PROCEEDINGS OF THE EEGENTS. 103 



application. Indeed they very rarely use printed names at all, but 

 instead employ elegantly Avritten cards, each label costing about 12 

 or 15 cents. It would certainly confer an advantage upon our public 

 cabinets if you would strike off sets of labels of all the important 

 species upon thick card-paper, wliich might, as required, have the 

 localities inserted with the pen. This would give uniformity to our 

 museums, and prove extremel_y useful. 



I would suggest that before distributing your duplicates, you re- 

 tain them for six months in order to permit exchanges for things 

 needed by your collection ; such exchanges to be made at Washing- 

 ton. Afterwards the duplicates should be given to each of the States. 



I shall be very happy to form an exchange of meteoric specimens, 

 in order to obtain a supply of your St. Rosa (New Mexico) iron. 



I am very glad you intend to bring the minerals into order. Many 

 valuable contributions will thus be secured. 



Excuse the haste in which I write, and believe me, verv truly, yours, 



C. A. SHEPARD. 



Professor Henry. 



University College, Toronto, January 31, 1862. 



Dear Sir : At the request of the faculty, students, and board of 

 •curators of Knox College, the theological institution of the Canada 

 Presbyterian church, I have ventured to write to you on the subject 

 of our museum. 



We are anxious, by an energetic and united effort, to accomplish 

 three things. 



1. To awaken throughout the country an interest in the world of 

 nature. 



2. To collect, as far as possible, specimens illustrativ^e of all the 

 zoological, botanical, and mineralogical species of Canada. We think 

 that the solution of several important scientific problems — tlie north- 

 ern limit of species, <fcc. — are involved in this. The ground is being 

 gradually occupied. The Geological Survey, the Botanical Society, 

 the Montreal Natural History Society, the Canadian Institute, &c., 

 are all doing their share in the work of research ; but there is a wide 

 field still open. 



Our third object will be to supply societies, museums, &c., with 

 specimens from this country. In doing this we shall always bear in 

 mind the fact that the Smithsonian is the great central institution for 

 the continent, and that in no other way can our ultimate object be so 

 well attained as by working with you. 



A part of our scheme was to issue circulars giving information on 

 the best methods of procuring, preserving, and forwarding specimens. 



Could you furnish us with three hundred copies of your "Direc- 

 tions?" We will, with your permission, append a short circular 

 stating our plan, and appealing to the people to join with us in car- 

 rying it into execution, and then without delay try to put them all 

 into the hands of parties who will make a good use of them. Please 

 aid us all you can in the matter. We have just enough of articles on 



