232 Annual Meeting of the 



its journal extended and increased, and the "Naturalist" obtained 

 a wider and larger circulation and a foremost place as one of the 

 representatives of Canadian science, very many valuable ex- 

 changes have thereby been added to our library, which when 

 carefully preserved and bound will largely increase the number 

 of volumes in charge of the librarian. 



To D. A. Poe, Esq., of the Editing Committee, to whom was 

 entrusted the editorial supervision, as well as the members of the 

 Editing Committee, the Society is indebted for their exertions and 

 labors in connection with the " Naturalist." 



MUSEUM AND LIBRARY. 



The Reports of the Library Committee and of the Curator are 

 herewith submitted. Very many valuable donations have been 

 presented to the Society during the past year, both to the muse- 

 um and to the library. There is still much to be done in the 

 labelling and arrangement of the specimens in the museum ; and 

 it is hoped that this work will be pushed forward by our succes- 

 sors. The cabinet-keeper, Mr. Hunter, has assiduously attended 

 to his duties, the interests of the Society and the care of the mu- 

 seum. The numerous additions to the latter have been carefully 

 prepared and preserved by him. 



GENERAL AFFAIRS. 



The Council have to acknowledge with pleasure the receipt of 

 the annual grant of $1000 cy., from the Government in aid of the 

 Society. The financial aflairs as detailed in the annexed Treas- 

 urer's Report are highly gratifying. The actual debt of the 

 Society has been lessened about $300 cy., and all interest on the 

 loans and the old accounts fully paid up. Negotiations to trans- 

 fer the debt in mortgage, with a lesser rate of interest, are now 

 nearly completed. There is every reason to ho}*e that, by in- 

 creased exertion, the burdensome debt now cripphng the Society 

 may in the coming year be decreased. 



The notification of the monthly meetings is now made by cir- 

 cular to each member, and the charge for advertisements in the 

 newspapers, which from the number of meetings formerly reached 

 to a large sum, entirely done away with, and the attendance of 

 members secured at little expense. 



Petitions have been forwarded to the Legislature for legislative 

 enactment for the protection of the smaller birds, similar to that 

 which exists in other countries, and should action be therein taken 



