!l 1898. VOL. XII. 1899- THE OTTAWA NATURALIST, Being VOL. XIV of the TRANSACTIONS of the OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB. Organized March, 1879 Incorporated March, 1884. OTTAWA, CANADA: Prin'ed for the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club by Paynter & Abbott, 1898. THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899,^ (patron: THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA. Iprcai^ent : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. Uice=lPresi^cnt0 Prof.JohnMacoun, M.A.,F.I>.S..F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami, M. A., F.G.S. Xibrarian : S. B. Sinclair, B. A. (Normal School. ) Sccrctar\i: llrcasurci-: W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. Dr. James Fletcher. (CHoln.'i.al Survey Lteiit. I (Central Experimental Farm. I Committee : Frank T. Shutt,M.A., F.C.S., F.I.C. W. T. Macoun. D. A. Campbell, B.A. Miss M. Kee. " G. Hanner. " Marion Whyte. Stan^ina Committees ot Council : Fublishhio : H. M. Ami, D. A. Campbell, F. T. .Shutt, J. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, Excursions: W. J. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. B. Sinclair, Miss Kee, Miss Harmer, Miss Whyte. Soirees : H. M. Ami, J. Fletcher, D. A. Campbell. W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. Xea^er8 : Geology: H. .\L Ami, W. J. Wilson, R. \V. Ells. Jiotany : D. A. Campbell, J-lntomology : \. Fletcher, Concholo'gy : F. R. Latchford, A. Halkett, S. E. O'Brien. fs> Ornithology : W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss Hantier. Zoology : [ohn >Lacoun, A. E. Attwood, A. Halkett. ■.J. Wilson, K. \V. t,lls. ,^.^~^ \, J. M. Macoun, R, B. Whyte. y^C IfifiTN^ r, W. H. Harrineton, Willibert Simpso6.^*i' *^"4 >n hford, A. Halkett, S. E. O'Brien. (sV -'^'^Q^ ^r "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." EMtor : Henry ^L Ami, M..\., D.Sc, F.G.S. associate lE^itor3 : Dr. R. W. Ells, Geological Survey of Canada, — Department of Geology. Mr. W. J. Wilson, Geological Survey of Canada. — Department of Mineralogy and Litliology. Pkof. !ohn Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey of Canada. — Depart- ment of Botany. Mr. K. R. Latchford. — Department of Conchology. Mr. W. IL Harrington, Post Office Department. — Department o\ Entomology. Mr. W. T. ^LACOUN, Central Experimental Farm. --Department ^i{ Ornitliclo-} . I'Koi K. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada. — Department of Biology and general Zoology. "Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee toO.F.N. C. only $i.oo perannuin. LIST OF MEMBERS Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, April, 1898. Adams, Prof. F. D., M.A. Sc, Ph. D. Allan, Hon. Geo. VV., D.C.L.,F.R.G.S., F.L.S., P.C. (Toronto.) Ami, H. M., M.A., D. Sc, F.G.S., F. G.S.J. Ami, Mrs. H. M. Anderson, Lieut. -Col. W. P., C. E., M.I.C.E. Attwood, A. E., M.A. Ballantyne, James. Barlow, A.E., M.A., F.G.S.A. Bate, H. Gerald. Bate, H. N. Beddoe, Chas. H. Beeman, T., M.D. (Perth, Ont.) Bell, E. B. Bell, Robert, B.App.Sc, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S.C, F.G.S., F.G.S.A. Bell, Miss H. N. Belleau, Eugene. Bethune, Rev. C. J. S., ALA., D.C.L., F.P.S.C. (Port Hope, Ont.) Bigger, Howell. Billings, W. R. Bishop, Miss A. M. Boardman, Wm. F. Bolton, Miss Eliza. Borden, ffon. F. W., M.D., M.P. Boughner, Leroy J- (Simcoe, Oni.) Bowen, Miss Alice. (Quebec.) Bowerman, J. T., B.A. Brewster, W. (Cambridge, Mass., U.S.) Broadbent, Ralph L. Brown, Mrs. R. D. Brumell, H. Peareth, F.G.S.A. Burgess, T. J. W., M.D., F.R.S.C. (Montreal). Burland, J. H., B.App.Sc. (Montreal.) Burland, Mrs. G. B. (Montreal.) Burman, Rev. W. A. (Winnipeg.) Campbell, D. A., B.A. Campbell, A. M. (Perth, Ont.) Campbell, R. H. Chubbuck, C. E. D. Clark, T. M. Cobbold, Paul A. (HaiJeybury. ) Conovan, H. W. E. Cornu, Felix, M.D. (Angers, Que.) Cote, J. L. Courtney, R. M. Cousens, W. C, M.D. Cowley, R. H., B.A. Craig, John. (Ithaca, N.Y. ) Dawson, G.M.,^?.^.^., LL.D.,F.R.S., D.S. , Assoc: R S. M. ,F. G.S.,F. R. S. C. Dawson, S. E., Lit.D. Dewar, Colin. Dimock, W. D., B.A. (Truro, N.S.) Dixon, F. A. Doherty, T. Keville. Douglas, C. A. Dowling, D. B., B.A.Sc. Dresser, J. A., M.A. (Richmond, Que.) Dulau & Co. (London, Eng. ) Dwight, Jonathan, Jr., M.D. (New York.) Ells, R. W., LL.D., F.G.S.A. Evans, Jno. D., C.E., (Trenton, Ont.) Ewart, D. Fedarb, F. J. Ferrier,W.F., B.A.Sc, F.G.S., F.G.S.A. Ferrier, Mrs. W. F. Fleming, Sir Sandford, K.C.M.G., C.E., F.R.C.L., F.R.S.C. Fletcher, James, LL.D., F.L.S., F.R.S.C. Fortescue, L. Fortescue, Mrs. L. P'orward, A. J. Frechette, Mrs. Howells. Freeland, Dr. A Fuller, Thos., RCA. Gerin, Leon, B.A. Gilmour, T. Glashan, J. C. Gorman, M. T-. LL.B. G rant , Sir " [ . A. , K.C.M.G., M.D., F. R. C. S. Edin. , F. R. S. C. , F. G. S. Gregor, Prof. Leigh R. (Montreal.) Grist, Henry. Grist, Miss Mary L. Hardie, Miss Jessie. Halkett, Andrew. Halkett, Mrs. Andrew. Halkett, Gordon. Harmer, Miss G. (Hintonburgh, Ont.) 1898.] List of iMemhhrs. Hariiion, Miss A. Maria. Harrington, W. Hague, F.J\.S.C. Harrison, Edward. Hay, George, Sr. Hnv, C. U., F.A'.S.C. (St. John, N.B.) Hayes, W. H. Honeyman, M. O., B..-1. (Aylmet, Que.) Hope, James. Hughes, Chas. (Montreal.) Jaiiics, C. C, M.A. (Toronto.) Jenkins, S. J., B.A. fohnson, S. B. Johnston, J. F. E., C.£. Johnston, Robt. A. A. [ones, C. J. Kearns, J. C. Kee, Miss Margaret. Keefer, Thos. C., C.E., F.A'.S.C. Keeley, D. H. • Kenny, Thos. Kingston, A. G. Klotz, Oskar. Klock, Alonzo J., ti.A.Si. Kemp, E. Lambart, Hon. O. II. Lanibe, L. M., F.G.S., F.G.S.A. Latchford, F. R., B.A. Lee, Miss Katharine. Lees, Miss V. Lees, W. A. I). Lees, Mrs. W. A. D. LeSueur, W. I)., B.A. Liljrary, Leg. Assembly ((Quebec.) Library of Parliament. Lindsay, A. Living, Miss A. Marion. MacCabe. [. \., LL.D., F.R.S.C. McConnell", R. G., B.A., F.G.S.A. MacCraken, John I., B.A. McDougall, A. 11.,^.^. McElhinney, M. P. McEvoy, Jas., B..4.Sc. Macfarlane, Rev. \. .\. Mncfarlane, T., M.E., F.R.S.C. McGill, A., B.A., B.Sr. McChiirl, W. Mclnnes, Wm., B.A., F.G.S.A. Mac Kay, A. H. B.A., B.Sc, F.R.S.C. (Halifax.) McLaughlin, S. (Los Angeles, Cal.) MacLaughlin, T. I. MacLeod, H. A. F., C.£. McMorran, R. M. McNab, Chas. McNab, A'ev. E. (Mattawa). Macoun, Pi-of. John, M.A., F.L.S., F.R.S.C. Macoun, J. M. Macoun, \V. T. Marsh, H. S., A.I.C. Marshall, |ohn. Matheson, D. Mathews, Miss Annie L. Mearns. Dr. E. A. (U.S.A.) Monis, Miss F. Meneilly, W. J. (Toronto.) O'Brien, S. E. Odell, W. S. Ogilvie, William, D.L.S. Poirier, Hon. P. S., M.A. (.Shediac, N.B.) Porter, J. A., B.A., M.D. Pratt, H. O. '^.,B.A. Prevost, L. C, M.D. Prince, Pro/. E. E. B.A. F.L.S. Prudhomme, O.E. Roliertson, Prof. J. \V. Robertson, N. Ross, A. H. D. Ross, Hon. G. W. (Toronto). Rothwell, Miss Lina. Saunders, Fredk. A., B.A. Saunders, Wm., LL.D., F.L.S. .F.R.S.C, PCS. Saunders, W. E. (London Ont.) Scott, FVed. (Toronto.) Scott, Miss Mary. Scott,, P , M.D. (Southampton, Ont.) Scott, W. Scott, W., B.A. (Toronto.) Scott, W. L., LL.B. Selwyn, A. R. C, C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.S.C, F.R.S., F.G.S., F.G.S.A. .Senate of Canada, The. Shenick, Miss A., B.Sc. Shutt, F. T., A/.A., F./.C., F.C.S. Simjison, Willibert. Sinclair, S. B., B.A. Small, H. B. Small, H. Beaumont, M.D. Smith, Ca/>L W. H. (Halifax, N.S.) Sowier, T. W. E. Steckcl, R , C.£. Stevenson, Chas. (Montreal). Summerby, Wm. J., A/. A. (Russell, Ont.) Sutherland, J. C. (Richmond, Que.) .Symmes, Thos. (Aylmer. ) Symes, P. B., A.RT.C. Thompson, T. W. Thorburn, [oh'n, A/. A., LL.D. Topley, Mrs. W. J. Tyndall, Miss A. (Cummings Bridge.) Tyrrell, J. B., B.A., B. Sc, F.G.S., F.G.S.A. Waghorne, Re7\ A. C. (St.- John's, Nfld.) 6 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April Wait, F. G., B.A. Whyte, Miss Ethel. Walker, B. E., F.G.S. (Toroir.o.) Whyle, Miss Isabella. Walker. LiryaiU (Detroit.) Whyte, Miss Marion. Walsh, .\. R. Whyle, R. I!. | Walton, Mrs. J. L. Whyle, Mrs. R. B. I Warwick, F.W. , ^..Vc. { Buckingham, Que. ) Williams, Miss E, ] Walters, Henry. WilliinoU, Chas. W. WeM.,n, /'rof. R. C (Halifax, N.S.) Willing, T. N. (Olds, N.W.T.) Weston, T. C.. F.G.S. A. Wilson, W. J., Ph. B. Whelan. Peter. Wilson, Mrs. R. Whelan, Miss A. Wood, i%«. Josiah, (Sackville, N.B.) White, George R. Woods, J. W. Wiii'e, lames. (.Snelgrove, Ont.) Woods, Mrs. J. W. Whif-.ve.. [. F., F.G.S. . /^.A'..S-.C., Wright, W. R. F.G.S. A. XoMng.Rev. C. J., A/..r/. (Lansdowne.Ont.) Whitley, C. F., B.-'^.A. Voiing, C. H. CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. Hill, Albekt J. A/. .A., C.E., New Westminster, B.C. Merriam, Dr. C. Hart, Department of .Agriculture, Washington, U.S. Ormerod, Miss E. A., F. A'. Met. Soc, Torrington House, St. Albans, England. Smith, Prok. John B., Rutger's College, New Brunswick, N.I. Taylor, Rev. G. W., F.R.S.C. (Nanaimo, B.C.) THE OTTAWA NATURALISf^^ Vol. XII. OTTAWA, APRIL, 1898. No. i' ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OTTAWA FIP:LD- NATURALISTS' CLUB. 1897-98. The Council submits the following account of the Club's work during the year 1897-98 : — The number of members now on the roll is approximately 225. Twelve meetings of the Council were held during the year. At the first of these, according to custom, leaders in the several branches, viz., Geology, Botany, Entomology, Ornitho- logy, Conchology and Zoology, were appointed, besides an Editor and Associate Editors of " The Ottawa Naturalist. At the invitation of the Roykl Society of Canada to send a Delegate, our President, Professor Prince, was chosen to repre- sent us. Owing to his absence during the Royal Society's deliberations at Halifax, Dr. Ami presented the annual account of the work of the Club, which will be found in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada. Three general excursions were held during the summer. The first to Chelsea on 22nd May, 1897, as reported in the June number of " The Ottawa Naturalist." The second was to the Pickanock on 19th June, and reported in the July number of " The Ottawa Naturalist." The third was to Chelsea on 2nd October, and is reported in " The Ottawa Naturalist " for Sep- tember. " The Ottawa Naturalist," the official organ of the Club, has been under the Editorship of Dr. H. M. Ami, with a staff of Associate Editors. During the year, in addition to the Reports of Branches and a record of the Proceedings of the Club, many