XXVI EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA, 



chiefly in tho departments of Physics, Archœology, Botany and Zoology, and especially in the study 

 of bii'ds and mammals. Dr. Botsford, oui-»President, has pursued some investigations on the conver- 

 sion of light into heat ; other members have explored a village of the stone age at Bocabec, in 

 Charlotte County, New Brunswick ; and a number of botanists in different parts of the Province of 

 New Brunswick have made observations on the flora, which have resulted in adding sixty species of 

 flowering plants to those previously known as inhabitants of New Brunswick. The value of the work 

 of these local botanists may be learned from the fact that the Dominion botanist has been satisfied to 

 trust to their zealous investigations, and has given his time to the exj)loration of the adjoining 

 provinces, where the study of botany is not so activel}' pursued. 



Ml-, Chamberlain, our delegate, who was to have presented these and other facts to you, has him- 

 self been engaged in the preparation of the list of mammals contained in the bulletin and in pursuing 

 his woi-k of investigating the migration of birds. In this line of study he is working in concert 

 with the American Ornithologist Union, of which he was one of the original promoters. The 

 aims and methods of this association have been very ably 'prosented to you by Dr. Merriam, its dele- 

 gate to the Eoyal Society of Canada. 



The Natural History Society of New Brunswick held its annual held meeting in June and a 



conversazione in April, and conducted a course of free lectures on Science during the winter months. 



The monthly meetings of the Society were well attended, and important additions were made to its 



museum and library. 



Bespectfully submitted, 



G. F. Matthew, Acting Delegate. 

 Ottawa, 21st May, 1884. 



XI. From the Entomological Society of Ontario, through Mi'. James Fletcher: — 



It affords me much pleasure, as delegate from one of the Societies honored with an invitation to 

 send a representative to the meetings of the Eoyal Society of Canada, to report that during the past 

 year the work of the Entomological Society of Ontario has been vigorously prosecuted, on the same 

 plan as that heretofore followed, with satisfactory and evident results. The monthly organ of the So- 

 ciety, the Canadian Entomologist, has been regularly issued, its pages having been entirely filled with 

 original contributions ft-om members of the Society, on Scientific and Practical Entomology. The 

 volume which closed with the year 1883, No. XV, consisted of 246 pages, and contained a number of 

 papers on Descriptive Entomology, embracing descriptions of no less than four genera and sixty- 

 seven species of insects new to Science; also papers on Practical Entomology, including life histories 

 of species, some of which have been minutely described in all their stages, and among them many in- 

 jurious to agriculture. 



With a view to pojjularize the science of Entomology, and to encourage beginners in the study, 

 a special series of illustrated articles has been published, which we hope will have the effect of increas- 

 ing the number of observers in this important branch of Biology. To further this end, and to sys- 

 tematize the descriptive work being done, in such a manner as to secure uniformity in this department 

 of research, the Council have prepared forms containing instructions for describing insects in their 

 different stages. There has also apjieared during the year in the Canadian Entomologist much valuable 

 information in reference to the geographical distribution of North American insects. 



For the benefit of those interested in Agriculture and Horticultm-e, the Annual Eeport, which is 

 always devoted to this practical aspect of the study, has recently been published, covering eighty- 

 three p.iges and embracing the Eeport of the Council, the Treasurer's Statement, the President's Inau- 

 o-ural Address, in which a review is given, not only of the work of the Society during the year, but also 

 of the most important events of interest to entomologists in North America; as well as popular 

 articles giving descriptions of and remedies for such insect foes as maj^ have been found particularly 



