184 Canadian Record of Science. 
ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1892. 
The duty of delivering what is called the Presidential 
Address falls this year on probably the most useless Pre- 
sident that has ever had the honour conferred on him of 
sitting in the Presidential Chair of the Natural History 
Society of Montreal. 
The fault however is not wholly mine, if indeed any real 
blame can be attached to my name in connection with the 
office. 
No Natural History Society has as yet discovered a 
natural law, or even traces of a natural law whereby the 
grandest object of Nature, Man, can plead with sickness 
the positive urgency of Presidential position, and thereby 
obtain a six months lease of steady health. 
For close on three months out of the six active months 
of this Society’s work I was an ‘ailing man,” barely able 
to fulfil the necessary duties of my profession, and wholly 
unable to fulfil any of the duties that fell to my lot as Pre- 
sident of this or other Societies. 
I also told the gentlemen who urged me strongly to 
accept the position that my professional duties were of 
that nature that no outside appointment could stand in the 
way of, clergymen as well as doctors being subject to 
sudden and pressing calls before which everything must’ 
give way. 
Hence apart from ill health I have been forced to refrain 
from duties that in themselves would have proved a plea- 
sure. Not because I loved the Natural History Society 
less, but because I loved my profession more. 
With these words of apology, and direct warning as to 
future presidential elections; I would proceed with my 
address, carrying with me, I trust the good natured pardon 
or sympathy of the officers and members of this Society. 
With regard to the working of the Society for the year 
T have but little to say, as the reports of the council about 
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