88 Canadian Record of Science. 



species known to me on our coasts, they resemble most nearly 

 those of Nereis pelagica, Lin., a common and widely distri- 

 buted animal, found in the Arctic seas and on the Northern 

 coasts both of Europe and America, and which therefore 

 would be a fitting associate of the species found with it 

 at Green's Creek. It appears to be the Nereis coeca of Fa- 

 bricius. 



I would not, however, be too positive as to the specific 

 identification of such material ; but there can be no doubt 

 that it indicates a member of the group Polychseta, of the 

 family Nereidse and probably of the genus Nereis. 



A New Botanical Laboratory. 



By D. P. Penhallow. 



The Chair of Botany in the McG-ill University was first 

 filled by Dr. Andrew F. Holmes, afterwards Dean of the 

 Faculty of Medicine, who was appointed in 1829. Dr. 

 Holmes was a zealous botanist who had studied in Edin- 

 burgh, had collected in Great Britain and France while 

 pursuing his studies in medicine, and had formed a large 

 Canadian collection which he afterwards presented to the 

 University. When Dr. Holmes, owing to other engage- 

 ments, became unable to attend to these duties, the lectures 

 were delivered for a time by Dr. Papineau. After the re- 

 organization of the University, in 1852, a combined Pro- 

 fessorship in Art and Medicine was created in favor of Dr. 

 James Barnston, an able and accomplished botanist, trained 

 under Dr. Balfour, in Edinburgh, who lectured not only in 

 the University, but in connection with a botanical society, 

 which owed its origin to him, to create a taste for the 

 science. Dr. Barnston was appointed in 1857, but had only 

 been in office for two years when he was removed by death, 

 and in the then depressed condition of the finances of the 

 University, the Board of Governors found it necessary to 

 assign the duties of the chair to Dr. Dawson, as Professor 



