xlviii PROCEEDINGS. 



are equivalent to the coal measures of Stellarton, according to his views 

 given in the Report of the Geological Survey for 1886, which he did 

 not appear to have since changed. 



These differences of opinion demonstrated that new information was 

 being acquired, and was in the course of being assimilated by the 

 .geologists. But whether taking the upper slice from off our old 

 slenderly developed Devonian and attaching it with its unconformity to 

 the base of our corpulent Carboniferous is the true rectification of the 

 old nomenclature, remained, perhaps yet to be indubitably determined. 

 If the true order of superposition of rocks can be ascertained at any point 

 from the observation of their actual bedding, tho, paleontologist must 

 modify his hypotheses based on defective biological horizons observed 

 elsewhere, so as to harmonize with the facts of the stratigraphist. It 

 was the stratigraphist in the first place who determined the biological 

 'horizons for the palaeontologist. But the palaeontologist with his 

 biological horizon becomes the supreme arbitrator where the strati- 

 graphist is not sure of his base, or of the order of superposition. 



PROF. J. G. M AcGREGOR, communicated a paper, "On Laws of 

 Dilution for Aqueous Solutions of Electrolytes." 



THIRD ORDINARY MEETING. 



Legislative Council Chamber, Halifax 15th January, 1900. 

 The PRESIDENT in the chair. 



A communication was read from the EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CON- 

 GRESS OP NAVIGATION, inviting the Institute to appoint a delegate to 

 attend the meeting of the Congress to be held at Paris in July next. 

 The matter was referred to the Council for action. 



JAMES BARNES, ESQ , B. A., Dalhousie College, presented two 



papers : 



1. " On the Relation of the Viscosity of Mixtures of Solutions of 

 Certain Salts to their State of Tonization." (See Transactions, p. 113). 



2. " On the Calculation of the Conductivity of Aqueous Solutions 

 Containing Hydrochloric and Sulphuric Acids." (See Transactions, p. 

 129.) 



A vote of thanks was presented to MR. BARNES for his communica- 

 tions. 



