ORDINARY MEETINGS. X1X 
First OrpinarRy MEETING. 
Legislative Council Chamber, Halifax, 14th November, 1898, 
The PrestpentT in the Chair. 
A paper by Proressor J. Davipson, Phil. D., of the University 
of New Brunswick, “ On Statistics of Consumption and Expenditure in 
Canada,” was read by Prorsessorn W. C. Murray. (See Transac- 
tions, p. 1). 
The subject was discussed by Drs. MacKay and MacGrecor, and 
Mr. Doane. 
Second OrpinaryY MBpErING. 
Legislative Council Chamber, Halifax, 12th December, -1898. 
The Presipent in the Chair. 
It was announced that Proressor J. Davipson, Phil. D., University 
of New Brunswick, Fredericton, and Rev. Brorger J. Perer, St. 
Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, Buffalo, N. Y., had been elected Corre- 
sponding Members of the Institute ; and that Anprew Hatuimay, KEsq., 
M. D., Shubenacadie, N. S., and Arraur M. Epwarps, Esq., M. D., 
F. L.8., Newark, N. J., had been elected Associate Members. 
A paper by Dr. A. M, Epwarps, entitled: ‘ Infusorial Earths of 
the World, and the Iceberg Period,” was read by Dr. A. H. MacKay. 
Dr. A. H. MacKay gave an address on the subject of ‘The 
Diatomaceae of Nova Scotia.” His treatment of the subject was a 
popular one, a number of microscopes with prepared slides being arranged 
for the convenience of their examination by those present. He called 
attention to the fact that these minute algae were characterized by 
the power of secreting silica from the waters in which they lived and 
building it up into the most beautifully formed and sculptured cell walls 
of transparent rock crystal; that they were so abundant in all of our 
fresh water lakes, which are not seriously disturbed by the turbulent 
earth laden waters of spring freshets, as to form layers many feet in 
depth in their bottoms of the dead silicious cells, the mass being some- 
times so pure as to look like the whitest flour when dried; that this 
material was of commercial value in the manufacture of dynamite, of 
water-glass, tooth powders, scouring material of great fineness, tirebrick, 
