176 Canadian Record of Science. 
the simple words, that in that paradise, God planted trees ‘ pleasant 
to the sight,’ as well as ‘good for food.’ Other things being equal, 
the nearer we can return to this primitive taste, the greater will be 
our sensuous enjoyment, the better the influence of our pleasures 
on our moral nature, because they will then depend on the cultiva- 
tion of tastes at once natural and harmless, and will not lead us to 
communion with, and reverence for merely human genius, but will 
conduct us into the presence of the infinite perfection of the Creator. 
“T have sought to magnify the office of this society, on educa- 
tional grounds alone; but I cannot conclude without reminding you 
that natural science has its utilitarian aspects. All our material 
wealth is founded on the objects of natural history. All our mate- 
rial civilization consists of such knowledge of these things, as may 
give us mastery over their uses and properties. Such knowledge is 
every day finding its reward, not merely in the direct promotion of 
the happiness of the possessor,but in enabling him to add to the com- 
forts of our race, or to diminish the physical evils to which they are 
exposed. Into this subject, however, I cannot now enter; and this 
is the less necessary, since the minds of nearly all intelligent men 
are sufficiently alive, at least, to the utilitarian value of the natural 
sciences.” 
REPORT OF CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL. 
Mr. John S. Shearer then submitted the report of the 
council, as follows :— 
The Council of the ‘ Natural History Society,” beg to 
submit the following report:— 
The Session just closed, has been one of much interest and 
valuable research. 'The routine business has been regularly 
performed during the year. Seven regular and three special 
meetings of the Council have been held, and there have 
been six regular meetings of the Society, at which papers 
of great interest were read. 
The progress of the Society in membership has not been 
equal to last year, only twelve ordinary and four corres- 
ponding having been elected. 
The Library has received considerable attention from the 
Chairman and Committee, and is now in a fairly satisfactory 
condition. 