valuable papers have appeared of a biological and varied scienti- fic nature. Among these the following may be mentioned : " Post pliocene deposits of the Ottawa Valley," by Dr. H. M. Ami. 8 ' The Ottawa Naturalist. [April " Bird Notes," by Mr. W. T. Macoun (several notes of much iuterest which appeared throughout the year). " Weather," by Mr. Otto J. Klotz. "Fruit Growing in Canada," by Mr. John Craig. " The Pelican," by Prof. E. E.'Prince. "A Naturalist on the Pacific Coast," by Mr. A. Halkett. "The Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa," by Prof J. Macoun. " Birds of the Magdalen Islands," by Rev. C. J. Young. " Recent Conclusions in Quebec Geology," by Dr. R.W.Ells. " Geological Formations of the Ottawa District," by Dr. R. W. Ells. " Pleistocene Geology of the Ottawa Valley," by Mr. W. J. Wilson. Valuable additions have been made to the library, including a series of reports of the U. S. National Museum and a complete set of twelve volumes of the works of the late Professor George Ville upon Agricultural Chemistry, kindly presented to the Club by Mme. Ville. During the winter months the Club held a course of seven soirees, at which papers were read by the various leaders and other members of the Club, and many interesting Natural History specimens were exhibited. Besides the ordinary course of lectures — the programme of which appeared in the Club's maga. zine for November — Prof Prince, President of the Club,gave three special lectures or practical demonstrations of the anatomy of a Fish, of a Bird, and of a Mammal, respectively. These were of great interest and were highly appreciated by those in atten- dance. The thanks of the Club are due to the Young Men's Christian Association, which kindly put the Association Hall at its disposal for the lectures, as well as to Dr. J. A. MacCabe for the use of rooms in the Normal School for the monthly Council meetings and for the library In response to the appeal made by the Club to the Hon. G. W. Ross, Minister of Education for the Province of Ontario, a grant of $200.00 was received through the generous liberality of the Ontario Government : and some months ago Dr. S. P. May, of Toronto, Inspector of Mechanics' Institutes and Libra- 1898] Report of Council, 1897-98. 9 rics, had an informal interview with some of the members of the Council in regard to the work of the Club. In addition to the ordinary work of the Club, as set forth above, certain work of an educational character has also been carried on. Considerable progress has been made in the naming and arranging of botanical specimens donated to various schools in the Province of Ontario — the ambition of the Club being to as far as possible aid in establishing a complete herbarium in the Normal School, Ottawa, and sister institutions. A special course of afternoon lectures, largely attended by the children of the Public Schools, was given in the Y.M.C.A. Hall, by Messrs- Fletcher, Prof Macoun, Prince, and Ami. A special course of lectures was delivered at the Experimental Farm to students of the Normal School, by Dr. Saunders and the following four members of the Council : Messrs. Fletcher, Shutt, Craig, and W. Macoun. These lectures were on scientific topics, agricul- ture, and some other subjects of educational interest and value. Thus, outside its special work as a Naturalists' Society, the Club has continued to do active educational work in various direc- tions, with, it is not too much to claim, results of a substantial character. Andrkw H.\lkett, P^dw.vrd E. Prince, Secretary. President. REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL BRANCH, 1897. To tltc Council of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists Club : The leaders have unfortunately to report that comparatively little was accomplished by members of the Club in this branch of its work, and few records of important, or even interesting captures have been handed in from the Ottawa district. (Col- lections of considerable interest have, however, been made in different parts of Canada and submitted to the leaders for iden- tification. Dr. Robert Bell, F.R.S., etc.. Assistant Director of the Geological Survey, made a small but most interesting collec- tion of Lepidoptera in Baffin Land, which greatly increases our lo The Ottawa Naturalist. [April knowledge of that little visited region. Mr. A. W. Hanham, of Winnipeg, Mr. E. Firmstone Heath, of Cartwright, and Mr. Boger, of Brandon, have continued their studies of Lepidoptera in Manitoba, and have made records of great value in determin- ing the geographical distribution of many species. At Qu' Appelle, Assa., Mr. W. E. H. Porter has commenced the collection of Coleoptera, and at Boucher, Mr. Coubeaux has made some very interesting captures, chiefly coleoptera. Mr. T. N. Willing, of Sylvan Glade, near Olds, Alta, for several years a member of the Club, is now making a systematic study of lepidoptera, both diurnal and nocturnal. He has already added much to our knowledge of some rare species. During the past summer Mr. H. B. Sanson, curator of the Museum of the National Park at Banff, Alta, has taken up the insect fauna of the Rocky Mountains. Although his time was very much occupied by his official duties, he collected more than thirty species of butterflies, as well as some moths. One of the latter — Brephos infans — was of particular interest, as it occurs at Ottawa, and had not previously been recorded so far west. Mr. W. H. Danby, formerly of Victoria, B. C, has sent in two collections consisting of beetles, butterflies, moths and a few hymenoptera. These collections were made at Rossland, B. C, where Mr. Danby now lives. In Vancouver Island excellent work has been done among the local insects, and the Leaders are delighted to welcome back again to the ranks of the active working entomologists our old friend Rev. G. W. Taylor, who has done more than any other man to work out the natural history of the Island, not only in Entomology and Conchology, in connection with which his name is so well known, but also in many other branches. Among many interesting insects captured by him may be specially mentioned a rare butterfly. Thecla Siva, and the curious wasp parasite, Trigonalys Canadensis, regarding which Mr. Taylor has published important observations in the "Cana- dian Entomologist" (Vol. XXX, p. 14, Jan. 1898). In the Queen Charlotte Islands the Rev. J. H. Keen, pro- bably the most westerly resident American collector, has con- iSgi^] Report OF THE Entomological Branch, 1897. 11 tinned a critical study of the coleoptera of those little known islands, wliere, in spite of the remarkable fact that it rains at least for some part of almost every day in the year, he has madea large collection of extreme interest. Several species, previously only know by one, or very few specimens, have been obtained in large series. Among such may be mentioned the curious Liparoceplialus brevipennis. Mack., L. cordicollis, Lee, and Tany- rhinuii singularis, Mack. Some species new to science have also rewarded his painstaking researches, such as Haida Keeni, Fauvel, and Platycerus Kceni, Casey. Regarding the different orders of insects, there are a few records of general interest, as follows : Coleoptera. — Since the last report a valuable contribu- tion to entomological literature," Coleopterological Notices, VII, '' has been received from the author, Capt. Thos. L. Casey, Among the new species described in this volume are several which occur more or less abundantly at Ottawa. With one ex- ception they are all minute beetles belonging to theScydmaenid^e and Pselaphidai, and occurring usually in the damp mosses of swamps, or in the nests of ants. The following is a list of the species mentioned as inhabiting Canada : CARAHIDAE. Btenniif^ iiisitlaris, n. sp. Quetn Charlotte Islands (Keen). Diplochila alternans, n. sp. A form occiining with D. inipressicoUis, Dej. (Ottawa, etc.), in which the aUernate intervals of the elytra are (lark red. SCYD^LKN1D.^^:. Lophiodcrus I'iformis, Maki. — Queen Charlotte Islands (Keen). Euionnus clavipes. Say. — Toronto. fatiens, 'Lee. — Ottawa. Common in Dow's Swamp. Pycnophiis rasus, Leo. — Ottawa, etc. Not rare in colonies of Lasiiis alkiiiis. Couiiophron gandeiis, n. sp — Ottawa. Moderately almndant. tossiger, Lee. — " Common in swamp moss. pe-tinax, v.. sp. — • " Rather rare ; a very small sp. Scydiii(Ci!iis hadhts, n. sp. — " One specimen. (orpnscidum, n. .sp. — " Snmewh.il common in moss. ralifomiiiis, Mots. — (>,icc:i Charlotte Islands (Keen). PSELAPHID.E. ,^ Ottawa. Batrisus Ha^ringloni, n. sp. Decarthroii laiirenticu/n, n. sp. Reicheniachia corporalis, n. sp l>ofealis, n. sp. hinodifer, n. sp. .V^.^^ Vancouver Island. ipatiilifer, n. sp. Ottawa. 12 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April Pilopiiis saginatus, n. sp. Ottawa. Tyrus humeralis, Aube. " CURCULIONID.i:. Copturodes dispersus, n. sp. Ontario. An excellent monograph of the North American species of Bembidium, one of the largest and most difficult groups of the Carabidae, has been published by Mr. Roland Haywood, and will be of great assistance to students in this hitherto perplexing genus. During the preparation of this paper a series of Ottawa specimens was furwarded to the author for examination, and among them was found one new species, which received the name Bembidium Canadcnse. The only two examples known of this pretty little beetle were taken at Brown's Wharf, oppo- site Buckingham, on 24th May, 1891. Another interesting species which occurs here, generally in swamp moss, and which had passed in collections as B. lampvos, Herbst., was found to be distinct from that European species, and was named B. muscicola. American coleopterists. as indeed all entomologists, have to lament the death, on 24th Nov., 1897, of Dr. Geo. H. Horn, who for many years has been recognized as the most eminent exponent of the insects of this great order. His collection of beetles was probably unequalled by any in America, and in the groups which he specially studiedheis stated to have been unsur- passed by any in the world. His numerous papers always gave evidence of careful and skilful work, and of a remarkable faculty for recognizing important structural characters, and of making critical comparisons of the various members of any group investigated. Lepidoptera — Some work has