Whilst The City In General Showed An Extra Amount Of Life And Bustle, The Interest Naturally Centered In The Grounds Of McGill University, Which Presented A Bright And Lively Scene.

In the reception room in the William Molson Hall there was a constant succession of visitors, and the various offices wore a busy air.

In the grounds a new and picturesque effect was made by a couple of marquees wherein luncheon was served, and the grounds themselves, the grassy lawns and wooded walks, were the constant resort of ladies and gentlemen. The morning was spent by the visitors either in visits to the offices and reception rooms, the arrangement of papers, or in "doing" the city. At one o'clock the first work of the meeting commenced in the meeting of the general committee. Subsequently, at half past four, the visitors were formally welcomed by the mayor and corporation in the Queen's Hall, which was the scene of a brilliant gathering, and in the evening the first general meeting of the Association took place in the same hall, when the representative of the retiring president resigned the presidential office, which was assumed by the new president, Lord Rayleigh. Additional interest and distinction was given to the proceedings yesterday by the presence of His Excellency the Governor-General and the Marchioness of Lansdowns, and the Right Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald, Premier of the Dominion. Full reports of all the meetings and speeches together with other particulars of interest will be found subjoined.

MEETING OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the general committee of the Association was held in the James Ferrier Hall, Wesleyan College, at one o'clock yesterday afternoon, Sir William Thomson presiding.

The minutes of the meeting at Southport were read by the secretary, Rev. Prof. Bonney, and confirmed.

THE REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.

Capt. Douglas Galton, General Secretary, then read the annual report of the council, which stated that since the meeting at Southport, Dr. F. Lindemaun and Dr. Ernst Schroeder had been elected corresponding members of the Association, and proceeded as follows: - "The present meeting of the British Association, the fifty-fourth in number, is likely to be long memorable in its annals, as the first held beyond the limits of the United Kingdom. It marks a new point of departure, and one probably never contemplated by the founders of the Association, although not forbidden by the laws which they drew up. The experiment was doubtless a hazardous one, but it seems likely to be justified by success, and it may be hoped that the vigour and vitality gained by new experience may ultimately compensate for the absence from this meeting of not a few familiar faces among the older members; there will, however, be as large a gathering of members of more than one year's standing as is usual at a successful meeting in Great Britain, and the efforts which have been made by our hosts to facilitate the coming of members and render their stay in Canada both pleasant and instructive, call for the warmest acknowledgment.

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