﻿312 Canadian Record of Science. 



for the purchase of specimens. And, then, some expendi- 

 ture was necessary towards cleaning and re-arranging the 

 specimens they had. Much had been done with small 

 means already in this direction by our zealous Honorary 

 Curator, Mr. J. B. Williams, but much remained to 

 be done, and in view of the prospective visit of so many 

 distinguished men of science to Canada during the present 

 summer, it would be w^ell if a liberal grant could be 

 at once made for this purpose. As to the Botanical 

 specimens which he had himself collected for the Museum, 

 and for which, through the kindness of the First Vice- 

 President, Mr. J. S. Shearer, a cabinet had been provided, 

 he hoped to have time this summ^er to have them duly 

 arranged and deposited in the cabinet. 



3. The Somerville Courses of Lectures of the two last 

 seasons had been exceptionally able, popular and useful. 

 The Course of 1896 had dealt with the natural products 

 of the fields and forests of the Dominion, which are 

 of economic value, and it was made specially interesting 

 and valuable by being contributed to by the staff of 

 the Government Experimental Farms. The lectures of 

 the present year covered the field of human physiology, 

 and they were most instructive and highly appreciated by 

 the public, the attendance at them being unprecedentedly 

 large. The Society was greatly indebted to the physicians 

 of the city, who had so kindly placed their special scientific 

 attainments at its disposal, for the enlightenment of the 

 people, on the department of Natural Science which was 

 of the greatest practical utility, and most nearly concerned 

 the welfare of the race — the laws of human life. The 

 last tw^o Somerville Courses had done not a little to 

 popularize science, and had thus promoted the aim of the 

 founder. 



4. The Eecord of Science still maintained its high 

 character, and reflected the greatest credit on the Society. 

 The issuing of this important publication, if nothing more 



