32 REPORT — 1897. 



Sir John Evans expressed the indebtedness of the meeting for the 

 practical suggestions of Professor Miall. He hoped that those present 

 would realise the desirability of extending the work of the Local Societies 

 in the direction indicated. Listening to Professor Miall's plea for the 

 study of the life-histories of insects, he recalled the observation of a great 

 ancient authority, Pliny, who said that the nature of things is nowhere 

 more complete than in the least (Cum natura rerum nusquam magis 

 qicam in minimis tota sit), a remark which he thought foreshadowed the 

 results discovered by naturalists by means of the mici'oscope in modern 

 times. 



The Chairman said that he would like to express the hope that when 

 Professor Miall's suggestions had been circulated among the members of 

 the Corresponding Societies, and his ideas had borne fruit, they would 

 have the pleasure of hearing, at another Conference, of his students having 

 achieved valuable work under his tutorship. 



Dr. Ami then read his ' Report on the State of some of the Principal 

 Museums in Canada and Newfoundland,' which was ordered by the 

 General Committee to be printed in extenso, see p. 62. 



The Chairman said that he could not help being struck with the great 

 wealth of material existing in Canada. Englishmen must feel a certain 

 amount of regret that the museum question is not taken up with more 

 earnestness in their own country. Their provincial museums only existed 

 with much difficulty, and were altogether dependent upon private bounty 

 in carrying on their existence. Anyone who visits many of the local 

 museums in England must see that the museum question has not taken 

 that prominent part in public opinion which it ought to do. Dr. Ami 

 had collected a vast amount of information of great value. There must 

 be in the museums of Canada much valuable material in the way of types, 

 and students in all parts of the world would be the gainers if it were 

 widely known where those types were to be found. 



Professor Prince explained that the Fisheries Collection at Ottawa 

 under his charge was made for the Fisheries Exhibition in London in 

 1883, and was brought back to Canada and given a permanent home. It 

 was scarcely representative of the various fisheries of the Dominion, but 

 it was an interesting collection to anyone coming from the old country, as 

 it represents the waters of a country abounding in ganoids and other 

 remarkable creatures of scientific interest. He considered the Victoria 

 Museum to be a perfect model of its kind. 



Professor Meldola then proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. Ami, and 



Mr. Hopkinson seconded it, remarking that he was specially interested 

 in the museum question at the present time, for, with other members of 

 the Hertfordshire Natural History Society, including Sir John Evans, he 

 was now endeavouring to raise sufficient money to build and endow a 

 museum for Hertfordshire, for which Earl Spencer had granted an ample 

 site at St. Albans. They had already been promised about 1,500/., but 

 had decided not to commence building until 2,000/. had been raised. 



