17G 



information tliafc directs liim to the mineral deposits that are to be 

 found. In the papers to be read to you, this will, in a great measure, be 

 carried out, and in our notes and discussions it would be well if this 

 practical end were kept in view. 



Prof. INIacoun said that when the President of the Literary and 

 Scientific Society in his inaugural address a few days ]>reviously had 

 stated (when referring to the Club) that the mere colle(;tion of a great 

 many species should be but a small ])art of the work of the Club he 

 bad quite agreed with him. But it should not be lost sight of that collec- 

 tions were of great value, for the work performed by any naturalist 

 would to a great extent die with him if his collections were not placed 

 in a museum. He had, for instance, a knowledge of several hundred 

 ■species of cryptogams, but a list of these without the possession of the 

 specimens would be of little value. Each collector should deposit 

 duplicates where they would be accessible to every one for study and 

 comjiarison. 



Mr. H. B. Small alluded to the great value of such a collection, 

 for instance, as one of insects injurious to crops, showing the species 

 destructive to the various plants, as well as the insects wliich prey 

 upon these injurious ones. There was in Washington such a collection 

 •as he had described, and he hoped soan to see one in Canada. With 

 reference to the appointment of Mr. Fletcher as Government ento- 

 mologist, referred to by the president, he could give a practical instance 

 of the value of such an officer. Specimens of very fine grains intended 

 for the Antwerp Exhibition were condemned by him as unfit, and if 

 sent they would have brought discredit upon the country. 



Ml-. R. B. Whyte said that the small resources of our societies 

 rendered it difficult to sustain a museum, and that while it was perhaps 

 posible to overestimate the value of a ])ublic museum it was probably 

 too often the case that j)rivate collections were undervalued. 



Mr. W. L. Scott thoiight tiiat not more than twenty-five rei)tilia 

 and bati'achia could be looked for in the vicinity. 



The Pkksident .explained that the number mer.tioned l^y him had 

 l»een suggested by Dekay's list of those found in New Yoik State. 



Mr. Hauiungton exi)lained that many species found there could 