been done during the past sea.son in tracing out the life-histories of native lepidoptera Eggs of the bright and acti\'e little moth Breplws infans, were received from Montreal, through the kindness of Mr. H. H. Lyman, President of the Entomological Society of Ontario. The caterpillars were reared on the leaves of the canoe-birch. The)- proved very interesting pets. During the whole larval period several leaves, around the iScjH] Rlil'ORTOF THE EnTOMOLOUK AL BrAN'CH, I .Sq/. I3 one on which the caterpillar was fcedino-, were held together by single silk threads ; not abundant enough to permit of the en- closure being termed a nest, but sufficient to give much protec- tion, and to steady the leaves at the tips of the slender twigs. Perhaps the most interesting observation on these caterpillars was with regard to their behaviour when ready to pupate. Owing to the large amount of silk spun over the food during the caterpillar stage, it was expected that the larv?e would spin cocoons, but instead the>' wandered restlessly about their cages, sometimes entering the earth at the bottom, but always coming out again, after a short time, and resuming their wanderings, very much in the same way as had been observed of the larvae of the Cornel Sawfly {Harpipliorus tarsotus). Profiting by experience with the latter, a piece of rotten wood was supplied to them and they immediately burrowed into it and were no more seen. It is therefore probable that this is the natural method of pupation for this species. The pretty little moth flies very early in the spring, and sometimes is seen before the snow is off the ground. Of injurious insects particular mention must be made of the Forest Tent-caterpillar {Cliswcampa disstria), which, for miles along the Ottawa river, stripped the aspen groves of every vestige of foliage, and also attacked more or less seriously several other varieties of trees. Much attention was attracted by their depredations upon the trees on, and around, Parliament Hill and elsewhere. During a part of July the moths from these cater- pillars, as will be remembered, were so remarkably abundant throughout the city for several evenings as to cause considerable inconvenience to pedestrians. This was especially the case in the vicinity of electric lights, and shopkeepers suffered much annoyance from their swarming upon and inside their windows, and flying in through every opening. Immense numbers were destroyed in the arc lamps, and by being trodden under foot as they crawled upon the pavements. It is hoped that these obnoxious moths may not be so abundant next season. A visit to the Mer Bleue, in the middle of June, resulted in 14 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Apr the capture of two specimens o{ Ar^ynms Triclaris and one of Thecla Augustus, and in the woods near the railway station a pair of Phyciodes Batesii were captured. Hemiptera. — But few specimens were collected in this order, but mention may be made of the rathei unusual abun- dance of CoriinelcBna nitiduloides and Pentatovia juniperina. The former occurred upon Turtle-head and Goldenrod, and the the latter swarmed upon the White Cedars at the Experimental Farm. At a recent meeting of the Club an account was given of the San Jose scale, and specimens of this insect were exhibited- As was then stated, this minute insect, which has such enormous powers of injuring fruit trees, has occurred at five jioints in Western Ontario and at three in British Columbia. Vigorous efforts are being made by the Provincial and Federal Govern- ments to stamp out this pest. HymenoptEixA. — An unusually wet spring was apparent- ly the cause of a noticeable scarcity of at least the larger forms of hymcnoptera. This scarcity was particularly marked among the social bees and wasps, whose colonies are started by solitary hibernated fertilized females, styled queens. If unfavorable weather prevents the mother bee or wasp froin obtaining food Cor the first brood, it must follow that the growth of the colony is greatly retarded, or that it may even perish, Micro-hymeno- ptera seemed abundant on the comparatively few collecting outings, but these minute forms are so numerous, and so varied in their habits, that they may be obtained under almost any condi- tions. A very nice series, including several additions to our lists, was taken even as late as 3rd Oct., on the occasion of the Club Excursion to Chelsea. The Ottawa representatives of the genus Ichneumon have been recently re-studied and rearranged and are found to number over seventy species, which may serve to indicate the immense number of forms belonging to the order Hymenoptera. James Fletcher, W. H. Harrington, \ Leaders. WiLLiBERT Simpson, 1898] 15 REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL BRANCH OF THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB FOR 1897-98.. In submitting the report of the leaders of the Ornitholo- gical branch of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, we trust that it will not be considered amiss if it is prefaced by a few general remarks. In a city the size of Ottawa, with the great facility which the collections at the Geological survey afford for the identifica- tion and comparison of specimens, it is a great disappointment to us, that so few persons take an interest in the study of our birds and their habits. To our knowledge not one boy or girl in the cit}' is making a systematic collection of birds or eggs, nor attempting to study them in the field ; and of the mem- pers of the Field-Naturalists' club, who are especially interested in birds, none seem to have the time or opportunity nowadays to make more than casual oberservations, with the exception of Mr. Geo. R. White, who seems to find leisure to make frequent excursions to the field, the results of whose expeditions appear, from time to time, in the columns of the "Naturalist." Much valuable data has been forthcoming fmrn those who have had time for casual observations, only, but we are very desirous that more of our members should find opportunities to get to the woods and take notes on what the)' see and hear. Those who have helped the Leaders of the Ornithological branch during the year by the free use of their notes are. — Mr. Geo. R. White, Dr. Jas. Fletcher, Prof. J. Macoun, Mr. W. A. D. Lees, Mr. H. B. Small, Mr. H. S. Marsh. Mr. W. E. Saunders, Mr. F. A. Saunders, and Mr. G. Muirhead, of Haddo Hall, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. "ne addition was made this year to the list of Ottawa birds. On the 30th of March, Mr. G. Muirhead shot two female specimens of the Evening Grosbeak (Coccot/ira/zs^es vesperlina) in the Rideau Hall grounds. According to Mcllvvraith this bird has been seen in Ontario but four times, previously. At Toronto 1 6 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April on the 25th of December, 1854; at Woodstock, in May, 1866 ; at London, in 1871, about the same time of year ; at West Flamboro, in 1883, on the 17th of March ; and along tlie shores of Hamilton Bay and other points east, 1890. The usual range of this bird is Western North America, east to Lake Superior and south to Mexico. During the year, notes have been taken on 1 16 species of birds which is considered fairly good, considering tne few per- sons who made observ^ations. The dates on which these birds were first seen will be found in the ''Naturalist.' The scarcity of bluebirds {Siah'a sm/i's) was again noticed this year, but very few having been seen. It is a matter of great regret that this beautiful bird is disappearing so rapidly. An increase in the number of meadow larks {^Sturnella magna), was ver}' apparent, several pair breeding on the E.xperi- mental Farm, where their peculiar call in early spring was heard very frequently. On the 19th of July the Olive-sided fl\-catchcr (6"^wA^/«j- horealis) was seen at Kazabazua, P.O., b>' Mr. \\\ E. Saunders of London, Ont. It is not often that this bird is seen in the Ottawa district. The Red -tailed hawk {Biitco horealis) which is also a rare bird, was seen at the same place on the 20th by Mr. F. A. Saunders. A Fox-sparrow {Passeirlla iliaca) was seen by Mr. Geo. R. White along the Aylmer road on the 4th of December, which is a late date for this sparrow to remain here. A very interesting record was the passing up the Ottawa river of Brunnich's murre, ir guillemot {Uria louivia) in large numbers,onthe I2th of December. The birds, in flocks of from 20 to 100, were passing Rockliffe from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Several were shot. On Monday the 13th, one was caught alive in a field between Metcalfe aid Osgoode station, which lived for two day.s. On examination the stomach was found empty. All of the birds obtained were in very poor condition. Birds have been scarce about Ottawa this winter, probably due to its great severity and abundant snow-fall and the lack of 1898] Report OF THiiORNiTHOLOGR'AL Hraxcii, 1897-98. 