56 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Feb. 



housie refused his countenance to this new institution. Several 

 papers were read, and a successful progress became manifest. After 

 a while, a disposition on the part of the Literary and Historical 

 Society to conciliate the new one, and even to advocate a fusion 

 of the two, became apparent. This was ultimately effected, retain- 

 ing the original title. The union of the two societies was produc- 

 tive of good, the working members becoming more numerous. 

 Some of their labors appear in the transactions of the Society. 

 On the accession of Sir James Kemp to the government of the 

 Province, he very liberally bestowed to the Society a copy of that 

 splendid work of art, Claude's Z{6er Veritatis ; also a transit in- 

 strument, and an excellent telescope. Here it may be mentioned 

 that M. Chasseur, a naturalist of Quebec, had formed a museum as 

 a matter of speculation, principally composed of birds; but finding 

 that it did not answer his expectation in point of revenue, he per- 

 suaded the Legislature to purchase the collection ; and it was placed 

 under the care of the Literary and Historical Society, in addition to 

 their own museum, which had assumed a respectable condition. 

 When in 1838 Lord Durham was sent out to conciliate the people, 

 and restore Canada to a state of peace, he did at least one good thing. 

 Led by the title of the Society to suppose that literature and history 

 were its sole aim, he brought out a large and select collection of 

 the ancient Grreek and Latin historians, and presented it to the 

 Society, for which he is entitled to praise. This valuable addition 

 to the library was received thankfully, and it furnished the means 

 for several reviews and criticisms by that very learned and esteemed 

 member of the Society, Dr. Wilkie. At later periods that So- 

 ciety has been very unfortunate, having been no less than three 

 times burnt out ; losing much of its accumulation of objects of nat- 

 ural history, books, and apparatus, thus receiving a severe check in 

 scientific pursuits ; but it is now gradually recovering from its losses, 

 and again rising into a state of activity. Before concluding, a word of 

 commendation must be said on the Geological Survey of the Prov- 

 ince, now for so many years so well and so efiiciently conducted 

 by its learned and amiable head, assisted by an active and scienti- 

 fic staff. Their joint labors have been eminently successful, as is 

 abundantly shown by the very complete Geological Museum in 

 this city; by their periodical reports of work done, now consolida- 

 ted into one large volume, which, of course, will be studied by all 

 scientific devotees, a monument of the industry of the Commission 



