340 



NATUEAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MONTREAL. 



[1855. 



nour by calling "lier Cuvier," than tlie curatorship of a nmseum be- 

 longing to one section of the medical profession. In my oivn case, in- 

 deed, the Council of the Surgeon's College have done me the honour 

 to re-elect me annually, for some years past, to a professorship not 

 previously held by the curator of their museum. But this position 

 has none of that tixedness and independence which my brother pro- 

 fessors of the same science on the Continent enjoy. When the First 

 Consul of France revised the appointments and position of the profes- 

 sors in the national establishment of the Garden of Plants at Paris, 

 the salary ivhich he attached to the chair of comparative anatomy, 

 ■with which the secretaryship of the sciences, was then associated, the 

 appointment, I say, was on such a scale, that the finance minister re- 

 monstrated. " Cuvier," replied Napoleon, " has a position in science ; 

 it is for the honour of France that he should be able to maintain that 

 position towards the foreign savans who may visit Paris." Great is. 

 the pleasiu'e with which I can state, that the short-comings of our na- 

 tional arrangements for analagous cases have been well understood 

 by the most illustrious personages and individuals of the State, who 

 have generously endeavoured to remedy and compensate for them. 

 The noble lord at the head of foreign affairs, in the most handsome 

 terms, gave my son a clerkship in his office. Sir Kobert Peel in as- 

 signing to me, a short time before his lamented death, a pension of 

 £200 a year, well appreciated the acceptability of such a provision iu 

 the exemption from anxiety flowing therefrom. I shall never cease to 

 gratefully cherish the memory of the wise and benevolent statesmen, 

 who created for me the satisfaQ^ion of feeling that, whatever might 

 possibly cause a termination of my present appointments, I do not 

 thereby fall into utter destitution. Her most gracious Majesty, mea- 

 suring my humble merits by the standard of her own greatness of 

 mind, was pleased to offer me, as a residence, the mansion of the late 

 King of Hanover, at Eew. On my respectfully representing to her 

 illustrious consort, your gifted and philosophic president, the dispro- 

 portion of my means to the fruition of that royal gift, he was pleased 

 to suggest the assignment to my use of a beautiful cottage, in which 

 the most healthful and delightful hours of my life have been spent, 

 and which daily renews a grateful sense of the happiness and privilege 

 ■we enjoy in the benign reign of Victoria." 



Cedar from Canada. 



In a letter to the Editor Df the Journal of the Society of Arts, Mr. 

 W. B. Adams, makes the foUo^wing observations on a remarkable kind 

 of Cedar from Canada . — 



" In the arsenal at Woolwich is being consumed for all kinds of com- 

 mon purposes, as purchased at a common price, a wood of very re- 

 markable quality. It is a cedar of the usual colour and odour, but of 

 a grain and veining equal to the finest maple. I was informed that it 

 comes from Canada amongst the usual supplies. I never recollect to 

 have seen it in Canada, where very durable post and rail fences are 

 made of common straight-grained (pencil) cedar. Perhaps it might 

 have been sho-wn in the Great Exhibition, but if so I did not remark 

 it. Possibly some of your correspondents, either here or in Canada, 

 may give us the information, and make this wood known for the pur- 

 poses it is better fitted for in the elegancies of life. The Temple of 

 Solomau in all its glory could have had no more beautiful cedar than 

 this, supposing the temple cedar to have been red and not white, as 

 the modern cedars of Lebanon." 



It almost makes one think that trees have faculties like the higher 

 classes of human beings to grow like by proximity. This cedar looks 

 as though it had been dry-nursed by a maple, and had caught its 

 manners and features while preserving its own complexion. 



Natural History Society of Montreal. 



An ordinary meeting of this Society was held in the Museum, on 

 Monday evening, August 27th. There were present — the Rev. Canon 

 Leach, D.C.L., Professor W. Andrew, Dr. Workman, Dr. Wright, Dr. 