17 certain kinds of food. A small flock of Pine grosbeaks {Pinicola enuclentor) was scon by Mrs. Ridley ot Vittoria St., on the 21st of December ; another flock wa.s .seen by Dr. Fletcher on Argyle Avenue on 2nd of January, and small flocks, by Mr. Geo. R. White on the 6th, 9th and 13th. A female was seen by Mr. W. T. Macoun on 2nd of February, which is the last date recorded. No Cedar-birds or Bohemian wax-wings have been seen this winter, but crows and snow-birds have been noticed every month, of the latter Mr. H. S. Marsh saw a large flock on the Ottawa river on the 27th of February, and Mr. G. R. White noted the arrival of the spring migration of crows on the 6th of March. The Great Northern Shrike {Lanius borcalis) was seen by- Mr. White on the 27th January and 8th and 25th of February. He also, on the loth of February, saw a Sharp-shinned hawk {Accipter velox) feeding on an English sparrow, and on the 17th a male Goshawk. The horned larks {Otocon's a/pcstris) were first seen at the Experimental Farm on the 17th of February. This is five days earlier than the first date last year and perhaps the earliest on record. For other notes in regard to the work done by the Ornitho- logical branch, we would refer )'ou to the Ottawa Naturalist, A. G. KiNCLSTON, \ Gertrude HaRxMER, > Leaders. W. T. Macoun, j ORNITHOLOGY Edited by W. T. Macoun. Last year a special effort was made to obtain, from several observers of birds, the records which were taken from time to time, by each individual, of the arrival, nesting, habits, and time of departure of our birds, and to publish those portions of them which were deemed of greatest value. The results of these efforts were published every month during the early part of the year and we are led to believe that many persons took 1 8 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April considerable interest in reading " Bird notes " in the columns of the " Naturalist." This year we propose to continue this work and begin by publishing notes for February and March. We here give public expression of our obligation to those who so faithfully sent in the records of their observations last year. During this season the following persons have cnsented to assist in publishing reliable data regarding our birds : Miss G. Harmer, Mr. Geo. R. White, Prof J. Macoun, Dr. J. Fletcher, Mr. A. G. Kingston, Mr. \V. A. D. Lees, Mr. H. S. Marsh, and Mr. C. H. Young. Bird Notes for Feisruary and March. Horned Lark — Otocoris Alpestris (Linn.j Two were seen on the 17th of February by Mr. W. T. Ma- coun, at the Experimental Farm. They were seen in small flocks a few days later. Prairie Horned Lark — Otocoris A Ipestris pj'-aticola {Wench.) Miss Harmer identified one of these birds on the 24th of p"ebruary ; Dr. Fletcher records a small flock on i8th. Purple Finch — Carpodacus purpureas (Gmel.) A male specimen of this bird was seen by Mr. A. G. King- ston on the I ith of March and again on the 17th. Son"' Sparrow — Mclospiza fasciata (Gmel.) Seen by Mr. C. H. Young, near Hurdman's Bridge, on the nth and by Mr. H. S. Marsh, near Hartwell's Locks on the 13th. They were abundant near the Experimental Farm on the 17th. Robin — Merula inigratoria (Linn.) Seen by Mr. C. H. Young, near Hurdman's Bridge, on the 15th ; by Mrs. Ridley, of Vittoria St., Mr. Geo. R. White and Col. Irwin, on the i6th ; and by Dr. J. Fletcher and Mr. A. G. Kingston on the 17th. Bronzed Grackle — Quiscalus quiscula (Bneus (Ridgw.) This bird was first seen on the i6th by Dr. J. Fletcher and Mr. White. Red-winged Blackbird — Agelaius phosniceus (Linn.) A male was seen by Mr. White, at the east end of the city 1898J ' Okxithologv. 19 on the i6th Mr. Young, saw one on the 17th, and on the 19th, one was observed by Mr. Marsh. Bluebird — Sialia Sialis (Linn.) One seen by Mr. W. T. Ellis, Mr. H. Fixter and Mr. Ma- coun, at the Experimental Farm, on the i6th ; Mr. Young saw one on the 27th and 28th, and Miss Harmer, on the 30th. Canada Goose — Branta Canadensis (Linn.) Seen by Miss Harmer, on the i6th ; a flock of about 41 was seen by Mr. Marsh on the 21st. American Rough-legged Hawk — ArcJiihuteo lagopus Sancti- Johannis (Gmel.) Shot by Mr. Young on the i6th. Meadow Lark — Sturnella magna f Linn.j This bird w^as seen by Mr. Young on the 17th. It was observed by Dr. Fletcher and Mr. Macoun at the Experimental Farm on the 25th and a male was seen by Mr. White on the same date. Cow-bird — Molothrus ater (Bodd) Seen by Mr. Macoun near .St. Louis Dam on the 18th. Slate-coloured Junco — J unco hyeinalis (Linn) This bird v/as first seen by Mr. Macoun at the Experimental Farm on the 19th. On the 21st they were numerous. Marsh Hawk — Circus Hudsonius (Linn) First observed by Mr. Young on the 20th and a male shot on the 23rd. Brown Creeper — Certhia familiaris Americana (Bonap) Seen by Miss Harmer on the 26th. Hooded yio.x^z.wsQX—LopJiodytescucullatus (Linn) A pair were seen by Mr. White near Templeton on the 26th. Buffle Headed Duck — CJiatitonetta albeola (Linn) Mr. White saw a pair below Rockliffe on the 26th. Black Duck — Anas obscura (Gmel.) Four were seen by Mr, White on the Ottawa River on the 26th. 20 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April Wood Duck — j^ Lv sJ)onsa (Linn) A pair were observed by Mr. White near Duck Island on the 26th Cooper's Hawk — Accipito- Cooperi (Bonap) A male was seen bv JVIr. White on the 27th. Tree Sparrow — Spizella tnonticola (Gmel) Seen by Mr. Macoun at the Experimental Farm on the 28th. Wood Pevvee — Coutopus virens (Linn.) Seen by Dr. Fletcher on the 28th. Phoebe — Sayornis Phoebe (Lath.) Seen by Miss Harmcr on the 29th. Mr. W. E. Saunders, London, Ont , in a letter to Dr. Fletcher gives the following dates on which he first recorded the arrival of some of the birds at London. These are very interest- ing for comparison with our Ottawa dates : Robin, 8th of March ; Meadow Lark, 9th ; Bluebird, 9th ; Kildeer Plover, loth ; Bronzed Grackle, loth ; Song Sparrow, lOth ; Red-winged Blackbird, loth ; Tree Sparrow loth ; Red- tailed Hawk, nth ; Junco, i ith ; Flicker, 17th ; Kingfisher, i8th, Mr. Saunders says :- "Birds are not exceptionally early here, this spring ; but just about the average or, even a little late. Flowers however are early. Snowdrops were in bloom a week ago, Crocuses and Eranthis about 17th, Erigenia in my garden on 19th. With regard to the dates of arrival of the birds, doubtless most of those noted on loth, could have been seen a day or two previously. I have often noted that my own opportunity, rather than the presence of the birds marks their recorded arrival here. To obtain really reliable records of arrivals, one should have begun for this year on March 5th, and each day walked lo or 20 miles along the railroad. He would then be prepared to hear the birds if they were here. As it is, one chances to hear a Bluebird on March 9th, and records it as the first, whereas if he had been walking a few miles away on the 7th, he might have seen a little company of them." 1898] 21 NOTES OF A NATURALIST IN BRITISH COLUMBIA The following interesting notes have been kindly com- municated to the Club by Mr. W. E. Brooks of Mount Forest, Ont. They are extracts from letters from Mr. Allan Brooks, an ardent naturalist sportsman and collector, now living at Vernon, Vernon, B. C, 7th Nov., 1897. My dear Father, -After my last unlucky trip after Bighorn I did not like to tell you that I was going alter them again, as I knew you would be anxious about my goingso late in the year ; but I am now safe back again, and I send you a sketch of my best head as mounted by myself ; length of horns 265^ inches, circumference 14 inches. I also got a ewe and a yearling, as well as a 9-point buck male deer. My companion, Dick Ford, got a 2 year old ram, with horns about half as big as the above, and 3 deer. We could have shot many more deer, but it was no use wasting game. There was an old miner, placer mining in the creek up there, lor whom we got a winter's supply of meat, S'j very little meat was wasted. I was so bent on getting them this time that I ordered a .30 cal. smokeless rifle,as they are the rifles for long range ; but after all I had to go without it, as it was necessary to .send to the factory for it. If I had had it, I should have got 3 heads like the above. The average shot is 300 yards, and most of m)- shooting was done at double that distance. I wounded some others which I never got. Like the Rocky Mountain goats the Big-horns are very tough and take far more killing than a Black Bear. I shot the old ram through, behind shoulder, smashing the opposite shoulder, and again as he was going away ( 175 yards)halfan inch above root of tail, the bullet ranging through his vitals, and again in the chest before he went down. A big buck I shot in the same place, only made 2 jumps and rolled over, and it, too, was further away when I fired. The ewe I knocked over at 250 yds; she and a ram were standing together. Of birds I saw large flocks of Leucostictes, Clark's Crows very common, and lots of Ravens, also Golden Eagles. Once 22 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April when I was scouring the opposite side of a canyon with my glass a fine adult Golden Eagle settled on a level with my eyes 30 yds. away ; I tried to raise my rifle slowly, but he spotted me at once and away he went ; a few minutes after when I saw my sheep 600 yds. away and opened fire, another flew out from under me, but far down the side of the canyon, is is a fearfully rough country, deep canyons, rock slides, and precipices. The old ram that I shot was the only good chance I had, and it was over 150 yds., running, when Ifired my first shot. Most of my shots were across deep canyons at 500 yds. or so, or else straight, up over head. In either case it was almost impossible to estimate the distance. If I had only had my .30 I should have had a gun that would shoot up to 300 yds. without moving a sight and with far more killing power than my Remington, which in future I shall keep for target practice. In the last three months I have bagged 5 deer, 2 goats, 3 sheep and 2 prairie wolves. I could have killed far more deer if I had wanted to, also goats and ewes, for that matter. The ewes have much smaller horns than the rams. I have taken no less than 4 species o{ Aruicola here, which with the 4 taken in the Chilliwack District makes 8 species of Arvicola (or Microtus, as it is now called), and if the close allied genera of Evotomys and Phenacoviys arc included, it brings the total up to 10 or 11 species of Voles taken in the two localities- Lots of prairie chickens here now; they go in big packs and are wild, getting up at long range with a great cackling and sailing away a mile or more before settling again. We are having cold, snowy, windy weather here now, but I have a garment that defies cold, viz. a Hudson Bay shirt, made of heavy felt with knitted collar and cuffs like a jersey, and it is put on in the same way. Vernon, B. C, Jan. 2, 1898, I am just back from another trip to the " Big-horn " Mountain. My companion was a man called Wilson, a very good fellow and the best guide for sheep around here ; but, for all this, neither of us got a shot at sheep, as they were on the steepest parts of the hillsides where our snow shoes would not work. One splendid old ram seemed to 1898] Notes of a Naturalist in B.C. 23 challenge us to come up to him, as he stood silhouetted on a ridge two thirds of a mile above us. But it was as much as our lives were worth to attempt it, so we left him alone. They should have been down in the bottom of the canyon at this time of the year, but the great numbers of Cougars' tracks explained their keeping to the bare open elevations, where they could see the crawling cat afar and make