1865.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 305 



being in constant communication with the residents of country- 

 places, from whom specimens of interest to the Society might be 

 procured. 



PUBLIC LECTURES. 



The Somerville lectures this year have been extremely interest- 

 ing; their subjects were as follows: 



February 16th, 1865. On the Oldest Fossil known, and its 

 living representatives: by Principal Dawson, LL.D., F.R.S. 



March 2nd, 1865. On the Occurrence of Metals in Nature : 

 by Dr. T. S terry Hunt, F.R.S. 



March 0th, 1865. Shells, considered from a popular and 

 a literary point of view : by J. F. Whiteaves, F.G.S. 



March 16th, 1865. On Ferns : by D. R. McCord, B.A. 



March 21st, 1865. On Certain Chemical Manufactures which 

 might be advantageously introduced and carried on in Canada : 

 by Prof. Bell, F.G.S. 



March 28th, 1865. On Combustion, illustrated with experi- 

 ments : by Dr. Girdwood. 



CONVERSAZIONE. 



The Annual Conversazione of the Society was held on the even- 

 ing of February 21st, and was unusually successful, upwards of 

 400 persons being present. [A report of this meeting will be 

 found on page 75.] 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



It is a matter of congratulation that we have secured the ser- 

 vices of Mr. Whiteaves for two years longer, commencing from the 

 first of April, 1865, at a salary of $100 per annum; and for this 

 sum he undertakes to conduct the correspondence, to act as sub- 

 Librarian, and to edit the Naturalist if necessary. 



Mr. Whiteaves will give, in his capacity of curator and sub- 

 librarian, an account of the alterations in and additions to the 

 museum and library. Your Council respectfully urge upon their 

 successors the desirability of increasing the membership as far as 

 possible. There are so many advantages that we can offer to the 

 public, and such facilities afforded for studying Natural His- 

 tory in the city and its vicinity, that we believe the Society 

 requires to be more generally known than it is at present. There 

 are many inhabitants of Montreal who have never seen the 

 Museum ; and it might be worth while to consider how far it could 

 be thrown open to the public on certain occasions, free of charge, 

 as is done by kindred institutions in Great Britain. 



Vol. II. u No. 4. 



