No. 3.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 179 



The arrangements for the transfer of the museum and library 

 of the Society to the custody of the Fraser Institute, have, as 

 you are aware, been completed as far as possible, and the terms 

 of union agreed upon. Your Council are of opinion that by the 

 proposed transfer the Society will be relieved of much pecuniary 

 responsibility, and that in future it will be able to devote its 

 funds more exclusively to such objects as the improvement of 

 the library and museum, as well as to that of the " Canadian 

 Naturalist." 



The regular monthly meetings have been held during the past 

 session, to the number of six, and were very fairly attended. 

 The titles of the papers read will be found in their proper place 

 in the Proceedings of the Society. 



Your Council regret to report that the Government has seen 

 fit to discontinue deep-sea dredging operations in the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence, but your Council hope that the discontinuance 

 will be only temporary, and that the Government may be again 

 induced to resume this most interesting and important work. 



The lecture room has been rented during the year, and the 

 sum of 8347.00 has thus been added to the funds of the Society. 

 The Sommerville Course of free public Lectures have been 

 delivered as usual, and that they have been fully appreciated is 

 shewn by the large audiences by which they were attended. 

 The subjects of the lectures, the date at which they were de- 

 livered, and the names of the lecturers, will be found in the 

 Proceedings. 



The customary grant of $750 has been duly received from the 

 Provincial Parliament, but an application for an increase of the 

 amount was unsuccessful. 



At the suggestion of Lieut.-Col. Bulger a Committee has re- 

 cently been appointed to issue directions for the use of pheno- 

 logical observers, and your Council would urge upon its succes- 

 sors the desirability of taking prompt action in this matter. 



Arrangements have just been completed for the whitewashing 

 and re-tinting of a large portion of your building. 



The number of persons visiting the museum has been about 

 equal to the average of former years. 



Owing to the backward state of the season, it was thought 

 desirable to postpone the holding of a field meeting on the 

 Queen's birth-day. 



