XX EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 



the same time appeal to its own members to keep ever steadily in view the high duty and responsibi- 

 lity resting uj^on every one of them. To quote the language of one of its founders, twelve years ago : 

 " We must discharge this high duty and responsibility in the most perfect manner possible, and with 

 a regard not to personal, pai-ty or class views, but to the welfare of Canada and its reputation before 

 the world. "We should prove ourselves first unselfish and zealous literary and scientific men, and 

 next Canadians in that widest sense of the word in which wo shall desire, at any personal sacrifice, to 

 promote the best interests of our country by the aid of a pure and elevated literature, and a true, 

 profound and practical science." 



On motion of Dr. Bourinot, seconded by Dr. Stewart, the consideration of the report of the 

 Council was deferred until the general meeting on the following day at 10 a.m. 



Eeports op Societies. 



The Honorary Secretary again read the list of societies who take part in the work of the Eoyal 

 Society, and the following reports were submitted by their respective delegates : — 



I. — From The Natural History Society of Montreal, through Mr. Justice Wurtele, D.C.L. 



The Natural History Society of Montreal has, this year, as in the past, taken advantage of the 

 privilege, which it possesses, to send a delegate to the meeting of the Royal Society of Canada. 



The work of the society during the past year has been satisfactory, and the interest therein of 

 the members and also of the public has been shown by the increased attendance at its meetings and 

 lectures. Use of the library by members and associates has increased, and this is due, in some 

 measure, to the addition which has been made to it of a few new books. The society regrets however 

 that its museum, which is well worthy of a visit, is not more generally resorted to, and it will 

 endeavour to make arrangements to open it gratuitously to the public, as soon as its finances will 

 permit the necessary outlaj'. 



During the past year, the society lost one ordinary and one corresponding member by death, 

 but on the other hand, it added twenty-six ordinary members and three associate members to its 

 membership. 



It was considered that a closer association between the various societies, in Montreal, which are 

 engaged in the study of natural history, would conduce very materially to promote that study by con- 

 centrating their efforts and bringing their members into personal intercourse. The report of the 

 committee, intrusted with this matter, states: " that the object aimed at is not in any way to improve 

 the financial position of one society at the expense of another, but to bring the workers in the 

 various branches of natural history in Montreal into closer contact, thus strengthening all the 

 societies and making their work more efficient." The Natural History Society, _with that view, 

 entered into negotiations with several of its sister societies, and these negotiations have resulted in 

 the affiliation with it at the present time of the Microscopical Society, the Entomological Society and 

 the Agassiz Society. Each of these societies forms a section of the Natural History Society, and 

 while retaining its name and organization, the members become associate members of the latter 

 society. 



It has been decided to extend the range of subjects to be presented to the society al its monthly 

 meetings so as to include both the natural and the physical sciences, and, with a view to give a more 

 popular character to the papers which are read at the meetings, to request their authors to use 

 language as free as possible from technicalities. Those papers, howevei-, which are accepted by the 

 society for publication in the ' Record of Science,' may be i-ecast and apfiear in technical language, 

 should the authors desire it. 



The ' Canadian Record of Science ' has been published for a number of years by the Natural His- 

 tory Society, and is appreciated in scientific circles, and its discontinuance would be much re- 



