3^0 Canadian Record of Science. 



The Annual Field Day. 



The annual field day of the Natural History Society took 

 place this year on the 30th of May, a date somewhat earlier 

 than usual. This day was chosen in order that the mem- 

 bers of the Eoyal Society of Canada, which had met in the 

 city in the early part of the week and had ended its sittings 

 the evening before, might be invited to share in the plea- 

 sures and advantages of the occasion. It was a happy 

 thought which led to the proposal to ask the Eoyal Society 

 to be the guests of the Natural History Society, even 

 though the time was a trifle early for seeing the country in 

 the full glory of its verdure, or for capturing so many speci- 

 mens of insect life, or witnessing so large a floral bloom as 

 usual. Such members of the Eoyal Society as honoured the 

 Natural History Society with their presence on the occasion 

 expressed themselves as delighted with the excursion, feel- 

 ing that it was a pleasant variety in the duties which had 

 engaged their attention during the week, to turn from 

 the dry details of scientific symbols, mathematical pro- 

 cesses and musty manuscripts, to look at a page of the 

 grand open volume of nature. It was to them a happy 

 rounding off of the series of events by which the reception 

 committee of Montreal citizens had sought to make the first 

 visit of the Eoyal Society of Canada to the commercial 

 metropolis of the Dominion an agreeable one. And it added 

 immensely to the pleasure and pr 'fit of the members of the 

 Natural History Society and their ordinary patrons to have 

 with them on their annual outing so many distinguished 

 savants, who could help them to interpret better than usual 

 the phenomena of nature. 



Letters of apology from the President of the Eoyal 

 Society, Very Eeverend Principal Grant, D.D., and others 

 were read, regretting their inability, owing to previous en- 

 gagements and the necessity they were under to leave the 

 city, to accept the invitation of the Natural History Society. 

 But there were a good many of the invited guests present, 

 among others Monseigneur Tanguay, Prof. Prescott, of the 



