Ixii ■ ' PROCEEDINGS. 



in this work, felt the need of more scientific help and fuller 

 information regarding our animal, vegetable and mineral 

 resources. Thus was suggested the necessity of a permanent 

 organization that might foster the scientific spirit among us. 

 In other words, a few men of scientific tastes had individually- 

 devoted energy to studying our fauna, flora and geology, but 

 it was felt that they should have a technical society of their 

 own to publish the results of their observations. The Mech- 

 anics' Institute was dead in all but name, and had not been 

 exactly on the lines now required. The recently formed 

 Literary and Scientific Society formed a basis for a new 

 structure. The scientific members were more energetic for the 

 time being, and dropping the purely literary element, decided 

 to form a society which would confine its activities to science 

 alone. 



General Hardy, the only survivor of those present at our 

 inaugural meeting, writing on 20th January, 1913, says, 

 "I remember well the friendliness and hearty co-operation 

 of our efforts to set forward the development of local know- 

 ledge of the natural history and resources of the province- 

 We were a band of enthusiastic lovers of nature: hunters 

 and woodsmen, zoologists and geologists, botanists and 

 fishermen, historians and antiquarians, each zealous of 

 improvement in his own particular sphere of knowledge or 

 science."* 



Several preliminary meetings were held in the office of 

 Robert G. Haliburton, Harrington Street, and a roster of 

 prospective members was made out on 26th December, 1862, 

 at one of these meetings held to talk over the matter. Finally 

 on the 31st of that month (1862), at a general meeting held 



* W. Gossip says "The Institute originated with a few aentlemen who believed, that in a 

 province which contained vast mineral resources, and further was an untrodden field in other 

 branches of natural science, there would be found men of culture and experience who would 

 gladly lend their aid to develop them into succpssfu! acti\'ity." (Trans., \i, p. 157; see also 

 Lawson, Trans., ix., p. viii). 



