Natural History Society. 237 



Report of the Co^tncil. 

 The past year has been characterised by steady progress and 

 prosperity in the affairs of the Society. The papers read have 

 been numerous and important, the publication of the Naturalist 

 has been maintained with its usual vigour, the annual course of 

 Somerville lectures has been delivered to crowded audiences, 

 considerable additions have been made to the library and museum, 

 the number of members has increased, and the legislative grant 

 and the increased amount of fees from members have much im- 

 proved the financial position of the Society. Such details as are 

 necessary under these heads may be stated as follows : — 



PAPERS READ. 



Since last annual meeting seventeen important papers have 

 been read, all of which have been published in the Canadian 

 Naturalist and Geologist, or are now in course of publication, 

 and which have been noticed in detail in the address of the Presi- 

 dent. 



Many other papers not read before the Society, especially a very 

 valuable one by Mr. T. Sterry Hunt, and short notices on various 

 subjects connected with Canadian Natural History, have been 

 published. This Society may thus fairly take the credit of having 

 been the medium through which in the past year many contri- 

 butions of much importance have been made to Natural History 

 and Geology. 



PUBLICATION OF THE NATURALIST. 



A very important movement in connection with the Naturalist 

 is the employment of a portion of the Provincial grant to the 

 Society in organising a system of exchanges with the leading 

 scientific publications of Britain, America, and the continent of 

 Europe. This will in the ensuing year publish more extensively 

 than heretofore the matter contained in the Naturalist. It will 

 afford a wider range of material for comment and selection ; 

 and will tend materially to the increase of the Library. It will 

 also much extend the reputation of this Society and of Canadian 

 Science in general ; since wherever it is known, the Naturalist is 

 now regarded as one of the most important representatives of 

 Natural History on this continent. 



While all the members of the Editing Committee have exerted 

 themselves on behalf of the Naturalist, it is due to Mr. D. Allan 

 Poe to state, that on him has fallen as heretofore the chief burden 

 of editorial supervision, and that the Society is very much indebted 

 to his exertions in this important part of its work. 



