1870.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 443 



A large aud fine series of English game birds, from Mr. Albert 

 Jowett, of England ; through Mr. Champion Brown, '* Alaska 

 and its resources," by Dall, presented by Mr. John Paitou ; and 

 from Hon. Thomas Ryan, a wooden tally. 



The Secretary then read a paper by Major G. E. Bulger, F. 

 L. S., F. R. G. S., entitled, Notes on Vegetable Productions. 

 This will be found at page 66 of the present volume. 



Professor Bell's paper on the various species of deer inhabiting 

 the Dominion was read. This paper was illustrated by maps, 

 showing by means of colours, the geographical distribution 

 of the four species of deer referred to, namely, the Moose, the 

 "Wapiti, the Caribou, and the Red Deer. The author said he 

 would not describe the characters or habits of these animals, but 

 would refer principally to their geographical distribution, and to 

 the necessity which exists for their better protection from destruc- 

 tion. The writer on the Mammals of America had not pointed 

 out the geographical range of each species of deer with as much 

 precision as would be desirable. The range of the Moose and the 

 Wapiti had been greatly contracted since the settlement of the 

 continent by white men, and since firearms had been placed in 

 the hands of Indians. At the present time the Moose was said to 

 be confined principally to the region between the Ottawa and the 

 Saguenay and James' Bay, the northern part of Maine, the Gaspe 

 Peninsula, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; while the Wapiti is 

 found only in the Western States and North West Territories, 

 although at one time it ranged from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 

 and from Canada to Virginia. • The encroachments of civilization 

 had not affected the distribution of the Caribou and Red Deer 

 nearly as much as that of the other two species. This was owing 

 to the circumstance that the region of the Caribou was not of such 

 a character as to invite the white man, and in the case of the Red 

 Deer to the fact, that they are not driven away by the settlement 

 of the country but rather increase in numbers if afforded shelter 

 and protection. Caribou were said to be found across the whole 

 breadth of the continent from Canada, northward to the Arctic 

 Ocean, while the Red Deer ranged southwards from the St. 

 Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. 



Mr. Bell next referred to the evils arising from the too frequent 

 changes which are being made in the Game Laws of Ontario and 

 Quebec, and to the still imperfect nature of these laws. It was 



