65 



additional attraction of having been prepared by a lady. j\Iiss 

 Crane prepared, and our worthy Secretary, Mr. Wonfor, read this 

 excellent paper on "Certain Genera of Living Fish and their 

 Fossil Affinities." It exhibited great research, and showed an 

 extensive acquaintance on her part with her subject. To add to 

 tlie interest of the address, Miss Crane had personally prepared 

 a large number of explanatory diagrams, by which the subject 

 might be very readily understood. Her great talent manifested 

 in preparing the subject matter of this lecture, and the diagrams 

 accompanying it, much impressed those who had the privilege of 

 hearing it ; and quickened in them the desire and the hope that 

 tliis lady will at some future time favour us with other valuable 

 contributions to our Society's usefiUness. 



These are only a few specimens of the advantages offered in- 

 the opportunity of hearing valuable essays and discussions 

 thereon. But for being short of time — so '• crilibed, cabin'd, and 

 confined " — I shoidd have liked to enlarge on the advantages of 

 the very well-selected and costly library possessed by the Society, 

 the books from which can l)e taken l.)y the ^Members to tlieir o^\•n 

 homes, and there carefully studied. In it Anil Ije found the jjest 

 text books on chemistry, geology, entomology, pyhsiology, zoology, 

 and many another " 'ology." The birds, beasts, and fishes are 

 well represented there, and the microscope has a large amount of 

 light thrown upon it by the valuable works on the shelves of our 

 library. Leisure hours may indeed be well and pleasantly 

 occupied in the study of its contents, for there may be found 

 ready to hand stores of matter prepared carefully by sages and 

 philosophers, to acquire which in any other way would quite' 

 overtax the time and the powers of students, although they 

 might have ever so great sympathy with, and feel ever so great 

 interest therein. There is a well-prepared catalogue of the 

 Jibrary made up to quite a recent period. 



Then the admirable yearly report handed to each of the 

 Members, and containing a well-digested epitome of the papers 



