No. 6.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 377 



arrano-ement. Would it not be well, for instance, to make a care- 

 ful collection of duplicate sjDecimens from our museum and to 

 present them to kindred institutions in and beyond the Dominion ? 

 This act would no doubt be cordially reciprocated, and our mu- 

 seum would be enriche^ and enlarged thereby. But for such 

 work it would be well to have a committee. 



It is a matter of congratulation that our Society has accom- 

 plished so much for our city and our people, with pecuniary 

 resources so limited. We have been fortunate in securing nu- 

 merous and valuable exchanges with nearly all the countries of 

 Europe, with the United States, and with the Provinces, and 

 various parts of the Dominion. But we must now learn how 

 best to preserve what we have acquired and how to complete and 

 perfect our arrangement. Besides, to make our collection prac- 

 tically available a full and correct catalogue is indispensable — 

 which need be only a reprint of our admirably named collection. 



The losses by death and other causes, since our last annual 

 meeting have been severely felt, and we are sorry to include the 

 names of the Hon. L. S. Holton, M. P., life-member, and of 

 Andrew Robertson, advocate, active ordinary member. We regret 

 to be called upon to record also the demise of a distinguished 

 honorary member, Professor Joseph Henry. Some of the mem- 

 bers of the Society here present had the pleasure of meeting 

 him at Montreal in 1857, at the aeneral meetino; of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science (of which you have 

 heard from Principal Dawson). 



I think it would be advisable to petition the Government for 

 a copyright law making it obligatory on all publishers to contri- 

 bute a copy of every publication to the several literary and scien- 

 tific institutions of the Province. 



I wish to remind you that members are not denied the privi- 

 lege of contributing to the library and museum, a privilege I 

 need scarcely say that is cordially extended to the public. We 

 are ready to do our part in the work of the Society, but it will 

 ever be a sjreat inducement to earnest and continued labor that 

 the members of the Society feel that they are not working alone. 

 The records of the past show what has been done, and I think 

 the Society has no reason to be ashamed of its history. But 

 while past success gives hope of future progress, this very success 

 shows, in its shortcoming, how that progress may be best secured. 



