PROCEEDINGS. 115 



Prof. Lawson was then called on by the President to read his Paper " On 

 Native Species of Viola of Nova Scotia." 



The Paper was lengthy and interesting. It was well illustrated by means of 

 the blackboard, and numerous dried specimens of the Viola. A conversation 

 followed the reading of the Paper. 



Dr. Sommers also gave the substance of a Paper "On Nova Scotia Fungi." 

 This Paper was illustrated by dried specimens. 



A discussion followed. 



Ordinary Meeting, Dalhousie College, Feb. 9, 1880. 



The President in the Chair. 



Inter alia. 



The President alluded to the death of Prof. DeMille, who had recently been 

 elected a member of the Institute. He said : — 



" I deem it a duty, melancholy though it be, to announce to you that by the 

 recent decease of Prof. DeMille, after a short illness, the Institute has been 

 deprived of another of its members, one of whom it may be truly said, that his 

 loss will be deeply felt, not only by the Institutions of learning and Science 

 with which he was connected, but generally by the community in which he 

 lived. It is but little to say of Prof. DeMille that wherever he was known 

 he was esteemed and respected. As an author he ranked high, and his works 

 are very popular in the neighbouring Republic, where perhaps they are better 

 known than amongst ourselves — his Rhetoric has become a text book in several 

 universities. Although Prof. DeMille's more intimate connection with our 

 Institute had been somewhat recent, I have good reason for believing that he 

 took much interest in its proceedings, and that he attended its meetings as 

 often as his more pressing avocations permitted ; and had he been spared I 

 have no doubt whatever that his talents would have been freely exerted in its 

 service. As it is there is only left to us to acknowledge, with humility, an 

 afflictive dispensation which might not be averted by human wisdom and to 

 add to the general expression our sympathy with his family in their bereave- 

 ment. 



It was resolved that this tribute te the memory of the deceased be inserted 

 in the Records of the Institute. 



Dr. Sommers gave a minute and interesting account of the Anatomy of a 

 Seal from the Magdalen Islands. 



Dr. Honeyman then read some remarks on the Geology of the Magdalen 

 Islands, suggested by specimens of Rocks and Minerals presented to the Pro- 

 vincial Museum. 



Mr. Fox, who had resided on those Islands for twenty years as Collector of 

 Customs, gave interesting information relating to the inhabitants and products. 



