1864.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 59 



them — embarked in the execution of projects of benevolence, edu- 

 cation, religious, mental and bodily welfare, and I have understood 

 that Montreal is in this behalf not one whit behind other notable ci- 

 ties in her Majesty's dominions. But I do think, sir, without any dis- 

 paragement of the aim and work of those other combinations of effort 

 which have been alluded to, that one of the very chief ornaments 

 of this city, and one of the most efficient promoters of progress, is 

 the Natural History Society. Embracing in its list of members, 

 living and deceased, a good number of persons of high reputation 

 that extends far beyond the immediate scene of their labors, it 

 can and does command that sort and degree of respect which gives 

 weight to its proceedings, and which could not attend the efforts 

 of any number of merely local magnates. The domain of the 

 Society's researches being the boundless field of nature, and in a 

 comparatively new country where almost every day new develop- 

 ments strengthen the confidence that is entertained in the magni- 

 tude of its natural resources, the Society may be expected in the 

 success of its work to render services of the greatest value to the 

 whole community by being instrumental in bringing those resources 

 more and more into notice. I ought, perhaps, to apologize for pre- 

 suming on your indulgence when I venture to make remarks of 

 this kind — when I suggest that the expectations of the public may 

 possibly extend much further than some would at first sight ad- 

 mit to be legitimate as regards the labors of one society. But I 

 shall be pardoned, I think, when it is borne in mind how few and 

 slender as yet, and as compared with older countries, are our 

 organized means for the promotion of various special branches of 

 science. The day to us has not yet dawned for venturing to take 

 in hand the organization of distinct societies, to promote astrono- 

 my, chemistry, botany, meteorology, entomology, and a number of 

 other leading branches upon which the progress of natural history 

 is more or less essentially dependent. It must be obvious that the 

 friends of science in this country are naturally led, through the 

 force of circumstances, to depend upon such a body as the Natu- 

 ral History Society of Montreal for fostering and keeping alive 

 amongst us a general scientific spirit, and atone of natural science 

 in all its branches and operations to take up work which elsewhere 

 would be allotted to other associations. For these and like reasons it 

 must be gratifying to the members of this society to feel that 

 whatever they can do in behalf of science generally, even in cases 



