Vill PROCREDINGS. 
ing with strong nitric acid, a brilliant solution somewhat like that of 
roseine, but with a purplish tinge, being produced. 
Dr. MacKay, the Superintendent of Education, presented a valuable 
summary of observations for the season of 1893, of the dates of flowering 
of plants, and of the appearing of migratory birds. Dr. Somers exhibited 
and described a sponge obtained by Mr. Andrew Sullivan, one of our 
fishermen, at the neighbouring fishing village of Herring Cove ; it has 
not yet been identified with any described species. Mr. H. Piers gave 
valuable notes on Nova Scotian Zoology. Dr. Henry Ami, of the 
Dominion Geological Survey, contributed an account of a collection of 
silurian fossils from Cape George, Antigonish County, with descriptions 
of three new species. Dr. R. W. Ells gave notes on sedimentary for- 
mations on the Bay of Fundy coast. Mr. W. H. Prest’s Observations on 
Deep Mining in Nova Scotia concludes our catalogue of papers read during 
the Session of 1893-94. 
At the thirteenth meeting of the Royal Society of Canada, held in 
May, 1894, the Institute was represented by our Vice-President, Dr. A. 
H. MacKay, who presented a report of our operations during the year ; 
this has been printed in the Royal Society’s Minutes of Proceedings for 
1894, pp. XXVII-XXVIII. 
Having thus briefly dealt with the work of the session just closed, I 
may be permitted as an old member to extend my remarks to the cireum- 
stances under which the Institute originated more than thirty years ago, 
although the time now available will not admit of more than a mere 
glance at its early history and progress. 
This Institute was originally organized in the winter of 1862-63, the 
former being the year of the London International Exhibition. Long 
before that time the Mechanics’ Institute formed a centre of scientific 
and literary life in the City of Halifax, but it had then ceased to exist, 
leaving its museum as a memento in the old building of Dalhousie Col- 
lege. About the time when the proposal to hold the London Exhibition 
of 1862 was announced, it was felt here that it would be of substantial 
advantage to the Province to make known its resources and products to 
the world, and this International Exhibition seemed to offer a fitting 
opportunity for doing so. It was accordingly determined to collect and 
forward a suitable contribution of specimens to the exhibition. This was 
a new kind of work in Nova Scotia; the task proved an arduous one, 
