696 REPORT—1 885. 
has complied with all necessary formalities, so that it is to be assumed 
that this law is already in force. Its effect will not be inconsiderable = 
as the date of applying for a patent in any country of the Union fixes. 
the time from which the applicant may be entitled to a patent in all the 
other countries, even though he may not apply in the other countries for 
a considerable time after having made application in his own, and even 
though others may have applied in the meantime. Section 103 of the- 
1885 Act provided in effect that if Her Majesty became a party to the- 
Convention, an applicant from any of the States of the Union should be- 
entitled to an English patent in priority to other applicants, and that his. 
patent should have the same date as the date of the protection obtained 
in such foreign State. The amendment made by the sixth section of the- 
Amending Act is to change the words ‘ date of the protection’ which occur 
in section 103 of the Principal Act, into ‘date of the application,’ which. 
seems to be more in accordance with the terms of the Convention. 
The Committee desire to be reappointed, in order to be in a position 
to watch the working of the Principal Act, of this Supplementary Act, and 
of the International Convention, and to report upon any amendments 
that may be proposed in any of them. 
The Committee would be glad for the grant of 5/. for expenses to be 
renewed. 
Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. E. B. TyLor, Dr. G. M. 
Dawson, General Sir J. H. Lerroy, Dr. DanreEL Winson, Mr. 
Horatio Hate, Mr. R. G. Hauisurton, and Mr. GEorGE W. 
BioxamM (Secretary), appointed for the purpose of investigating 
and publishing reports on the physical characters, languages, 
industrial and social condition of the North-western Tribes of the 
Dominion of Canada. 
THE Committee have been in active correspondence with missionaries. 
and others stationed among the Indians, but the unsettled state of the 
country during the past year has made it impossible to do more than 
collect materials for a preliminary report; the Committee, therefore, ask 
that they may be reappointed, with a continuance of the grant. 
Report on the Blackfoot Tribes. Drawn up by Mr. Horatio Hale. 
The tribes composing the Blackfoot Confederacy, as it is commonly 
styled—in some respects the most important and interesting Indian com- 
munities of the North-west—have been until recently less known than 
any others. It seemed, therefore, that the best contribution which a 
single member could make to the general report of the Committee would 
-be a special study of these tribes. This view was confirmed by the 
opinion of President Wilson, the only other member of the Committee 
who was near enough for me to consult with. With his aid a corre- 
spondence was opened with two able and zealous missionaries residing 
among these Indians, both of whom have replied most courteously and 
liberally to my inquiries. These are the Rev. Albert Lacombe, widely 
and favourably known as Father Lacombe, Roman Catholic Missionary 
among the Siksika, or proper Blackfeet Indians, and the Rev. John 
McLean, Missionary of the Canadian Methodist Church to the Blood and 
