94 THE president's address. 



There has also just heen issued a separate and very interesting 

 volume, containing figures and descriptions of Canadian organic re- 

 mains. The descriptive part is by Mr. Billings, the palaeontologist of 

 the Geological Survey of Canada ; Mr. J. W. Salter, one of the palaeon- 

 tologists of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom ; and Mr. 

 T. R. Jones, Assistant Secretary of the Geological Society of London. 

 The plates, which are beautifully executed, are all the works of first- 

 rate artists, and the whole work will prove a most valuable addition 

 to the scientific information which the geological survey has been the 

 means of furnishing in relation to the palaeontology of Canada. 



In the departments of zoology and botany, the Natural History So- 

 ciety of Montreal continues, as in former years, to labor zealously and 

 effectively, and in the pages of the Magazine, edited by a Committee 

 of that Society, the Canadian student will find much valuable informa- 

 tion relating to the zoology and botany of his country. 



And here I cannot refrain from alluding to some remarks which I 

 recollect having met with in the September number of our own Journal, 

 upon the very great desirableness of having a zoologist and botanist 

 attached to our geological survey. "With the writer's suggestions I 

 most heartily agree. Both the flora and fauna of this country have as 

 yet received but little attention from scientific men as compared with 

 the research and labor which have been so well bestowed upon its 

 geological features. 



The destruction of our forests, and the rapidly progressing settle- 

 ment of the country, will soon render it difficult to obtain specimens, or 

 to observe the habits of many of the wilder and rarer species of our 

 quadrupeds and birds. "With the former more especially, the destruc- 

 tion of their usual haunts in the depths of the forests will soon be 

 followed in many cases by the almost total extinction of the species, 

 and when perhaps, at a later day, this deficiency in our scientific staff 

 has been filled up, the golden opportunity will have passed away. 



I trust therefore that the members of the Institute will permit me 

 to urge these considerations upon their attention, and that some steps 

 will be taken by the Society with the view of bringing the matter at 

 some future day under the notice of the Provincial Government. 



Passing from this subject, I am naturally led to the consideration of 

 our own position in respect to the aid which we receive in the shape 

 of pecuniary support from the Provincial Government ; and while I 

 would record the grateful sense which I, in common, I am sure, with 



