18G5.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 75 



the common harebell or bluebell of Great Britain, which was 

 known to occur about Lakes Huron and Superior, and which, by 

 some, has been elevated into the rank of a species, under the name 

 of Campanula Unifolia, has been also found in Newfoundland. Its 

 very limited distribution in North America is quite remarkable. Dr. 

 Dawson remarked that the plants of Newfoundland appear to be of 

 a boreal or sub-arctic type, that the flora was of a decidedly Scandi- 

 navian character, and that many of the species were identical with 

 plants found in Great Britain and in various other parts of North- 

 ern Europe. J. F. w. 



ANNUAL CONVERSAZIONE. 

 The third annual Conversazione of the Society was held at the 

 rooms, University Street, on the evening of Monday, Feb. 21st, 

 on which occasion the museum and library were thrown open, and 

 crowded by a concourse of our most respectable and influential 

 citizens, a large number of ladies being present. In the library 

 were a number of microscopes of great power, exhibited by Messrs 

 A. S. Ritchie and F. Cundill, which attracted a constant succes- 

 sion of the curious, many of the specimens being deeply interest- 

 ing. In the lecture-room were laid out a number of illustrations 

 and illustrated works, in connection with various departments of 

 Natural History ; Mr. D. R. McCord's collection of Canadian 

 Ferns ; a series of De La Rue's photographs of the Moon ; and 

 microscopes exhibited by Messrs. J. Ferrier, jun., and Thomas 

 Rimmer. The visitors having entertained themselves with 

 inspecting the various objects of interest, or in listening to the fine 

 strains of the band of the 63rd Regiment, stationed in the gallery 

 of the museum, finally assembled in the lecture-room, to listen to 

 an address from Principal Dawson. 



Principal Dawson said that although the members of the 

 Natural History Society were not 'a speaking people, he desired to 

 say a word on what they aimed to accomplish, as well as on the 

 various objects exhibited that eveniug. The object of the Society 

 was three-fold : first, industrial or economic ; second, educational ; 

 and third, scientific, which might be termed their object proper. 

 In the economic department, their aim was to collect objects illus- 

 trating the products of the country, as well as to diffuse informa- 

 tion as to anything in relation thereto which had an injurious 

 tendency : he believed they had already done something in this 

 way. Their educational object was to diffuse among young peo- 

 ple a taste for something more than ordinary light or frivolous 



