Botanical Society of Montreal. 79 



The success of this publication, and the interest excited by his 

 discoveries, induced him, under favorable auspices, further to pro- 

 secute his researches in the Canadas — a country possessing a wide 

 field for Botanical investigations. He accordingly arrived in the 

 Lovs^er Province with the view of forming a complete Herbarium 

 of Canadian plants, of ascertaining the natural resources of the 

 soil, and improving the system of Horticulture. His labours, 

 • howevei', were not of long duration, and not without many draw- 

 backs. After having Botanized a large portion of Eastern Canada, 

 and made a considerable collection of Plants, (which were subse- 

 quently destroyed by fire) he died in Montreal, in July, 1820 — so 

 destitute of means, that the expenses of his burial, and other out- 

 lays, were defrayed by his friends. 



Pursh possessed a happy temperament — a kind and generous 

 disposition, and was a universal favorite among gardeners, whose 

 interests he served by every means in his power. 



The following is the inscription which was clearly preserved 



on the Tin Plate, attached to the Cofiin containing his remains : — 



" FREDERICK PURSH, DIED Uth JULY, 1820, ^GED 46 

 YEARS. " 



James Barnston, M. D. ) „ 

 George Shepherd. 5 Committee. 



James Barnston, Esq., M.D., and George Shepherd, Esq., have 

 been appointed a Committee to receive Subscriptions for the above 

 object, and communications on the subject may be addressed to 

 either of the above gentlemen : or to J. G. Barnston, Esq., Secy. 

 of the Society, No. 40, Little St. James Street, Montreal. 



J. W. DAWSON, t'RESIDENT, 



Botanical Society of MontreaV 



After the ordinary business had been transacted, Principal 

 Dawson, the President of the Society, read an interesting paper 

 " On the Botanical affinities of the Fossils known as SternhergicB^'' 

 of which the following is a short resume. 



The fossils of the genus Sternhergim present the appearance of 

 stems of plants, marked by transverse wrinkles, and sometimes 

 showing internal partitions or septa, corresponding to the external 

 wrinkles. They are found in the Coal Formation on both sides of 

 the Atlantic, and quite plentifully in the Upper Coal Measures of 

 Nova Scotia. The author noticed the views published by Brocy- 

 niart, Lindley, Dawes, Williamson and himself on these singular 

 vegetable remains, and stated that Prof Williamson has satisfac- 