off. Deer were very numerous : saw 73. The hillsides were all cut to pieces by their zig-zag trails, and we saw where several had been killed by cougars. We refrained from shooting them as the meat would have been wasted. I shot one, a small one^ for camp meat, and when we came out we shot one or two more, close to the lake, which we brought home. These gave me a chance to see how my rifle works. The first w^as nearly 200 yards away, I raised my sight i ^ degrees and shot over him ; instead of lowering my sights, I simply held well down his fore- leg and piled him up in his tracks, with a shot through both shoulders, the two bullet holes in the snow bank at the other side of the deer were within three inches of each other, one straight over the other. My old rifle at this range would have had to be raised 3 degrees or so, while this one shot high with i ^. This shows how flat it shoots. I also shot a very big buck with a fine head at 140 yards as he walked across me, twice through the paunch and Wver, d^nd he did not go ten yards before dropping dead. His liver was torn to shreds, and his lungs were all congested ; and bleeding bloody froth from nose showed what a terrible shock the bullet gives ; the lungs were not touched b)' the bullet at all. I saw Golden Eagles and Ravens up there, after the animals the cougars kill. Vernon, B. C, Feb. i, '98. — I was near Okanagan Lake, opposite Vernon, during the 2nd and 3rd weeks ot January, and brought back a lot of Nuthatches with me. Red-bellied {Sitta Canadensis), Slender-billed (5. aculeata), and Pigmy {S pygmcea). They were all mixed together in big bands, with Chickadees, Gold Crests, etc. Strange to say, Townsend's Solitaire, a delicate Sialine bird is staying here all winter and singing. Allan Brooks. 24 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April OTTAWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Premium list and Prize List of this thriving Society have appeared and are worthy of the attention of the members of our club- Not only are there offered as premiums new or little known plants, in value actually exceeding the modest annual subscription of $i.oo, but prizes for over $400 are offered fi^r competion at the monthly meeting ; but what is of particular interest to our local naturalists, special prizes are ofiered by the President for the best collections of noxious weeds and injurious insects. We make this announcement qf the society primarily for the benefit of our botanical and entomological members, but also in recognition of the excellent work which is being done by the Horticultural Society to advance the science of horticulture in what we consider is the proper way. Prizes are given for the best specimens that the skill of the horticulturist can produce of standard varieties of fruits, vegetables and flowers,also for novelties advertised by seedsmen, and upon which so much good money is sometimes wasted, and for new or little known plants or fruits of merit At each of the monthly exhibitions, which are open to the public, an address is to be delivered by some specialist upon a seasonable subject. Intending competitors for the above prizes should send their names, together with the fee, $1, without delay to the secretary, Mr. J. F. Watson, 88 Sparks Street. SPRING ANNOUNCEMENT. Special efforts are going to be made this season to render the sub- excursions of the different branches as useful and interesting as pos- sible. It has been decided to change the rendezvous from the post ofifice to the end of the electric railway track, nearest to the locality chosen for investigation. Some of the leaders will therefore meet all who wish to avail themselves of these open air classes, at 3 p. m. on the fol'owing Saturday afternoons. .A.pril 16, Rockliffe, April 23, Hull. April 30, St. Patrick St. Bridge for Beechwood. LtBRARYls ^^l\ *- - y^^ M,i 2.(LIBRARY| THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Vol. XII. OTTAWA, APRIL, 1898. No. 2. THE CRYPTOGAMIC FLORA OF OTTAWA. By Pkoi-. John Macoun, M.A., F.L.S., F.R.S.C. Continued from February No. 251. J. barbata, Schreb. On da lip limestone cliff-; fac'ng the Ottawa River, Rockcliffe Park, May 7th, 1896 ; on rocks, Gilmour's Park, Chelsea, Que, Sept. 9th, 1S89; on rocks near Ironsides and on rocks Meeche's Lake, Que., Sejn. 23rd, 1893. 252. J. attenuata, Lindenb. 0,1 r.icks on damp cliffs, Rockcliffe Park, April i6th, 1891. -53- J- lycopodioides, Wallr. On rocks on the east side of the cliff, close to the old sawmill, Rockcliffe Park, Oct. 26th, 1889. 254. J. exsecta, Schmid. Common on dead wood, Beechwood Ctmetery, April 23rd, 1892; on moss on lot;s in Dow's Swamp, Oct., 1884. 2;5. J. incisa, Schrad. On touen wood in Beechwood Cemetery, Sept. 2nd, 1884; also on old logs west of Beaver Meadow, Hull, Que., Oct. 6th. 1885. 256. J. excisa, Dicks. Rather common on rotten wood around Ottawa ; in Dow's Swamp, Oct., 1884; also at Meeche's Lake near Chelsea, Que., Sept. 24th, 1893. 257 J- pumila, With. On rocks along Meeche's Lake, north of Chelsea, Que., Sept. 23fd, 1893. XIX. FOSSOMBRONIA, Raddi. 258. F. Dumortieri, Lindb. On earth subject to inundation close to Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que. Sept. 24th, 1889. 26 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May XX. BLASIA, Micheli, 259. B. pusilla, (Linn.) On earth subject to inundation in a gully at Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que., Sept. 24th, 1889 ; on wet clay banks, Meeche's Lake, north of Chelsea, Que., Sept. 23rd 1893 ; also on clay banks at the confluence of the Leivre River with the O.tawa River near Buckingham, Que., Sept. 26th, 1892. XXL PELLIA, Raddi. 260. P. epiphylla, Corda. On earth subject to inundation in a gully at Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que., Sept. 24th, 1889. XXH. ANEURA. Dumortier. 261. A. latifrons, (Lindb.) Dumort. On old logs in the swamp, Glebe property, Bank St., Ottawa, April 27th, 1896 ; on old logs, Beechwood Cemetery, April 23rd, 1892. 262. A. palmata (Hedw.) On old logs and stumps in Dow's Swamp, Oct. 6th. 1885 ; also on logs in McKay's Woods, Oct. 17th, 1890. 263. A. sessilis, (Sprengel.) Dumort. On old logs in a swamp about a mile south-east of Carleton Place ; in fine fruit, May 30th, 1884. 264 A. pinguis, (Linn.) Dumort, Amongst peat moss in the Mer Bleue, near Eastman's Springs, June 15th, 1892. XXHL METZGERIA, Raddi. 265. M. myriopoda, Lindb. On damp rocks near Ironsides, five miles north of Hull, Que., Oct. 2ist, 1884- 266 M. conjugata, Lindb. On stones in McKay's Woods near the Lake, Oct. 9th, 1884. XXXIV. ANTHOCEROS, Micheli. 267. A. Macounii, Howe (N. So.) Torr. Bull. Vol. xxv, page 19 (1898). Thallus forming small dark green rosettes, 4-10 mm., in diameter, strongly undulate-crfsped, subradiately inciso-laciniate or somewhat broadly lobed, rugose, pitted, sometimes slightly lamellate ecostate 6-8 1898] Macoun — Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 27 cells thick in axile parts, cavernose, becoming at the margin gradually 3 or 2-stratose, now and then glandular thickened ; surface cells dis- tinct, translucent, lightly protuberant, subrhombic, trapezoidal, or oblong-pentngonal 3575 x 30'35 mik. ; Nostoc colonies spherical ; monoicous ; anthtridia in groups of 3 or 4 ; involucres short, sometimes united in pairs cylindrical oblong, or by contraction at base and mouth dolioform or subglobose, '85-1 25 x ■5-9 mm., incrassate except at the thin erose or subentire mouth ; capsule black, erect or a little curved, 36 X 3-'5 mm., thick-walled, with numerous stomata, the valves rigid or slightly flexuose when dry, brittle and often broken ; columella some- times appendiculate ; spores fuscus or black, rounded-tetral edral densely and rather minutely muriculate on both the inner and outer faces, 48-65 mik. in maximum diameter ; sterile cells short, nearly as broad as long, without spiral thickenings, separate or variously adherent,- often shriveled and inconspicuous. On earth subject to inundation along the discharge of Leamy's Lake, near Hull, Que., ?ept. 24th, 1891. XXV. MARCHANTIA, Marchant. 268. M. polymorhpa, Linn. Quite common around springs and on earth along the borders o^ svvamps around Ottawa. On earth, by the lake in McKay's \Vood«; April 28th, 1896. XXVL PREISSIA, Nees. 269. P. commutata, Nees. Under dripping limestone rocks under the cliffs near the old mill, east side of Rockcliffe, May 7th, 1896. XXVIL CONOCEPHALUS, Necker. 270. C. conicus, Neck. Quite common on old logs and earth by brooks around Ottawa. In a swamp on the rear of Cowley's Farm, west of Hintonburg, April i8th, 1896. XXVHL GRIMALDIA, Raddi. 271. G- rupestris, (Nees.) Lindenb. On calcareous earth in crevices of rocks near Governor's Bay, Rock- cliffe Park, May 20th, 1884. XXXIX. RICCIA, Micheli. 272. R. arvensis, Aust. On damp earth covered by the spring floods around the east side of Leamy's Lake, Hull. Que., Sept. 24th, 1889. 28 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May 273. R. fluitans, Linn, Very abundant in Patterson's Creek, B.mk St., Ottawa ; also in the Beaver Meadow Creek, west of Hull, Que., Oct. 9th, iSgf). 274. R. natans, (Linn.) Corda. In stagnant pools east of Beechwood Cemetery, .'\|jril -^3rd, 189.2. Forma terrestris. Grows late in the season where pools had been in the spring. On earth along the Ottawa and Lievre rivers, near Buckingham, 20 miles below Ottawa, Se[)t. i8th, 1892 ; also along the discharge of Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que., Oct. i6th, 1893. LICHENES. L RAiMALIN.A, Ach. 275. Ramalina calicaris (L) var. fastigiata, Fr. On old rails, old logs and trunks rather tare. On bark of young red maples at Britannia, April 20th, 1895 ; rare on old logs near Ottawa River, Hull : on a pine tree, Pine Hill, Rockcliffe Park, rare on old stumps and rails in a fence one mile south east of Billing's Bridge ; also on red maples Leamy's Lake ; on trees in a swamp in Stittsville ; old logs King's Mountain, west of Chelsea. •Var. fannacea, Schaer. On trees, old fence rails, and ledges o( rocks. Rare on bark along the C.A.R. in Stewart's Bush, April 12th, 1895 : on old fence rails West End Park ; on limestone ledges on the face of the cliff, opposite Gatineau Point, Rockcliffe Park. Var. canaliculata, Fr. On a balsam fir in a swamp a little east of Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. 