VIGER, James, Canadian archaeologist, born in Montreal, Canada, in 1787; died there in 1858. He was educated in the College of St. Raphael, Montreal, and served as an officer under De Salaberry in the war of 1812. In 1832 he was elected first mayor of Montreal, and recommended by Lord Gosford, the governor-general, for a seat in the executive council. As an antiquarian and archaeologist he was devoted to the investigation of early Canadian history, he wrote twenty-eight volumes, entitled the " Sabertache," and formed an invaluable collection of manuscripts, having given years to the examination of historic monuments, the clearing up of obscure points, verifying dates, and restoring the correct orthography of names, Parts of the "Sabertache "appeared in the "Bibliotheque Canadienne" and the "Encyclopedie Canadienne." The greater part is unpublished, but has been consulted by scholars interested in Canadian history, both in America and Europe. Mr. Viger was first president of the National society of St. John the Baptist, and was also for several years lieutenant-colonel of militia. His published works are "Relation de la mort de Louis XV., roi de France" (Montreal, 1812) ; " Observations en amelioration des lois des chemins telles qu'en force dans le Bas-Canada en 1825 " ; "Rapports sur les chemins, rues, ruelles, ponts de la cite et paroisse de Montreal, avec notes" (1841); " Archeologie religieuse du diocese de Montral" and "Souvenirs historiques sur la seigneurie de Laprairie" (1857). His best writings have been for reviews.