XXXIV ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



a large number have already appeared in print, and sufficient Avill be 

 forthcoming to furnish an interesting article weekl}^ for two or three 

 years to come. When completed and bound in book form, these papers 

 will form a most valuable collection of material lor future historians. 



A number of leading officials of the county have taken a prominent 

 part in the institute's work. Its successive pi-esidents, Mr. James H. 

 Coyne, B.A., registrar ; C. O. Ermatinger, Q.C., junior judge ; K. W. 

 McKay, county clerk, and W. Atkin, county inspector of schools, have 

 exerted themselves to popularize the study of the earl}- records, with the 

 result that the county council, the public school teachers and the pupils 

 are very cxtensivelj^ interested and the general public are taking an 

 increasing interest from year to year in the objects of the institute. 



Mr. Atkin, the president, in his official visits to the school sections, 

 is zealous and active in stimulating the teachers and students to collect 

 and record the reminiscences of the early settlei's before it is too late. 



The attention of the officers of the institute being largely engrossed 

 with these local histories during the past 3'ear, only one paper was read 

 by a member of the institute, " The First Exploration of Lake Erie," 

 being a topographical paper on (ralinée and Dollier de Casson's route 

 along the north shore in 16(J9-70, identifying the impoi'tant places men- 

 tioned by the former in his narrative, by James H. Coyne, B.A. 



The officers of the institute for the year 1896-97 are as follow : 



President, W. Atkin, inspector of schools. 



Vice-President, James A. Bell, county and city engineer. 



Secretary and Treasurer, W. H. Murch. 



Curator and Librarian, J. W. Stewart. 



Editor, Judge Ermatinger. 



Council — James II. Coyne, B.A., Judge Hughes, K. W. McKay, J. 

 S. Brierley, M. A. Gilbert, J. Wilkinson, M. D. Carder, Dr. H. H. Way. 



The first pioneer in the county of Elgin having settled in Aldborough 

 in 1796, it is proposed to commemorate the event in a suitable manner. 



III. — F)-om Tlte Lundifs Lane Hfatorical Societij, through Capt. 



Cruiksiiank. 



This societ}'' is one of several similar oi'ganizations which have 

 sprung up into vigour and usefulness in Ontario within the last few years. 

 Its proceedings at anniversaries have been regarded with lively interest 

 by very large assemblies of people, and have been fully reported by the 

 press of Ontario and of New York state. The records of the L. Jj. H. S. 

 show a large amount of money expemled in printing histoi-ical literature; 

 also on two recent occasions of military re-inlerments, besides the 

 restoration of burial trenches of July 25, 1814, and the general care of 

 the honoured cemetery. 



