114 PEOCEEDINGS. 



Deposits. This was the substance of a paper which will also be found in the 

 Transactions. 



His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor then made some complimentary 

 observations on tha Addresses delivered, and referred to the valuable work of 

 the Institute, as illustrated by its Volumes of Proceedings and Transactions 

 published. By means of its publication the Institute has been instrumental in 

 disseminating reliable information on the Natural History of Nova Scotia in all 

 its branches. lie had just been enabled to meet the demands of Kew Gardens 

 for information regarding the Botany of the Province, by the gift of a series of 

 Papers published in tbe Transactions. 



Ordinary Meeting, Dalhousie College, Dec. 8, 1879. 



The President in the Chair. 



Inter alia. 



Dr. J. Bernard Gilpin* made some observations on specimens of supposed 

 rude pottery found in and around Grand Lake. The specimens belong to the 

 Provincial Museum. Their forms are so singular as to occasion a diversity of 

 opinion regarding their character and origin. Dr. Honeyman, who furnished 

 the specimens, has no doubt whatever that they were made by man, and that they 

 are prehistoric remains. Some of them are of regular and rather elegant shape. 

 The basis on which they have been formed are stones— quartzite or argillite. 

 The other material seems to have been constructed by successive layers of 

 clay (?) so that the interior of the articles have a concentric appearance — the 

 outside is somewhat smooth . The} 7 are somewhat firm when wet, when dry they 

 are very fragile. When the Lake has tbe water at the usual height they are said 

 to be seen lying at a depth of six feet or more. Some consider them to be 

 concretionary, or natural forms. The stony nucleus or basis is always exposed ; 

 when the form is saucer shaped it constitutes the bottom. Their mode of 

 occurrence and other matters will be fully investigated in the next dry and 

 favorable season. 



Dr. Gilpin also exhibited a drawing of an unknown mammal. It was 

 supposed to be an albino dormouse. It was found at Annapolis last summer. 



Dr. Lawson gave an interesting account of his investigation of a very thick 

 deposit of diatomaceous clay found in the Lakes of Halifax Water Works. He 

 illustrated the character of diatom structure and mode of growth on the black- 

 board, and by the microscope. 



He also exhibited specimens of Cotton, Eice, and Palmetto which has been 

 brought lately from the Southern States by Mr. Andrew Jack. 



It was announced that Prof. DkMille and W. H. Neal had been elected 

 members. 



Ordinary Meeting, Dalhousie College, Jan. 26, 18S0. 

 The President in the Chair. 

 Inter alia. 

 Dr. Gilpin exhibited the Cub of a Bear, which was regarded as of peculiar 

 interest. An account of it will be found in the Transactions. 



