54 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



again largely in excess of that in any previous year in tlie history of 

 the Institute. The character of these communications has been fully 

 equal to the standard of previous years, and the range of subjects (as 

 shown in the appendix) has been unusually large. Tlie average 

 attendance at the regular weekly meetings has also shown an increase. 

 It is also satisfactory to notice that there has been a considerable 

 increase in the number of members who have made use of the readinsr 

 room. 



On the occasion of the annual conversazione the Museum of 

 Natural History and Archaeology was opened, and there was an ex- 

 cellent exhibition of photographs by the Photographic Section. There 

 was a large attendance of members and their fi-iends. The j^rcha^o- 

 logical collection is already extensive, and has been admirably arranged 

 b}' the Curator, to whom the Institute is greatly indebted for his 

 exertions, both in collecting specimens and in carefully classifying 

 them. The Archaeological Report, which has been bound up with 

 the Annual Report of the Institute for the year 1886-87, is already 

 in the hands of the members, and contains an account of what had 

 been done by the Institute down to December last, in this field. 



Our exertions to add to our collection continues unabated, and the 

 Council have thankfully to acknowledge the grant of .$1,000 by the 

 Ontario Government, which will enable us to devote a considerable 

 sum, as in the past year, to this purpose. 



The number of books and pamphlets received during the year is 

 shown in Appendix III, to have continued to increase, and to have 

 been considerably more that eight times as large as it was five years 

 ago. 



A pamphlet has been prepared by Mr. Sandford Fleming on the 

 subject of " Time Reckoning," and issued by the Institute, for the 

 purpose of introducing the subject, in the educational institutions 

 throughout the Dominion. In this pamphlet the principles of time- 

 reckoning are set forth, with special reference to the recommendations 

 of the Washington conference on the subject. A deputation of the 

 Council of the Institute have waited upon the Minister of Education 

 of the Province of Ontario, and acting on the recommendation of this 



