Till EOTAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 



recoi'il of llic greati'st iiilcicisl ; but in eoinpariiig the past of the Suciely willi llic prosont, I take 

 sonic comfort in tlio fact that our aftairs often presented a more striking appcai-anec of deeay in 

 I'orinei- years than they do at tlic ]>rcsent moment. Indeed, I feel that there lies before our Society 

 a bright ])rospect of doing good work — a period of prosperity, let us hope, such as it enjoyed under 

 the presidency of .Mr. J. M. LcMoine, and others, years ago. 



II. From tlie Nova Scotia Historical Society, through Mit. .1. (1. Boirinot : — 



Since the last repoit to the Eoyal Society, the Nova Scotia Historical Society has ailded fourteen 

 members to its roll, has held ten meetings, and has listened to eight papers, viz: — 



1. Ships of war wrecked on the coasts of Nova Scotia and Sable Island in the eightcenlh century, 

 by S. D. Macdonald, F.G.S. 



2. Sketch of the Hon. Simon Brad.sti'cct Eobie, Master of the EoUs, by Israel Longworth. 



3. 4. Plans submitted to the British Government in ITtl") by Sir Guy Carleton (Lord Dorches- 

 ter) : (1). Fo;- the founding of a Seminary of learning at Windsor in Nova Scotia; (2). For the estab- 

 lishment of au Episcopate in Nova Scotia, communicated by T. B. Akin, D.C.L. 



5. Life of Samuel Vetch, the tirst English Governor of Nova Scotia, by the Eev. Geo. Patterson, 

 D.D. 



0. Exodus of the Negroes from Nova Scotia in 1791. with extracts tVom the Journal of John 

 Clarkson, by the Hon. Sir A. G. Archibald, K.C.M.G. 



7. Translation of the Saga of Eric the Eed, wi-itten in the eleventh century, giving an account 

 of the Discovery of Vincland, by Ove Lange, read by Peter Jack. 



8. Early history of St. Gcoi'ge's Parish and the trials of the early (îei'man settlers in Nova 

 Scotia, by the Eev. Francis Partridge, D.D. 



Besides these, numerous other papers are in coui'se of preparation, and the Society has now in the 

 printers' hands a fourth volume of collections containing, among other things, the first jiart of " Win- 

 slow's .Tournai," and an account of the ill-fated expedition to Quebec under Sir Ilovenden Walker. 



III. Fiom the Kntomological Society of Ontario, through Mr. W. Hague Harrington : — 



As delegate from the Entomological Society of Ontario it affords me much pleasure to announce 

 that the Society has continued to make satisfactory progress, both in membershij) and in the work 

 which it undertakes. The monthly publication of the Entomologist brings before students of insects 

 both in this country and abroad, vei-y valuable and interesting papers on the habits and life- 

 histories of our sj)ecies, with frequent descriptions of new species discovered in our extensive country. 

 Volume XVI has been completed and sevei'al valuable parts of Volume XVII have been already' 

 issued. The " Annual Eeport " No. xiv, issued by the Society, contains sevei'al instructive papei's 

 prepared especially for agriculturists, and is well supplied with such illustrations as may enable them 

 to recognize the insects therein de.-cj'ibed. The Montreal Bianch of the Society is in a flourishing 

 condition, which is due lo the exertions of the energetic and enthusiastic entomologists who reside in 

 that city. 



Gratification is felt at the evidence of a growing interest in regard to the very important question 

 of the serious losses annually caused throughout the country by the depredation of various insects. 

 The Select Committee appointed bj' Parliament in 1884 to obtain information as to the Agricul- 

 tural Interests of the Dominion, issued circulars to a large number of leading fruit-growers and other 

 agriculturists throughout the country, requesting, among other jjoints, an expression of opinion as to 

 the desirabilitj- of the a|i]iointment of a Government Entomologist. A large majority of the answers 

 were in favour of such an appointment. Two members of the Council of the Entomological Society 



