PROCEEDINGS FOR 1918 XI 



Andrew Bell. Dr. Bell therefore came justly by his predilection for 

 geological and natural history studies. 



Dr. Bell obtained his early education at the grammar school 

 of the county of Prescott and afterwards studied at McGill University, 

 under the distinguished scientists Dr. T. Sterry Hunt and Dr. Suther- 

 land, receiving his degree in Applied Science in 1861 and the Governor's 

 gold medal. He afterwards pursued his studies in Edinburgh, taking 

 chemistry under Lords Playfair and Lister and Professors Dittmar 

 and Crum Brown, and botany under Professor J. H. Balfour. At 

 the age of 21 years he became professor of Chemistry and Natural 

 Science at Queen's University, a chair which he held for five years 

 from 1863 to 1867. 



Previous to accepting the professorship at Queen's, Dr. Bell 

 in 1857, at the early age of 16 years, had joined the stafï of the Geo- 

 logical Survey of Canada under Sir W. E. Logan, and for over 50 

 years he was connected with that branch of the Government service. 

 He had the privilege in his early history on the Survey under Logan 

 of being associated with Murray, Hunt, Billings and Richardson, 

 all men of high ideals and attainments with whom it was an inspiration 

 to work and from whom he imbibed an enthusiasm for geological 

 exploration and research which he retained throughout his life. 



During his 50 years of active connection with the Geological 

 Survey, Dr. Bell accomplished an enormous amount of geological 

 work, but he was pre-eminent as an explorer, and it is in that branch 

 of work that his name will be remembered by succeeding generations. 

 He had practical training as a surveyor at McGill LTniversity, and to 

 further equip himself to meet emergencies that might arise in the 

 course of his exploratory journeys he completed a course in medicine 

 and surgery at the same University in 1878. His geographical and 

 geological surveys covered a great part of northern Quebec and 

 Ontario and the region about Hudson Bay, as well as northern Mani- 

 toba, Alberta and the North West Territories, and he traversed at 

 one time or other most of the larger streams and lakes of these regions, 

 many of them being surveyed by him for the first time. The Bell 

 river, the western branch of the Nottaway river, is officially named 

 after him. 



His reports contain a fund of information on the geological 

 and ph^^sical features of that northern countr^^ which was of great 

 value to the government and the locating engineers at the time that 

 the building of the National Transcontinental railway was under dis- 

 cussion, and is appreciated at the present time as different portions 

 of that region become opened up. 



