PRESIDENT'S ADDEESS. Ixxxvii 



ical development of the geological exploration of the Province. Dr. 

 Ami, who would add still further terms to this changing nomenclature, 

 described the fossil tracks of an " Eo- Devonian " fish found in the 

 fine-grained silicious sandstones of the Knoydart formation in Anti- 

 gonish. Professor Haycock closed up the series of geological papers 

 by a picturesque description of the geological history of the Gaspereaux 

 Valley, and by the exhibition of fossils probably Triassic in glaci- 

 ated fragments of rock in the Boulder Clay of King's County 



Dr. Magee represented the science of chemistry in a graphic sketch 

 of the rare earths and their importance in reference to the Periodic 

 Law, a feat which was made easy by his research work in this depart- 

 ment for some years. Professor Smith followed the science into its 

 industrial applications in the rotation of leguminous crops, and the 

 preservation and use of turnip tops. Mr. Bishop led into the field of 

 zoology, exhibiting and describing the habits of the star-nosed mole 

 and its young, and on another occasion showing his fine collection of 

 Nova Scotian birds' eggs. Mr. Doane led us into the region of meteor- 

 ology in his Notes on Rainfall, and I presented, as usual, my annual 

 compilation of phenological observations made in the schools of the 

 Province. 



PROVINCIAL MUSEUM. 



During the year, the Provincial Museum, which although always 

 the ward of the Government has always been considered to be the 

 child of the Institute of Science, has been very extensively improved 

 by the incessant and intelligent labor of its curator, Mr. Harry Piers. 

 While it is being rapidly made more representative of the natural and 

 industrial history of the Province by the introduction of new material, 

 a great deal has been accomplished by the arrangement, accurate 

 determination, and comprehensive but distinct labelling of the old 

 material ; so that now it is becoming not only of more value to those 

 wishing to gain an idea of the productions of the country, but to the 

 scientific student. The curator is not a man who merely attends 

 during the hours the Museum is open to the public. He is always 

 working, and when the doors are closed he works most. In no 

 other way could the vast amount of work done during the past year 

 have been accomplished. 



The collections of coins in the Museum, many of which were 

 neither specifically determined or generally classified, came under the 



