234 Annual Report of the 



The " Canadian Naturalist " is now a good vehicle for the pub- 

 lication of investigations and discoveries in the Natural History of 

 Canada. It has a wide circulation in Canada, the United States 

 and Europe. The Committee are therefore in a position to in- 

 vite communications from those ' engaged in scientific pursuits, 

 Short statements of interesting facts will be equally acceptable 

 to the Editors as more elaborate papers. 



The Committee beg to draw the Society's particular attention 

 to the fact, that this Journal of admitted value to science, although 

 edited by its members, is not published at the cost or risk of the 

 Society ; but is entirely supported by its own subscribers, and 

 issued at the risk of the publisher. The members of the Society have 

 therefore no special privilege in regard to it, and can only obtain 

 it on payment of the full subscription price, over and above their 

 annual subscription to the Society. This is a state of things which 

 your Committee cannot regard as satisfactory. The Committee are 

 decidedly of opinion that it would be most beneficial to the So- 

 ciety, were each member to receive a copy of the Journal gratui- 

 tously, on the payment of his annual subscription. Nothing they 

 conceive would more materially promote the interests of the 

 Society or the advancement of that department of science with 

 which it is identified than this. They therefore deeply regret that 

 the Society's funds will not admit of such a desirable object being 

 immediately carried into effect. They cannot help comparing 

 their condition, in this respect, with that of the Canadian Institute 

 of Toronto. That Society has been able, by a liberal annual par- 

 liamentary grant, to give its Journal gratuitously to its members 

 and to circulate it widely among the scientific institutions of Ame- 

 rica and Europe ; whereas our Society, older, and equally devoted 

 to the advancement of Canadian science, has hitherto been all 

 but left to its own resources. It is therefore to be hoped that the 

 Legislative aid for which we have again applied, will this year be 

 granted, so that we may be able to assume our just position as a 

 Canadian Scientific Institution. The publication of our Journal 

 for circulation among our members, and for distribution as a ve- 

 hicle of scientific research among learned societies, is one of the 

 chief objects, on account of which we have again urged our peti- 

 tion upon the Legislature. Your Council are of opinion that this 

 is a step of the utmost importance to the future welfare of the 

 Society, and would recommend that it be prosecuted with perse- 

 verance and energy by their successors. 



