396 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [June 



room for additional specimens. Upwards of a hundred new 

 species of birds (of which ninety-two specimens were presented 

 by the University of Oxford), several fine and rare mammals, and 

 specimens in every other branch of natural history, make the new 

 cases urgently called for. 



Perhaps the most important alteration introduced this year has 

 been the throwing the Museum open to the public gratuitously 

 on Saturdays, from 1 to 4 p.m. in winter, and from 2 to 6 p.m. in 

 summer. This step, which was not taken without full deliber- 

 ation and some difference of opinion among the members, has at 

 any rate proved their desire to spread the knowledge and pleasure 

 to be derived from their collections as widely as possible among 

 the inhabitants of Montreal and the strangers visiting the city. 

 At first considerable damage was done to the property of the 

 Society; but, an appeal having been made to the Mayor, two 

 policemen have been regularly placed in attendance, and the 

 conduct of visitors has been such as to warrant the Council in 

 recommending the present as a permanent arrangement. The 

 visitors have varied from 30 to 130 on these occasions, — a small 

 number for so large a population. 



During the past summer one of the Vice-Presidents, Mr. 

 Leeming, kindly made arrangements to send the Cabinet-keeper 

 on a collecting excursion to the coast of Maine. This was not 

 only an agreeable change from his ordinary employments, but 

 Mr. Leeming (who defrayed all the expenses of the expedition,) 

 generously presented the specimens obtained to the Museum. 

 Many other places might be visited with great advantage if other 

 gentlemen are disposed to follow this excellent example. 



The Scientific Curator reports as follows : — 



Mammalia. — Fourteen specimens of North American mam- 

 mals, mostly Californian species, and six specimens of Australian 

 marsupials, have been procured. These additions made it 

 necessary to re-group and re-arrange the whole of this part of 

 the collection. The collection of antlers has been taken down, 

 cleaned, re-arranged, and conspicuously labelled. 



Birds. — The collection of birds has largely increased, especial- 

 ly in the department of British and exotic species. Ninety-two 

 specimens have been presented by the authorities of the Univer- 

 sity of Oxford and by the late Rev. F. W. Hope, through Prof. 

 Westwood. Mr. Angas has given an Australian eagle, Mr. 

 Jno. Molson a specimen of the "black-headed plover" of the 



