THE 



CANADIAN NATURALIST 



AND 



(^itavtcvlij f auvual t^t Science, 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE 

 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MONTREAL, 

 PRINCIPAL DAWSON, L.L.D., F.R.S., iUa>/, 1872. 



As the Society has done me the honor to elect me twice in 

 succession to the office of President, and as ni}^ address of last 

 year was occupied almost entirely '^with local details, I may be 

 permitted on the present occasion to direct your attentioi in the 

 first place to some general topics of scientific interest, and merely 

 to notice our own more special work in the end of this address. 

 From the many subjects to which your attention and that of 

 kindred Societies has been called in the past year, I may select 

 the following as deserving our attention : — (1) The present aspect 

 of inquiries as to the introduction of genera and species in geo- 

 logical time. (2) The growth of our knowledge of the Primor- 

 dial and Laurentian rocks and their fossils. (3) The questions 

 relating to the so-called Glacial Period. 



There can be no doubt that the theory of evolution, more es- 

 pecially that phase of it which is advocated by Darwin, has 

 greatly extended its influence, especially among young English 

 and American naturalists, within the few past years. We now 

 constantly see reference made to these theories, as if they were 

 established principles, applicable without question to the explana- 

 tion of observed facts, while classifications notoriously based on 

 these views, and in themselves untrue to nature, have gained 



Vol. VII. A No. 1. 



