REPORT OF DELEGATE TO ROYAL SOCIETY. lil 
approaches to some of the stations are picturesque and of much 
natural beauty. On the sea side is the Gulf,at this season a sombre, 
sailless, vast expanse of open water. On the land side the ground 
presents a bare, uncultivated appearance, with afew sheep and 
cattle grazing, where a human being at this season is a rare 
appearance. At the stations the scene changes. There the 
arrival of a train is still an important event, and excites curiosity 
and talkativeness. The language is French patois. The 
people around the stations are all seeming idlers and French 
labourers and artizans. The village dwellings look comfortable, 
but without any pretensions to architectural neatness or design, 
A further acquaintance might, however, develope something 
better worth looking at than tavern and other signs and insignia. 
Almost every station bears the name of a saint, who, from 
appearances around, does not seem to care much for the growth 
or prosperity of the place after which he or she is named. To 
use an expressive and homely Scotch phrase, these holy patrons 
appear to “ have ta’en a scunner” at the whole region. There is, 
however, a large bid ail along the Lower St. Lawrence, in spite 
of apparent, neglect, for saintly protection and intercession in 
mundane concerns. 
On arriving at Chaudiere Junction, near Quebec, the Interco- 
lonial ends, and the Grand Trunk monopolizes passengers and 
freight onwards, to the serious detriment of our railway line. 
We arrive at Montreal early Sunday morning, and express some 
astonishment that so far the attendance of members and delegates 
from the Lower Provinces is so scant. The day was remarkably 
hot, and the morning was spent in leisurely visiting Notre Dame, 
the Quays, and other remarkable localities. In the afternoon 
Prof. MacGregor, our New Brunswick friend and myself strolled 
up the mountain to McGill University, or College—the latter being 
its more popular and familiar appellation. It occupies a conspicu- 
ous site, and is a cluster of detached buildings, about which 
exteriorly there is nothing remarkable, either in architectural 
design or beauty. The Principal was away at Ottawa. After 
satisfying, so far as was possible, our curiosity, we climbed the 
steep stairs back of the house and grounds which formed the 
