1855.] 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



135 



Prof. CttArMAN — " A Short Account of the Chlorastrolite of Lake 

 Superior, and Observations on Minerals presented by Dr. 

 Wilson, of Perth," February 25th, 1854. 

 Thomas Cottle — " A few rough Notes on some of theSaturnife, 

 and Suggestions on the Possibility of using their Silk for 

 Textile Fabrics," read by Prof Ckoft, March 4th, 1854. 

 Dr. BovELL — " On the reproduction of the Digestive Organs of 



the Holothurea, March 4th, 1854. 

 Dr. W. Craigie — "A List of Indigenous plants found in the 

 neighbourhood of Hamilton, with the dates of their 

 flowering." (^Laid on Ike Table.) 

 E. Billings — "On some new Genera and Species of Cystidea, 

 from the Trenton Lime-stone," read by Prof. Hi.nd, March 

 11th, 1854. 

 Prof D. Wilson, LL.D. — "On Traces of the Practice of the 

 Medical Art amongst the early Romans," March 11th, 1854. 

 Major Lachlan — " On the Establishment of a System of Simul- 

 taneous Meteorological Observations, &c., throughout 

 the British American Provinces," read by the Rev. Prof. 

 Irvi.no, March 18th, 1854. 

 Rev. Prof Hincks — "Remarks on a Peculiar Vegetable Pro- 

 duction from South America," March 18th, 1864. 

 Rev. Dr. ScADDiNG — " Memoranda of Vesuvius and its neigh- 

 bourhood," March 25th, 1854. 

 Prof. Chapman — " Remarks on the Tooth of an Elephas Primige- 



nius, found in the River Credit," Jlarch 25th, 1853. 

 Prof D. Wilson, LL.D. — "On the Intrusion of the Germanic 

 Races into the area of the older Keltic races of Europe," 

 April 1st, 1854. 

 E. Billings — "On some new Genera and Species of Cystidea, 

 from the Trenton Limestone," read by Prof Hind, April 

 8th, 1854. 

 Rev. J. McCaul, LL.D. — •" On some doubtful Points in Grecian 



and Roman Antiquities," April 29th, 1854. 

 Major Lachlan — "On the rise and fall of the Great Lakes," 

 read by the Rev. Prof. Irving, Api-il 29th, 1854. 

 The Council have particular pleasure in acknowledging the great 

 merit of several original papers contained in the foregoing list. The 

 valuable contribution of W. E. Logan, F.R.S., " On the Physical 

 Structure of the Western District of Upper Canada," is a very impor- 

 tant addition to our knowledge of Canadian Geology, and seems to 

 dispose of the question frequently raised respecting the existence of 

 workable coal fields in Upper Canada. 



The papers communicated by Mr. Elkanah Billings, "On some 

 New Genera and Species of Cystidea from the Trenton Lime- 

 stone," would do credit to the transactions of the most distin- 

 guished Societies in Europe and America. The highly interesting 

 collection of facts, "On the rise and fall of the Great Lakes,' 

 by Major Lachlan, furnishes a large amount of instructive inform- 

 ation respecting the history of one of those remarkable inland 

 seas, and in the absence of any extended systematic observations, is a 

 happy response to the wishes expressed in the Report for the year 

 1852. It is, however, a matter of sincere regret, that the present 

 Council have to repeat the strong expression of disappointment con- 

 tained in the Report of their predecessors, at the absence, with one 

 exception,* of any papers on the Science of Engineering. The Council 

 consider this is particularly to be regretted during the present period, 

 when works of stupendous magnitude and vital importance are being 

 executed throughout Canada. 



* Jlr. Brunei, "On Uxe ComparatWo .\dvantag03 of Singlo and Double Track 

 Railways." 



The Council have much pleasure in being able to give assurance o 

 the continued success of the Canadian Journal. It now serves as the 

 medium through which the simultaneous Meteorological observations 

 made at Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec, are presented to the public 

 in a connected form. At the request of the Literary and Historical 

 Society of Quebec, a limited portion of its pages is devoted to the 

 gratuitous publication of a Synopsis of their Proceedings at their 

 literary meetings. It is thought probable that other Canadian Scien- 

 tific Societies will make application for similar privileges, and the 

 Council would recommend to their successors the propriety of continu- 

 ing a liberality which cannot fail to be generally advantageous to the 

 advancement of Literature and Science in this country. 



The cii'culation of the Journal is steadily improving, and now 

 amounts to 554 copies monthly. In this number is included 60 copies, 

 distributed by order of the Library Committee of the Legislative 

 Assembly — an encouraging liber.ality, which the Council desires to 

 acknowledge in the warmest terms. 



The Council have not been unmindful of the interests of the Library 

 in their expenditure of the funds entrusted to their charge. They have 

 expended the sum of £69. 19s. 2d. for Books and Maps, but have been 

 deterred from making other purchases in consequence of the antici- 

 pated amalgamation of the Athenteum with the Canadian Institute, 

 — the valuable and extensive Library of that Society becoming the 

 property of the Institute after the necessary Parliamentary sanction to 

 the union has been obtained, which will probably be received early in 

 the ensuing Session. The following list comprises the works which 

 have been added to the Library by purchase : — 



Books Furdiased for the Liibrary. 



Tola. 



Ure's Dictionary of Arts 2 



Geological Observer (De la Beche) 1 



Notes and Queries 2 



Lyell's Manual of Elementary Geology 



Progress of Astronomy (Leoni's) 



British Almanac, 1854 



Humboldt's Views of Nature 



Mantell's Fossils 



Report of British Association, 1852 



Nicholl's Architecture of the Heavens 



Art Journal, 1852 



Notes and Queries 6 



Tredgold on Steam Engine — Marine Engine, Text, 1, plates 



1 ; Stationary Engines, Marine Engines and Boilers, 1 ; 



Locomotive Engines, 1 4 



Silliman's American Journal 16 



Registrar General's Reports, from 1 to 15, with appendices. 18 



Nos. 



Philosophical Magazine and Journal, 1854 10 



Journal of Microscopic Science 8 



Repository of Arts, Science and Manufacture 9 



Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 3 



Quarterly Journal of the Highland .Vgricultural Society 3 



Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society 3 



Chemical Gazette, 1854 17 



Vola. 

 Liebeg and Kopp's .\nnual Reports — Chemistry and 



Allied Sciences •! 



Kirby and Spcnce's Entomology 2 



General Structure of Animal Kingdom — T. Rymcr Jones... 1 



Mapa. 



Bouchetto's Map of Canada. 



1 



