396 Canadian Record of Science. 



These were varied in character, touching natural history 

 on many sides, those dealing with local phenomena evok- 

 ing specially deep interest, and awakening discussion. 

 Thus one very important aim of the Society has been 

 secured. It has brought together those ladies and gentle- 

 men who are students of nature in one or other of its 

 numerous departments, giving them an opportunity of 

 affording mutual help and encouragement. And the 

 increase of the attendance at the ordinary meetings of the 

 Society is a sign that the number of scientific workers in 

 and near the city is growing. There must, however, be 

 many in Montreal who are quietly prosecuting the study 

 of nature, of whom this Society has no knowledge, and I 

 would venture, in your name, to invite their co-operation, 

 and would respectfully suggest that we could help them, 

 as their uniting of their efforts with ours would help us. 



" INTEREST IN LECTURES. 



" The lectures provided for the public in the Somerville 

 course were of a practical character, mainly dealing with 

 matters in which science is applied for the amelioration 

 of human life, and promotion of civilization, and that the 

 people of the city appreciated them was shown by the 

 large attendance tliat greeted the lecturers. 



" The Saturday afternoon talks, too, were on topics of 

 varied general interest, well calculated to awaken in the 

 minds of the youth of our city an observant turn, wliich, 

 it may be hoped, will lead to many of them becoming 

 hereafter ardent and successful students of nature. 



" The annual field day to Orford afforded not only a 

 pleasant outing to the members of the Society and their 

 friends, but yielded valuable scientific results, especially 

 in the determining of the height of the mountain by 

 Messrs. Leroy and Evans. 



" The Saturday afternoon excursions to points of inter- 

 est in the neighborhood of the city were not largely taken 



