No. 8.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 475 



Mr. G. L. Marler then read the 



Report of the Chairman of Council: 



The year now closina; has been one of exceptional character 

 in the history of the Society, the invitation to the Ameri- 

 can Association for the Advancement of Science h.-ivins; been 

 accepted, and the meeting' of that body for 1882 held in 

 this city. This meeting; brought touether a jarue concourse of 

 the scientists of Americ.i, and a number also from Europe. The 

 American Forestry Congress also met in this city and received 

 the assistance of our Natural History Society. 



As the result of the meetino; of the Forestrv Conu'ress we have 

 to chronicle the formation of a Canadian Association under the 

 name of " Forestry Association of the Province of Quebec, 

 Canada," and of the proclamation by the Provincial Government 

 that a day in the month of May be devoted to tree planting and 

 called "Arbor Day." As the result of our invitation together 

 with that of other bodies w^e hope to take part in entertaining 

 the members of the British Association in August, 1884. 



Fourteen new ordinary members were elected during the year,, 

 and one corresponding member. We have to regret that the 

 Society's ranks have been depleted by the death of several old 

 members — Sir Hugh Allan, George Barnston, Dr. De Sola, 

 James Court, M. H. Sanborn and David Greenshields. 



The usual course of Somerville lectures was given to the 

 number of six, as follows : — 



1883. 



Feby. 1st. " A Sketch of the Life and Bequests of the Rev. 



James Somerville, founder of these lectures." 

 By Rev. Robert Campbell, 31. A. 



Feby. 8th. " Life Forces in Health and Disense." By Dr. 



John Wanless, L.F.P.S, c^^c. 



Feby. 15th. " Notes on a Tour in the White Mountains." By 



Prof. P. J. Darey, M.A., B.C.L. 



Feby. 22ud. -' How Rocks are formed " By J. T. Donald,. 



M.A., F.C.S. 



March 1st. On " The Athabaska McKenzie Basin." By 



Robert Bell, M.D., LL.D., F.G.S. 



March 8th " The Geoloay of the Old and New World com- 

 pared." By T. Sterry Hunt, LL.D., F.R.S., 

 &c. 



