1864.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 51 



the support and consideration of the public, independently of the 

 purely scientific discoveries, or of the pleasures to be derived from 

 the collections and lectures. A committee of the Society has, for 

 instance, been engaged in promoting measures for the more effec- 

 tual protection of the smaller insectivorous birds which protect us 

 against insect ravages ; whilst another committee has been investi- 

 gating the causes of the decay of the apple-orchards, for which the 

 island of Montreal was once celebrated. Discussions have also 

 arisen at the meetings respecting the use of Canadian fibres in the 

 manufacture of fabrics and of paper. Nor should we omit to men- 

 tion another important part of the work of this Society, namely 

 that of popularizing natural science, thus rendering it more attrac- 

 tive, and causing its results to be more extensively known. This 

 end is sought to be attained by the popular course of Somerville 

 lectures, free to the public, and by throwing the Museum open on 

 easy terms. One of the new features worthy of special attention 

 is the engagement of a scientific curator, Mr. Whiteaves, under 

 whose care large portions of the collections have been arranged in 

 such a manner as to assist very materially in the study of natural 

 history. There have been added to the Museum within a short 

 time, many valuable contributions of marine shells, and some 

 interesting specimens to the collections of birds and fishes. 



" Many of the gratifying features which we have here briefly no- 

 ticed, in order to show the work that the Society is engaged in, and 

 what has been done, are attributed to the favorable impression 

 made by the first Conversazione, held last year ; one direct result 

 of which was that a member liberally offered to commence a list 

 with $200 to pay off the remaining indebtedness of the Society.'* 



The chair was taken at eight o'clock by Dr. Dawson, President 

 of the Society ; there being seated on the platform the Lord Bishop 

 of Montreal, Metropolitan, Rev. Mr. Ellegood, Rev. Mr. Kemp, 

 Rev. Dr. DeSola, Hon. Mr. Sheppard, Prof. Miles, Stanley Bagg, 

 Esq., W. H. A. Davies, Esq., John Deeming, Esq., and others. 

 The Hall was crowded throughout, many being unable to obtain 

 seats. The fine band of the Royal Artillery was present, by the 

 kind permission of Col. Dunlop, R.A. 



The introductory address was delivered by the President of the 

 Society, Principal Dawson, LL.D., who said: " Ladies and Gen- 

 tlemen, the members of the Natural History Society again wel- 

 come you to their annual conversazione, and trust that on this as 



