Ixxii PROCEEDINGS. 



lished down to 1888, a period of twenty-six years, mostly on 

 the natural history and geology of Nova Scotia, and averaging 

 about nine pages each. 



It was felt that the society's activity had reached a 

 critical point. Progress was not being made, activity was 

 decreasing; some of the most energetic members had died and 

 few young men were ready to take their places. He admitted 

 that in the early history of a country it is comparatively 

 easy to make additions to the knowledge of its natural 

 history and geology. He thought, however, that scientific 

 education in the province had not kept pace with scientific 

 investigation. 



He attacked the whole problem with all the energy and 

 extreme keeness of intellect for which he was noted, and 

 placed the Institute on a higher plane than it had been. 

 Perhaps we may have to wait for another MacGregor to 

 tackle the problems that now face us! 



One result of MacGregor's exertions was the phenomenal 

 growth of the library, which will soon receive notice. In 

 1890 he increased the edition of the Transactions to 1000 

 copies, which were sent in exchange to learned institutions 

 and libraries over the whole world, thus making our volume 

 a more acceptable means of gaining a hearing for our 

 most-know^i workers who had begun to think that publi- 

 cation of their papers in more-widely circulated journals, 

 which welcomed them, was an advantage. This enlarged 

 edition was of great benefit to us in another way, as it was 

 the means of rapidly building up our library by the much 

 larger number of exchanges which were thereby received. 



Another result of MacGregor's ideas of the needs of the 

 case, was that on 24th March, 1890, at a general meeting, 

 the name of the society was changed to the Nova Scotian 

 Institute of Science, an action which was opposed by 

 ex-president Somers and a few of the old members*. The 



*The Society was incorporated by act of the N. S. Legislature in the same year, 1890. 



