1870.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCITEY. 213 



than 437 species ; and as a result of an expedition originated by 

 the British Government, who sent the " Lightning " to dredge 

 in the sea between the Hebrides and the Faroe Islands, we learn 

 — and especially from an account of the expedition, given by Dr. 

 Colhns, in the Transactions of the Royal Society — that there were 

 found to be currents of different temperature running side by 

 side. In one place the temperature of the surface was 54^, and 

 at the bottom 48°, and in the other the surface was 54*^ and the 

 bottom 38^. Dr. Collins considered that one was the back 

 current of the water that had coursed from the tropics to the 

 poles. These and many other interesting facts which time will 

 not permit me to notice, however briefly, on this occasion, may be 

 some warrant for the desire evinced by the Society to do its share 

 of labour in this field, and would be sufficient apology, if any were 

 needed, for the resolutions unanimously adopted by the Society in 

 March last, which afl&rmed it to be important to the cause of 

 science and conducive to the interests and reputation of this 

 Dominion, that researches by dredging should be prosecuted in 

 the Gulf and River St. Lawrence, in order to ascertain the 

 character of marine life in the greater depths and at the confluence 

 of the fresh and salt waters of the river. And as this Society 

 and individual members thereof, have so far entered upon such 

 researches as to prove their feasibility and importance, but have 

 not the means of continuing them effectually, the Society was of 

 opinion that aid should be afforded to such operations by the 

 government, in the manner in which this has been done in Great 

 Britain and other countries, especially by giving for a short time 

 in summer, fiicilities on board a government vessel to a party to be 

 furnished and fitted out by this Society, which would undertake 

 to pro3ure observers and scientific apparatus and make reports 

 upon such results as might be obtained. A committee, consistino- 

 of Drs. Smallwood, P. P. Carpenter, and Messrs. E. Hartley and 

 J. F. Whiteaves, was organized to correspond with the Dominion 

 Government, through the Hon. the Minister of Marine, with the 

 view of effecting the desired results, and Principal Dawson has 

 been requested, while in London, to obtain information as to the 

 best methods of making such subsidiary observations on the tem- 

 perature, chemical quality, &c., of the water at great depths, as 

 have been made by the recent dredging operations under the 

 auspices of the British Government, and, if possible, to procure 

 specimens of the necessary apparatus. I will only say further on 



