1869.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 67 



fic value, and of the utmost importance to the knowledge of nature 

 as it exists in this country, and to the development of our resour- 

 ces. No other institution in Canada can pretend to have made 

 any contribution to the Natural History of this continent approach- 

 ing this in value and extent. I may also mention its Museum, 

 which has within the last few years made great progress, under 

 the care of Mr. Whiteaves, and by the patient labour of our cabi- 

 net-keeper, Mr. Hunter. When I look through this museum to- 

 day, and observe its admirable arrangement and the great amount 

 of scientific material of real value which it contains, I can scarcely 

 believe that it has grown from the confused and paltry collection 

 which was huddled together in our former rooms in Little St. 

 James street. Nor has its growth ceased. The additions made 

 within the last six months amount to 200 species of vertebrate 

 animals, a large number of invertebrates, and about 200 fossils, 

 besides many other objects. Taking together, the collections of 

 this Society, of the Geological Survey and of the McGill Univer- 

 sity, Montreal now stands far in advance of any other city of this 

 Dominion in its museums of Natural Science; and thus affords 

 greater facilities than any other to the student of Canadian Natu- 

 ral History and Geology. This is no mean advantage, and is espe- 

 cially appropriate to a commercial and manufacturing metropolis ; 

 and it will be far more strongly felt when we shall have in connec- 

 tion with the University, or with any other agency that may be 

 established, Schools of Science for the training of our young men 

 in the practical application of Science to the Arts. In this respect 

 this Society has all along been in advance of the age ; because here, 

 as elsewhere, the accumulation of museums must always precede 

 the establishment in any large and eflFectual way of the higher 

 grade of scientific schools. A knowledge of this fact, has I confess 

 stimulated my own efforts in behalf of this museum and that of 

 the university, since I hoped that here, as in the old world, the 

 CDllection of objects would afibrd a safe basis for the erection of 

 scientific education. There are some branches of knowledo-e and 

 culture, and these very valuable in themselves and the trainino- 

 they afford, which require nothing but teachers and books for their 

 successful prosecution. But training in science, to attain to any 

 useful results, must have large preparatory appliances in collec- 

 tions and apparatus. This along with the apathy which naturally 

 exists as to anything of which the public has had no previous 

 experience, is no doubt, a cause of the lamentable fact that Canada 



