FORTIETH ANNUAL MEETING. 45 



The interest in the work of the Institute has not flagged during the 

 past year, there h ive been 24 ordinary meetings at whicli 31 papers 

 were read, and 36 njeetings of sections at which 39 papers were read, 

 or a total of 69 papers for the session. 



The range and character of these communications have been fully 

 equal to the standard of former years, they have been well and fully 

 discussed. The aveiage attendance at the meetings is in advance of 

 last year. The attendance of members in the reading room has also 

 inci'eased. 



The Council desires to record its high appreciation of the generosity 

 of the Government in again placing the sum of $ 1,000 at the disposal 

 of the Institute, for the extension of archaeological research. Through 

 the indefatigable exertions of the curator many valuable additions 

 have been made to the museum from the Province and from the 

 United States. The admirable arrangement of the specimens in the 

 various cases, has greatly assisted the study of this important branch 

 of our national history. It is gratifying to report that the museum 

 has been visited by a large number of ladies and gentlemen, from 

 many of whom valuable donations have been received. 



The appointment of Mr. David Boyle, as representative of the 

 Provincial Government at the Cincinnati Exhibition last year has 

 been productive of much good to the interests he i-epresented there, 

 and has been the means of many valuable gifts being presented to our 

 museum. The archaeological report for 1888 has already appeared as 

 an appendix to the report of the Minister of Education for last year. 



The thanks of the Institute are due to Mx'. Sandford Fleming for his 

 exertions in procuring an interesting and valuable present from the 

 Gi-and Trunk Railway Company of a portion of the first sod of the 

 Northern Railway, cut on the 1 5th Octobei-, 1851, by Her Excellency 

 the Countess of Elgin and Kincardine, and the bottle used on 14th 

 January, 18o3, to chiisten Collingwood harbor, and an extract from 

 the Globe of the 26th January, 1863, giving an account of these 

 relics and other interesting matters. 



The members of the Photographic Section, desiring to extend their 

 work in a more practical manner, resolved to form a Photographic 

 Society having wider scope than they believed would be offered by 



