PROCEEDINGS FOR 189(i CI 



Français du Cunuda. M. Marchand a lu une pièce de vers intitulé Nos petits 

 péchés capitaux. M. Fn-chette a lu une monographie sur (îilles do Retz. 



M. Suite a éAé nommé membre du comité qui vient d'etre formé jiar 

 l'assemblée o-énérale pour choisir les officiers de la société. 



La section recommende que M. Edouard Richard et M. Nérée 

 Beauchemin, soient nommés membres actifs de la Société Royale dans la 

 première section. 



Les officiers élus par la section pour l'année 1896-97, sont : 



M. Gosselin — Président. 



M. Roy — Vice-président. 



M. Suite— Secrétaire. 

 Benjamin Sulte, A. H. Gosselin, Ptre. 



Secrétaire. Président. 



Ottawa. 21 mai, 1896. 



Report of Section II. 



The following papers were read before the section : 

 1. — "Further remarks upon the voyages of the Cabots and the land- 

 fall of 1497," by Dr. S. E. Dawson. 



In this pcaper the author endeavours to notice such publications as have appeared 

 since the date of his previous paper, and to discuss any new points which have been 

 raised in reh\tion to the Cabot Voyages— a subject of special interest at the present 

 time, when the Royal Society propose to have a celebration at Halifax in 1897. 



2. — " The Ancient Literature of America," by John Campbell, LL.D. 



It is not generally known that the American Indian was in full possession of the 

 art of letters many centuries prior to his discovery by the Spaniard ; nor is the 

 average anthropologist on American soil aware of the extensive literature, in prose 

 and in verse, didactic, lyric, and dramatic, that still survives, either in the original 

 tongue or in a Spanish dress, to bear witness to 'much ancient intellectual activity 

 on the part of the aborigines. By materials, some of which are the writer's own, 

 but mostly gathered from various sources, more or less accessible, he has given 

 proofs of the existence of ideographic and syllabic writings in ancient America ; and 

 has given specimens of compositions, ranging from Canada to Peru, that are most 

 worthy of attention as illustrating the peculiar genius of the native author. Special 

 attention has been paid to the rich field presented in Mexico and Central America, 

 while the orally transmitted compositions of tribes inhabiting more northern regions 

 have not been on that account neglected. 



3. — " The Story of Canada," by Dr. Bourinot, C.M.G. 



This paper contains an abstract of an historical work of the author about to be 

 published in London and New York, showing the picturesque features of Canadian 

 history from the Discovery of Canada until Confederation, and dealing mainly with 

 epoch-making events. 



4. — " Constitutional Studies : The Legislative Council of ISTova 

 Scotia," by the same. 



This paper gives an historical review of the origin and development of the Upper 

 House of the legislature of the province of Nova Scotia, and shows the legal and 

 constitutional conditions under which its members hold their office. The subject is 