276. Ramalina pusilla (Prev.) Var. geniculata, Tuck. On twigs of spruce tress near Ironsides, Que., Oct. 6th, 1891. II. CETRARIA, (Ach.) Fr. 277. Cetraria ciliaris, (Ach.) On old fence rails and boards and occasionally on pine stumps and trees. On old fence rails. West End Park, April i6th, 1892 ; . on old board fencing at Buckingham, Que. ; on an old pine stump one mile above Britannia ; on tamarack trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. 1898] MaCOUN— CHYPTOGAMIC FLORA OF OTTAWA. 29 278. Cetraria saepincola, (Ehrh.) Ach. Rare. Occasionally in swamps. On branches of black spruce in the Mer Bleue, Eastman's Springs, June i6th, 1891. 279. Cetraria lacunosa, Ach. Rare in the Ottawa district. ; on trees and rails. On old fence rails and boards at r)uckingham, Que., May 14th, 1896. 280 Cetrartia Oakesiana, Tuckerm. Very rare in Canada. On the base of living pine trees and at the base of pme stumps, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; on the base of a pine stump by a swamp at Stittsville : old pine log, King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897, 281. Cetraria juniperina (L.) Var. Pinastri, Ach. Rare in the Ottawa district. On dead branches of black spruce and old logs in the Mer Bleue, at Eastman's Springs, June 16th, 1891 ; on branches of tamarack in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. III. EVERNIA, Ach. 282. Evernia prunastri, (I>.) Ach. On trees, stumps and old fences ; rare. On old pine stumps at Britannia, April 10th, 1834 ; on old rails along the Richmond Road above Hintonburg ; on an old fence, Ottawa East ; on trees in the swamp west of Hull Station ; on branches of tamarack trees in a swamp at Sti'.tsville, May 14th, 1897. IV. USNEA, (Dill.) Ach. 283. Usnea barbata, (L.) Var. hirta, Fr. On trunks south of the Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que., April 26th, 1 89 1 ; on a spruce tree, Rockcliffe Park ; on pine stumps at Bri- tannia ; on spruce and tamarack trees in the Mer Bleue.^at Eastman's Springs ; on tamarack trees in a swamp at Stittsville ; old log, King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. V. ALECTORIA, (Ach.) Nyl. 284. Alectoriajubata, (L-) Var. chalybeiformis, Ach. Rare on dead wood or on the earth. On old pine stumps at Brit- annia, April 20th, 1895 ; on tamarack trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. Var. implexa, Fr. Quite common in tamarack and other swamps, hanging like black hair from the branches. On black spruce and tamarack in the Mer Bleue, at Eastman's Springs, June i6th, 1891. 30 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May VI. THELOSCHISTES, Norm. 285 Tneloschistes polycarpus, (Ehrh.) A common species on living trees and dead wood. On black ash and while cedar trunks and balsam poplar branches in Stewart's Bush, April i2tli, 1895 ; common on willow, red ash and alder at Britannia ; on t),ilsaui pijplar and white ash trunks, at Hintonburjj ; and on ash and r^^ck elm m Beech wood ; on old fence boards at Billing's Bridge ; on red maple and as>h at Leamy's Lake ; rare on trees at Stittsville ; on trunks, King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1.897. 286. Tiieloschistes concolor, Dicks. On ash irces west of West End Park, April i6th, 1892 ; on white cedar bark by the CA.R. in Stewart's Bush ; quite common on willow, ash, maj^le and alder at Britannia ; common on bark of trees, Aylmer Road, west of Hull ; on trunks of black ash in woods west of Hinton- burg ; also on basswood trees at Carleton Place ; on a black ash log, Ottawi Eist, and on ash trees in Beechwood : on old fence boards at B;llini;'s Bridge ; op. various trees in woods, Eeamy's Lake ; on trees at Stittsv.ile ; on trunks. King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd 1897. Vn. PARMEIJA, (Ach.) De Not. 287. Parmelia perlata, (I.) Ach. Not uncommon on trunks in wet woods or swamps. A fine species but seldom found in fruit. On ash trees by the C A.R., Stewart's Bush, April 12th, 1895 ; «" a spruce trunk in Rockcliffe Park ; on birch trees, Skead's Far:n, Richmond Road ; on white cedar, black ash, and cherry birch in ihe swamp near Beech wood Cemetery ; on a birch tree in Dow's Swamp ; on trees in woods at Chelsea, Que. ; also on trees at Carleton Place ; on trees in the swamp west of Hull Station, Oct. 9th 1896. ' 288. Parmelia tiliacea, (Hoffm.) Floerk. Rather uncommon except in deep, cool woods. On birch trees on Skead's Farm, Richmond Road ; on beech and other trees, Rock- cliffe Park ; on young spruce trees in woods, Beaver Meadow 'west of Hull ; on a beech tree in woods one mile south-east of Billing's Bridge • on red maple at Leamy's Lake ; on beech trunks. King's Mountain' west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. ' 289. Parmelia Borreri, (Turn.) Apparently rare in the vicinity of Ottawa. On trunks in woods north of Beechwood Cemetery, April 23rd, 1891 ; on trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. - . -- . t" :^^' "O^bS Civ V-i^s ^ 1898] Macoun — Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 31 Var. rudecta, Tuckerm. Very common on old rails and dead wood, around Ottawa. On dead wood and old rails in Stewart's Bush, April 12th, 1895 J o" dead wood, living spruce trees and boulders, Rockcliffe Park ; on dead wood at Britannia ; on dead pines, Aylmer Road, west of Hull ; on white cedar north of Beechwood ; on dead trees at Carleton Place ; on a beech tree in woods one mile south-east of Billing's Bridge ; on large trees in woods, Leamy's Lake ; on old rails and logs, King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. 290. Parmelia saxatilis, (L.) Fr. On trunks, dead wood, and rocks. On trunks in woods at Leamy's Like, May 7th, 1897 ; on tamarack and other trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 22nd, 1897. Var. sulcata, Nyl. On trunks, dead wood and rocks. On the branches of a dead spruce, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 > on boulders along a fence, Ottaw'a East ; on red maples in woods near Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que. ; on old logs and rails east of Stittsville ; on rocks and trunks. King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. 291. Parmelia physodes, (L.) Ach. On dead wood, old fence rails, boards and rocks. On the branches of dead spruce, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; on pine stumps at Britannia ; on old fence rails and boards at Buckingliam, Que. ; on old fence rails and tamarack trees at Stittsville ; on old logs and rails. King's Mountain, west of Chelsea. 292. Parmelia colpodes, (Ach.) Nyl. Not rare, chiefly on tamarack trees. In a swamp a little east of Stittsville, north of the Can. Pac. Railway, May 14th, 1897 ; on trunks, western slope King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 293. Parmelia oUvacea, (L.) Ach. On trees and old rails. On alders, red maple and red ash at Britannia, April 20th, 1895 ; rare on pine trees west of Hull ; on old rails, Ottawa East ; on old rails at Dovv's Swamp ; and on young pines at Carleton Place ; on old pine stumps, Leamy's Lake ; common on tamarack trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. Var. aspidiota, Ach. Same habitat as the species. On alder bushes at Britannia, April 20th, 1895 ; on alder bushes near Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que. ; on tam- arack trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May T4th, 1897. 32 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May Var. sorediata, (Ach.) Nyl. On trees and rocks ; rare. On maple trunks north of Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que., April 26th, 1891. 294. Parmelia caperata, (L.) Ach. On trunks, dead wood, and stones ; common. On old rails and pine trees, Clemow's Woods, Bank St., .April 12th, 1895 ; common on dead and living trees at Rockcliffe, Beechwood and Ottawa East ; abundant on old rails and dead wood at Britannia ; common on dead pines Aylmer Road and by the Beavei Meadow, Hull ; old fence rails, west of Hintonburg and West End Park ; on rails in Dow's Swamp ; and on trees at Carleton Place ; on old fences around Billing's Bridge ; on trees of all kinds at Leamy's Lake ; on old stumps and fences at Stittsville ; very common, King's Mountain, Chelsea, Que. 295. Parmelia conspersa, (Ehrh.) Ach. Abundant on boulders in all old fields and fences around Ottawa. Collected ifi Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa East, by Dow's Swamp, fields at Hintonburg, and along the Aylmer Road west of Hull ; on boulders around Billing's Bridge ; on boulders at Brigham's Creek, near Leamy's Lake ; on boulders at Stittsville ; on boulders and other rocks, King's Mountain, Chelsea, Que. VHL PHYSICA, DC. 296. Physcia speciosa, (Ach.) Nyl. On trees and mossy rocks in woods. On trees at Ottawa, 1884 ; on trees in Beechwood Cemetery ; on trunks, Pine Hill, Rockcliffe Park, April 16th, 1896 ; on a hemlock trunk in woods north of Beech- wood Cemetery ; on a beech tree in woods one mile south-east of Billing's Bridge ; on the bases of basswood trees in woods at Leamy's Lake, May 7th, 1897. 297. Physica granulifera, (Ach.) Tuckerm. On trunks. On bark of trees north of Aylmer Road, Hull, Que., April 26th, 1891 ; on ash trees, Cowley's Farm, west of Hintonburg ; on large trees in woods at Leamy's Lake, May 7th, 1897. 298. Physcia pulverulenta, (Schreb.) Nyl. On trunks and rocks. On black ash trunks, Stewart's Bush, April 1 2th, 1895 : on ash trees at Britannia ; on living and dead trees, Skead's Farm, Hintonburg ; quite common on ash and other trees along the Aylmer Road west of Hull ; on ash trunks in Dow's Swamp, Ottawa East, Beechwood and Rockcliffe Park ; on large trunks in woods, Leamy's Lake ; on trees at Stittsville ; on trunks and rails, King's Mountain, Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897. 