PRESIDENTS ATDRESS. Vv 
In addition to the performance of extensive parish duties as a 
clergyman, he took a prominent part in other church work. He edited 
a religious monthly called Church Work, and also the Halifax Church 
Chronicle. He was a Governor of King’s College—strongly opposing 
its union with Dalhousie. In Digby he led a successful crusade 
against the iniquitous system of “ Farming out the Poor.” He lectured 
in England for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and the 
Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. 
Amidst all these labors he found time to make science a recreation. 
In January, 1864, he communicated his first paper to the Institute. It 
was followed by a series of papers, all relating to the birds and fishes 
of St. Margaret’s Bay—a spot which should be as well known to our 
Zoologists as Arisaig is to our Geologists. His paper on the Stormy 
Pétrel was republished more than once. 
In October, 1863, he was elected Associate Member,—retaining that 
position until 1881. Again in 1890 he was elected Corresponding 
Member. 
Dr. Ambrose was a remarkably fine specimen of a man,—physically, 
mentally and morally—a man to whom the leaders in any public move- 
ment for the public good could appeal with the certainty of receiving 
sympathy and support. 
While glancing over the records I made a few nctes concerning 
matters which struck my attention in our early history and which may 
interest some of you. 
On the last day of the year 1862 the late J. Matthew Jones presided 
at a meeting held in the hall of the Halifax Medical College There 
were present, T. Belt, S. Gray, Dr. Gilpin, Wm. Gossip, R. G. 
Haliburton, Capt. Lyttleton, H. Poole, Capt. Hardy, J. R. Willis 
and P. C. Hill. Of this company, so far as I know, all but one have 
passed away. 
The object of the meeting was to organize an Institute of Natural 
Science for Nova Scotia. This Institute grew ont of another organiza- 
tion which had done pioneer work in science. It may be said to have 
been a development from the Halifax Mechanics’ Institute, which, 
under the inspiration of men like the late Andrew MacKinlay, did very 
much to awaken the general public to an interest in the discoveries of 
of science, which at that time were coming on like a November meteoric 
shower. 
