42 Canadian Record of Science. 



of ascertaining the natural resources of the territories 

 subject to them. Men of competent attainments have 

 been at work under them on all departments of National 

 History, and in the reports submitted by the botanical 

 experts employed very full information has been obtained 

 as to the Flora of the several countries of Europe and 

 America, as well as of the British possessions in the Pacific, 

 in Asia and Africa. In addition, the British Admiralty 

 has helped materially in this good work by having natural- 

 ists attached to its ships at different times, who made 

 collections of the Mora as well as the Fauna of the 

 various regions visited. Parry's and Sir John Franklin's 

 voyages, — Beechey's voyage to the Pacific and Behring's 

 Straits, and the Antarctic voyage of the Erebus and 

 Terror, all furnished valuable materials which were used 

 to purpose by Sir William Hooker. It was as a Natura- 

 list accompanying Captain Fitzroy on the surveying 

 voyage of the Beagle, from 1838 to 1843, that Charles 

 Darwin laid the foundation of his reputation as the first 

 man of Science of the nineteenth century. Professor 

 Huxley, in like manner, accompanied the " Battle-Snake " 

 with Captain Strachey's expedition to the Southern Pacific 

 Ocean ; and Professor Wyville Thomson went as scientist 

 with the " Challenger " on its Deep Sea exploring expedi- 

 tion. No country has pursued a more enlightened 

 policy as regards ascertaining what its natural resources 

 are, than the United States of America. Not only the 

 Federal government but also the several State governments 

 have their full staffs of scientific workers, reporting on 

 the Flora of the country, as well as on its Fauna and 

 Geology. Canada has followed suit, but certainly not 

 with the enthusiasm and efficiency of equipment exempli- 

 fied by our neighbours. Yet, though the amount spent 

 upon reporting on the botanical productions of Canada 

 has been too meagre, excellent work has been done with 

 the resources placed at the disposal of the Geological 