1898 33 WINTER LECTURES, 1897-8. A novel and most interesting feature of the lecture course of the past winter was a series of three practical demonstrations given by the President.of the three most important divisions of the Animal Kingdom, illustrated by A Fish, a Bird, and a Mammal- All who were fortunate enough to attend these lectures were charmed at the skill shown by the lecturer in dissecting the specimens and explaining the uses of the various organs exposed by the dissecting knife at the same time that they were pointed out on enlarged charts hung on the walls. At all of these lectures, specimens and a fine selection of lantern views were shown, which added largely to their educational value. I "A FiSPl." — In his first lecture (Feb. 8th) Professor Prince described the main features in the form and structure of such a typical fish as the Pickerel or Dore. The pointed head, the tapering tail and the powerful fins, especially the breast fins, were referred to. The teeth are sharply hooked and not adapted for mastication, but rather for seizing and holding the prey selected for food. Digestion, on account of the powerful sol- vents secreted in the alimentary canal, is rapid. In the main fold or bend of the intestine the ductless spleen lies. It is an organ probably connected with the formation. of blood. There is no pancreas (or sweetbread) in fishes, but the bunch of finger- like organs attached to the stomach, called the pyloric caeca, performs the same function in connection with digestion. By means of the red gills, through which the blood circulates, the pure air dissolved in water is breathed and oxygenates the blood The circulation in fishes is very simple. The two- chambered heart, situated far forward, almost beneath the chin, drives the blood by the central ^aorta and afferent branchial arteries to the gills, where it passes along the fine comb-like fila- ments and returns to the dorsal aorta, which carries it along the underside of the backbone and thence all over the body. It collects again in the two large veins which empty into the ductus cuvieri, and thence into the auricle of the heart. There is thus no separated double circulation in fishes. The hearing of fishes 34 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May- is far more^acute than the sense of smell, as is proved by the delicate structure of the ears in the hind part of the skull. But the most sensitive structure in fishes is the lateral line, a series of openings in the scales along each side of the body. Tempera- ture, water pollutions and other external conditions, affect the lateral line, the microscopic structure of which shows that its importance has apparently been over-looked by naturalists. The brain is of the simplest kind, merely six rounded lumps or lobes, the first pair'being the olfactory lobes, the second the optic, and the third the cerebral hemispheres, which are very small. The optic lobes, whence spring the nerves of sight, are by far the largest. Behind all is the cerebellum, which continues into the spinal cord. The eggs, larval condition, and other interesting features, were detailed in the concluding part of the lecture. II. "A Bird."— In contrast with the fish, Professor Prince drew attention in his second lecture to the skull of the bird, which in the adult is very compact and soldered together, whereas in the early stages the bones (or cartilages) are separate, like the separate elements in the fish's skull. A single knob or joint, called the occipital condyle, projects from the back of the skull and unites it to the atlas or first joint of the neck. The fore-limb is not a fin, but a wing consisting of two fingers and a thumb. In the penguins the wings are used as fins for swim- ming and bear scale-like feathers. The heart is four-chambered and one great artery (the right aortic arch) carries the blood all over the body. Two pulmonary arteries carry blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. The lungs open by air-tubes into large sacs, which often penetrate the bones and increase the buoyancy of the body. The ribs of birds bear projections called uncinate processes, which are also found in reptiles. Birds and reptiles have many points in common. The concluding part of the lecture dealt with the eqg and the embryonic development of a bird. The growth of the skeleton, of the feathers, &c., was described in full detail. III. "A Four-footed Animal" formed the subject of the last lecture, and it was shown that the complex structure of mammals, or highest animals, admitted of a description of only 1898 Winter Lectures. 35 the main features. As characteristic of these highest animals, Professor Prince stated that two condyles, or projections behind the skull, the possession of hair at some period of life, the exist- ence of the left aortic arch (not the right as in birds) and a perfectly separate lung and body circulation of the bloody were named. The diaphragm, practically absent in birds, forms the floor of the chest and aids in respiration. The brain shows an enormous enlargement of the cerebral lobes proportionate to the increased intelligence exhibited by mammals. All, or nearly all, suckle the young, and the organs of sense (sight, smell, hearing, &c.) are highly developed. Some, like bats, have the hand expanded like a wing, covered with an expansion of thin skin, others, like the sloth, have huge hook-claws, as the animal spends its life hanging, back downwards, from the branches of forest trees, while hoofs, padded feet (like the camel's) and other modifications, point to the varied life of the group amongst which man stands as the highest and most specialised. The thanks of the Club are due to the President, Professor Prince, for this valuable series of lectures, and we feel confident that should a similar course be given next year, the room will be filled to overflowing on every occasion. No teacher, student, school-boy or school-girl should miss such an opportunity of acquiring much valuable knowledge in so pleasant a manner. IN THE BERMUDAS. Written for The Otiawa Naturalist. Although the Bermudas or Sommers Islands are so far from Canada that the Field-Naturalists' Club is debarred from an excursion thereto, they possess as far as the birds are con- cerned a certain amount of interest to the more northern parts of the adjacent continent, as a stopping or resting place in the spring and autumn migratory flights. During the summer months the regular amount of bird life is limited, but in the autumn and spring almost every variety of bird met with in Canada has been noticed here. Dr. Hart Merriam made this 36 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May a special object of enquiry during his stay here. The most conspicuous regular bird is the Cardinal Grossbeak, and there is a bluebird of about the same size, of the most cerulean blue ; the two flitting in and out of the monotonous evergreen juniper which clothes the hillsides add a brilliancy to the foliage, the brighter by contrast. A law of the Islands pro- hibits the killing of birds, and as a consequence bird life is very abundant. In the vicinity of the towns and settlements the English sparrow has managed to drive off to a great extent the native birds, but in the country their number makes up for the town's loss. The fauna of the Bermudas as far as mammals and butter- flies are concerned, is excessively limited. Two or three species of rats, a rare occurrence of bats, and a very limited number of butterflies constitute all there is. The fauna, excepting the rats, has been pronounced exotic, and inblown by storms. To the botanist the Islands are a veritable garden of Eden. Most of our hot-house flowers waste their fragrance on the desert air, and the flowering shrubs clothe the hillsides with a beauty which the North cannot conceive. Everywhere maybe seen the Oleander in every shade of colour, from white to crimson, while Cacti, Aloes, Bamboo, Night-blooming Cereus, the Passion flower and Honeysuckle find a foothold in the crumbling coral rocks or on the old stone walls which here take the place of Canadian fence rails. Very few of the numerous plants found here are indigenous, but so kindly do importations take to the soil and climate and escape from cultivation, that it is a hard matter to say what is a wild plant. Fain would I dwell on the beauty of the palms and palmettos, on the foliage of the Tamarind or the grand flowers of the Loquat, but space will not allow of this. Adding greatly to the semi-tropical appearance of the islands is the Banana, generally growing in every garden, and its successive bunches of fruit keep on ripening all through the year. The climate may be styled that of a perpetual spring, the temperature never exceeding 90, and never nearing the freezing point. The air is heavily charged with moisture, and, vegetation 1898] In the Bermudas. 17 is mainly sustained by the dew, which may be seen at sunrise dropping off the leaves. The porosity of the coral rocks retains like a half dry sponge moisture enough for growth. Therein everywhere here a remarkable plant known as the Life plant ( Bryopliylium caiycimaii), a leaf of which pinned up against a wall throws out rootlets and young plants from each indentation of the margin, these are nourished apparently by the air alone, for which reason the plant is sometimes called the Air Plant. I have compiled a work entitled " In the Bermudas" deal- ing with all the fauna and flora of the islands, and containing a large amount of interesting history which will give details of use to naturalists. I only wish the O. F. N. C. could get an outing here, but I fear many of them after a day among the flowers here would feel loath to return to a northern clime. H. B. Small. Hamilton, Bermuda, ( April 1 2th, 1898. I THE CRETACEOUS OF ATHABASCA RIVER. By .