those 

 whose place it is to speak to you but those who may listen ; for there is 

 no denying the fact that much of the pleasure and profit derivable from 

 any lecture course is dependent upon comfortable and attractive sur- 

 roundings. On behalf of the Club, therefore, I would desire to tender 

 our thanks, through Dr. MacCabe, for the privileges which have been 

 hereby conferred upon our society, more especially since, through this 

 courtesy on their part, we are enabled to extend very considerably the 

 aims of this club, in tha,t we are now in a position to tender a cordial 

 invitation to the large classes of students who attend the Normal 

 School to be present at all our lectures and soirees, a, thing impractica- 

 ble heretofore owing to the limited lecture room at our disposal. In 

 this way, I say, the original purpose of the club's work, viz., that of 

 Education, will be very greatly facilitated. 



I must, in the second place, congratulate the club as a whole on 

 its rapidly increasing membership, which now reaches nearly 300 

 pei-sons, as well as upon the fact that many of our new members are 

 persons of influence at points remote from Ottawa, and among whom 

 are represented the several provinces from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; 

 a feature which, I take it, is largely due to the change in the policy 

 of the club two years ago, when the scope of its work and transactions 

 was extended. In this extended membership I see a very great 

 element of strength, so much so that I feel, if we can keep up the 