 Fraser, Dr. Kingston, Dr. M'Callum, Messrs. G. Browne, J. T. Dutton, 

 and A. W. Rennie. Professor Andi-ew in the chair. 



The foUo^wing donations were received, and the thanks of the Society 

 ordered to be conveyed to the respective donors : — 



From Dr. W. Newcomb, of Albany, New York, a very valuable dona- 

 tion of a complete suite of the Genus ^cAafe'neZ/o, consisting of seventy- 

 seven different specimens of shells, labelled and numbered, with printed 

 catalogue and description, which a residence of over five years in the 

 Sandwich Islands enabled him to furnish. 



From John M'Gee, Esq., of Melbourne, C.W., six specimens of mi- 

 nerals. 



FromtheSmithsonianlnstitutionof Washington, the seventh volume 

 of their contributions to knowledge. 



From W. Bristow, Esq., of Montreal, a specimen of Silurian lime- 

 stone, with fossils. 



From Wm. Hutton, Esq., Secretary to the Board of Statistics, &c., 

 Quebec, the Census Volumes, 1st and 2d, in English and French ; 

 Trade and Navigation Returns for 1854 ; Outlines of Flemish Hus- 

 bandry; Lord Elgin's State Resources of Canada; Report of Public 

 Works for 1853 ; and Hogan's Prize Essay. 



From A. N. Rennie, Esq., six specimens of copper ore. 



Dr. Wright read a communication from Dr. Holmes, to the effect, 

 that he was desirous to have withdrawn from his custody some scien- 

 tific apparatus belonging to the Society, which had been purchased by 

 the proceeds of a course of lectures delivered by him many years ago 

 on Mineralogy and Chemistry. The cabinet keeper was instructed to 

 receive the same when the proposed alterations in the rooms were com- 

 pleted, and officially acknowledge their receipt. 



A report from the Council was read, recommending that the plans 

 submitted by George Browne, Esq., for altering and improving the So- 

 ciety's building shoiild be adopted, and that the meeting authorize the 

 Council to borrow upon the security of the Corporation whatever 

 amount might be necessary to complete the same. Mr. Browne stated 

 that the roof of the house was in want of some necessary repairs im- 

 mediately, and explained the improvements he proposed to make, by 

 the enlargement of the Council room and Library of the Society. He 

 also informed the meeting that at a very trifling expense, a very large 

 and commodious lecture-room could be made on the third floor of the 

 Society's building, and mentioned the amount he thought it would be 

 necessary to raise, to effect these desirable alterations. Whereupon, 

 it ■was resolved, upon motion by Dr. Workman, seconded by Mr. Dut- 

 ton — That the plan and estimate respecting the repairs of the Library 

 and Council room be received and adopted. Upon motion by Dr. Fra- 

 ser, seconded by Rev. Canon Leach, — That Mr. Bro^wne be authorized 

 to have the necessary repairs for rendering the Society's building ■wind 

 and water-tight, executed immediately. Upon motion by Dr. McCal- 

 lum, seconded by Mr. Rennie, — That the alterations in the building, 

 necessary to give the Society a large and commodious lecture room be 

 approved of, and that Mr. Browne be authorized to draw up the plans, 

 and procure the necessary estimates. And upon motion by Dr. Hing- 

 ston, seconded by Mr. Rennie, — That the Treasurer be authorized to 

 borrow, upon the secui'ity of the Society, a sum not exceeding four 

 hundred pounds cm-rency, to carry out the alterations and improve- 

 ments now agreed to be made, according to the plan and specifications 

 submitted by Mr. Browne. 



The Librarian presented a list of books of reference, not to be taken 

 out of the Library save for a special purpose, and upon application of 

 the Librarian to the Council for permission. The list was sanctioned, 

 ordered to be printed, and hung up in a conspicuous part of the 

 Library. 



Dr. Robert. Craik, of Montreal, was then proposed as an ordinary 

 member; and the meeting adjourned. 



(A true copy.) A. W. RENNIE, 



Montreal, August 31st, 1855. Recording Secretary. 



