LU ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



believe that the notable advancement which Canada is making in a 

 material sense is more or less paralleled by a forward movement in an 

 intellectual sense. 



11. — DaRWIX CELEBRATIO>r. 



The Societ}^ received, in the course of last year, a very courteous in- 

 vitation to send a delegate to represent it at a celebration in honour of 

 Charles Darwin, to take place at Cambridge, England, from the 22nd to 

 the 24th of June of. this year. The celebration is apparently held under 

 the auspices of the University of Cambridge, the one at which Darwin 

 pursued his early studies, and is meant to mark the fiftieth anniversary 

 of the publi(îation of his memorable work on " The Origin of Species." 

 Considering the importance attached in the scientific world, and particu- 

 larly amongst biologists, to the discoveries and theories associated with 

 the name of Darwin, it seemed proper to respond cordially to the invita- 

 tion ; and advantage was taken of the fact that Professor Ellis, M.A., 

 M.B., of Toronto Tniversity, a member of Section III, was about to visit 

 I'ngland to request him to act as the Society's delegate on the occasion in 

 question. This Professor Ellis very readily consented to do. It may be 

 well to put on the record the letter written by the President to Professor 

 Ellis, requesting him to undertake this duty — for which, it may be men- 

 tioned, he was strongly recommended by prominent members of Section 

 IV — and also the letter writteii by the honorary secretary to the honorary 

 secretary of the Darwin Celebration informing him of the appointment 

 of Professor Ellis as delegate: — 



The President to Professor Ellis. 



Royal Society of Canada. 



Ottawa, 23rd April, 1909. 

 Dear Professor Ellis, 



The Poyal Society of Canada has been invited to send a delegate to 

 a celebration in honour of Charles Darwin, to be held at Cambridge, 

 England, under the auspices of the University of Cambridge, on the 22nd, 

 S3rd and 24th of June next. 



The time has been chosen with a view to maa-king the fiftieth anni- 

 versary of the publication of Darwin's great work, " The Origin of 

 Species." That work, I need hardly observe, is generally regarded in the 

 scientific world as embodying a most important and fruitful hypothesis, 

 which has powerfully influenced the whole subsequent course of biological 

 eludies. It seems fitting, therefore, that this Society should res])ond to 



