PEOCEEDINGS FOR 1894. XXXV 



from persons living in the neighbourhood, especially Simpson Mc(!oll, Esq., ex-M.P.P., with refer- 

 ence to the conquest of Canada, the early settlement of the county of Noriblk, the war of 1812 and 

 the rebellion of 1837. A paper on the war of 1812, based partly on these reminiscences, was i-ead 

 to the institute by His Honour Judge Ermatinger. 



Arrangements have been completed for the publication of a volume of transactions of the institute 

 which will contain an historical account of the country of the Neutrals, the early history of the 

 Talbot settlement and the county of Elgin, and also a paper outlining the development of local 

 government in this section of the province from the settlement of Detroit up to 1853 when the 

 organization of the county of Elgin was completed. The expenses of the publication will be defrayed 

 by a grant generously made by the county council for that purpose. It is hoped that this will be 

 i-eady by next fall. 



XIII. — From The Canadian Institute, Toronto, through Dr. Sandpord Fleming, C'.M.G-. 



The fortj-'fifth annual report of the Canadian Institute shows that a largo amount of valuable 

 work has been done during the past year. Besides the annual meeting recently held there weie 

 twent}--three ordinary meetings of the society, exclusive of meetings of the Biological section, the 

 Historical section and the treological section. In all fifty-four papers were read, comprising papers 

 on, (1) Archaeology, (2) Astronomy, (3) Biology, (4) Ethnology, (5) Fine Arts, (6) Geography, (7) 

 History, (8) Literature, (9) Meteorology, (10) Natural History, (11) Sanitary Science, (12) Minera- 

 logy and (ieology. 



There has been an increase in the attendance at all the meetings, and an increase in the number 

 of members. 



The curator of the museum has received many valuable additions to the collections, especially of 

 Astec, Zuni and Toltec pottery and images cai'ved out of stone. He also obtained for the institute the 

 pi-emiums for the best collection presented by any nation at the World's Columbian Exposition, being 

 the highest award made by the commissioners. The exhibit of the institute attracted a large amount 

 of attention. 



The transactions of the institute continue to be widely circulated in all parts of the world. The 

 last number issued contains exclusively a monogiaph on the Western Déné Indians by the Eev. A. G. 

 Morice, — a work of very great intei'est and value, being an archœological, industrial, sociological and 

 ethnographical sketch of these native tribes of British Columbia, describing the characteristics of a 

 fast vanishing people of whom little is known. 



The librarian's report shows that a very large amount of literature is annually received from 

 foreign societies in exchange for the transactions of the institute. The total number of exchanges is 

 3,062. They are received from the following countries, viz., the United States, Mexico, South 

 America, the West Indies, Great Britain and Ireland, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, 

 Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poitugal, Roumania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, 

 British India, Java, Japan, China, Australasia and Africa. 



During the ])ast j'ear the institute has jointly with the Astronomical and Physical Society of 

 Toronto continued the ettorts to secure at an early day the unification of the astronomical, civil and 

 nautical days. As the results are of world-wide intei-est the report of the joint committee is presented 

 to the Royal Society in full. 



Unification of the Astronomical, Civil and Nautical Days. 

 Report of the Joint Committee of the Canadian Institute and the Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. 



Committee. 

 Sandford Fleming, C.M.G., LL.D., G.E.— Chairman. 

 Arthur Harvey, Esq. Charles Carpmael, M.A., F.R.A.S. 



George Kennedy, M.A., LL.D. John A. Paterson, M.A. 



Alan Macdougall, M. Inst. C.B. G. E. Lumsden, Esq. 



