No. 2.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. Ill 



Oovernments of Great Britain and the United States, Canada 

 should at least have the credit of thoroughly exploring the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence, one of the most interesting; inland vseas in the 

 world; and it is to be hoped that the Honorable the Minister of 

 Marine and Fisheries will follow up in this matter the work he 

 has so well beoun. 



I have considered it my duty, in this address, prepared, as 

 jou know, merely as the substitute of my aged friend, Mr. Barn- 

 ston, one of the veterans in the study of natural history in this 

 country, to dwell almost entirely on the special interests of the 

 Society, and I would, in conclusion, earnestly bespeak in its be- 

 half your warm and zealous countenance and aid, in order that it 

 may enter on a new and vigorous career, and may in the year to 

 <?.ome advance with acclerated rapidity and make itself more and 

 more worthy of being the central and most important Society de- 

 voted to Natural Science in this Dominion. 



I trust that those who have been the old and tried friends of 

 the Society will still cling to its interests, and that the young 

 naturalists who are rising up around us will add their fresh 

 vigour and enthusiasm, so that the next year may be signalized 

 by greater things than any which has preceded it. For my own 

 part I am disposed to give more time and effort than heretofore, 

 rather than less, to the interests of the Society, whether aiding 

 in its management or in contributing to its scientific success. 



The Chairman of Council, Mr. G. L. Marler, then read the 

 following report of the f>roceedings of that body : 



REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL. 



Your Council at the end of their year of office respectfully re_ 

 port as follows : 



That the monthly meetings of the Society have not been very 

 numerously attended — a fact greatly to be regretted and due 

 perhaps to their having been called by postal cards, issued at the 

 beginning of the year and containing a list of the meetings, with 

 their dates. Your Council had hoped tliat this system would 

 have attained its object, but it has apparently been unsuccessful. 



Your Council suggest that for the ensuing year, arrangements 

 he made as early in the season as possible for the papers to be 

 read at the monthly meetings and for the Sommerville course of 

 Lectures : in this way contributors would have ample time to 

 prepare their subjects and there could be some system adopted 

 as to the order of the papers, &c. 