[. B. Tyrrell, M.A., B.Sc, F.G.S., F.G.S.A. Published with permission of the Director of the Geological .Survey of Canada. In the spring of 1893 the writer descended the xAthabasca river from Athabasca Landing to Athabasca Lake, on his way to unknown portions of the Barren Lands west of Hudson Bay. The descent of this river was only a preliminary part of the work of the season, to be accomplished with as little delay as possible, so that no stoppages were made except such as were necessary for preparing the meals, pitching camp, examining rapids or making portages. Besides, Mr. McConnell, of the Geological Survey, had care- fully examined the river a few years before, and had given an excellent account of the character and thickness of the rocks which compose its banks. The rocks first met with below Athabasca Landing are all 38 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May of Cretaceous age, and in describing them Mr. McConnell gives a section as follows : La-Biche Shales, upper 700 Montana. La-Biche Shales, lower 225' Pelican Sandstone 4° Pelican Shales 9°\ Colorado. Grand Rapids Sandstone 300 Chearvvater Shales 275 J ' ' Tar Sands " 220 Dakota. " The upper parts of the La Biche shales are thus correlated with the Montana terrane, which corresponds to what is usually known as the Fox Hills and Pierre formations in most of the reports of the Geological Survey ot Canada. The lower portion of the La Biche shales, the Pelican sandstone and shales, the Grand Rapids sandstone and the Clearwater shales, were corre- lated with the Colorado (^Niobrara and Benton) lerranes, while the " Tar Sands,'' in which no fossils were tound, were provision- ally classed with the Dakota. The observations which it was possible for the writer to make were chiefly confined to the examination of a few horizons in this section and to the collection of fossils at occasional locali- ties, and while they do not add anything to the accuracy of the section in itself, they may add something to our knowledge of the correlation of the beds with those along the Manitoba es- carpment in western Manitoba, and they besides indicate the existence in this rather remote northern region of a Dakota fauna of distinctly marine type. For the provisional generic or specific determination of the fossils, thanks are due to Mr. J. F. Whiteaves, Palaeontologist to the Geological Survey, but since many of the species, though determinable, are as yet undescribed, letters of the alphabet have been added to them to designate them more exactly, where it is necessary to speak of their range through different beds. Sixteen miles below the mouth of La Biche river the Cretaceous shales contain, along with crystals of selenite, many rounded calcareous grains, apparently foraminifera, associated with Ostrcea congesta, Baculites ovaUis and fragments of a small gasteropod and of a large aviculoid. They also contain bands of nodules of limestone, many of which are mottled like the 1898] The Cretaceous of Athabasca River. 39 calcareous bands in the Niobrara shale of Manitoba, and contain foraminifera, oysters, gasteropods, &c. A few miles lower down the stream another outcrop of hard gray mottled shale was observed. It contained, besides the little calcareous dots representing foraminifera, fragments of fish bones, and a few specimens of Ostrcea congesta, and was thus precisely similar in general appearance to the Niobrara shale of North-Western Manitoba. The presence of this foraminiferous horizon, with its asso- ciation of other sossils, would go to confirm Mr. McConnell's conclusions that these lower beds of the La Biche shales are of Niobrara age. The Pelican sandstones and shales were not closely ex- amined, but as they are evidently poor in fossils, Mr. McConnell having found none in them, they would in that respect, as well as in position, correspond closely with the Benton shales of Manitoba, in which fossils are very rare. In the Grand Rapids sandstones, at Grand Rapids, a large ammonite was seen, which seemed to be clearly Hoplites McCon- nelli, but it was found impossible to get it out. An Burnt Rapids the interesting glauconitic band described by Mr. McConnell as occurring in the Clearwater shales (which are everywhere very arenaceous) was carefully examined, and found to be very similar to some rather persistent green bands in the upper portion of the Dakota sandstone along the banks of Red Deer river, and in exposures in the adjoining area of North- Western Manitoba, and the whole bank had very much the general appearance and character of many of the Dakota beds. At the foot of the bank the following fossils were collected, some of which had already been collected by Mr. McConnell from the same vicinity : Ostrcea congesta, Caniptonectes sp. a, Modiola sp. a, Nucula like A^. Coloradoensis, Stanton, Yoldia sps. a and b, Callista tenuis P, Protocardia boreale ?, Panopcea sp. a, CJievinitzia like C. Coalvillensis Meek, Actcwn sp. a, a gasteropod of uncertain affinities and a conical \.ooX.\\\\kc\.hKi o{ Tclcosarirus. Eleven miles lower down the stream the Clearwater shales were again searched for fossils and the following were found '• 40 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May Caviptonectes sp. a, Yoldia sp. a, Callista tenuis ?, Panopcea sp. a, Dentaliuvi sp. a, Lunatia sp. , Hoplites like H. McConnelli, but with much stronger ribs. At Boiler Rapids, where the " Tar Sands " first crop out from beneath the Clearwater shales, many masses of rotten fer- ruginous limestone were lying on the beach, apparently derived from the top of the " Tar Sands." From these were collected Pecten sp. a, " large, four inches high, and higher than broad, nearly smooth, one valve convex, the other flat " (Whiteaves). A small gasteropod, and a small ammonite, perhaps a form of Hoplites McConnclli. At middle rapid a large number of fragments uf ferruginous limestone were lying on the beach, derived from bands in the "Tar Sands." From these were collected specimens of fossil wood- Pecten sp. a, Camptonectes sp. a, Inoceraniiis sp., Modiola sp. a, Cytherea or Cyprina sp., Panopoia sp. a, Dentaliuvi sp., Hoplites McConnelli, and fragments of large dinosaurian bones. At the head of the bend above Crooked Rapids, a thin band of ferruginous limestone outcrops at the very base of the Tar Sands and from it were obtained a numb2r <>{ specimens of Pecten sp. a, and fragments of a minute gasteropod. From the list of fossils above enumerated it will be seen that the fauna of the arenaceous Clearwater shales continues downwards into the conformably underlying " Tar Sands," and as far as could be determined from the few traces of fossils seen in the Grand Rapids Sandstone, it also contains essentially the same fauna. It is to be noted, that the fauna is marine, and not fresh water, as in the original Dakota of the States to the south. In lithological character, also, as well as in stratigraphical position, all these beds are very similar to the Dakota Sand- stones of Western Manitoba. The palseontological evidence thus appears to show that it is necessary to modify Mr. McConnell's correlation of the Cret- aceous of the Athabasca river to the extent of taking all the beds below the base of the Pelican Shales out of the Colorado Group, and of grouping together the Grand Rapid Sandstone, the Clear- 1898] Bird Migration. 41 water Shales, and the " Tar Sands " as one formation. This is a marine formation, stratigraphically equivalent to the Dakota, the fossils of which are practically the same throughout, and although no corres[)onding marine fossils are known elsewhere in the west, it appears to represent the marine conditions of the Dakota Period. BIRD MIGRATION 1898. To the Editor of the Naturalist. The bird migration of the present spring, so far as it has yet progressed, has developed some features which I think are worthy of note. The usual course of the migratory movement of the earlier part of the season may be described somewhat as follows : — As soon as the March thaw has made sufficient progress to lay bare a good part of the surface of the ground — say one-third — the earliest of the true migrants begin to arrive. The song sparrow and the robin are generally first, but they are followed in three or four days, if not actually accompanied, by the bluebird and several species of grackle. These are all ground-feeders, at least at this time, for the winter visitants and the storms have stripped the trees and shrubs of the last remains of last season's fruits and seeds, so that the only food supply is that which has lain all winter under the snow. Should the warmth of the .sun bring out a few winged insects in sheltered nooks, an odd phoebe will be found looking after them ; but he may be considered a venturesome pioneer, while all the other flycatching birds still linger in their winter homes. Probably every individual of these first arrivals will have spent, at least the latter part of the winter in Southern New York or Pennsylvania, for the first two si)ecies regularly winter there while the others, though retiring somewhat further south at the commencement of the cold weather, begin to push northward early in February. /%\ ^ ON 42 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May Some lo or 15 days later, say when the snow has ahuost entirely disappeared from the open fields, we are generally able to record two of our commonest meadow-sparrows, the vesper and the savanna ; and about the same time the whitebellied, or tree, swallow. This latter is the second to arrive of the flycatching birds, and usually appears in compact flocks, even before the ice has entirely withdrawn from the ponds and rivers over which it loves to sport. The three last mentioned species spend the winter in a much more southerly clime than the robin, song sparrow and their companions. According to Chapman (Birds of Eastern N.A.) the tree swallow winters from South Carolina southward, the vesper and savanna from Virginia southward ; and all three usually put in their first appearance at New York city during the first 10 days of April. My own note book, running back to 1889 shows first appearances at Ottawa to range between the following dates : — Robin, 20 March to 7 April ; song sparrow, 24 March to 7 April ; tree swallow, i to 22 April ; vesper sparrow, 1 1 to 22 April ; sav- anna,7to 27 April. Now, the peculiarity of the present year is this : The migratory movement opened rather earlier than usual ; robin song sparrow and grackle were recorded, as stated in your notes for March, before the middle of that month and by the 20th all were quite common. During the 3 or 4 following weeks the weather was almost continuously warm and springlike, so that by 8th April snow or ice could hardly be found, and winged insects were quite abundant. All conditions seemed to call for the second contingent of migrants ; but one looked in vain for either tree swallow, savanna sparrow or vesper. The pioneers of the tree swallows only began to be seen on 13 April, those of the savannas on the i6th and the vespers not until the 19th, and even yet (30 April), they cannot be said to be common. If we search for an explanation of the long delay in the arrival of these somewhat southerly species, I believe it will be found in the peculiar weather conditions of the country immedi- ately north of their winter home. While we in Ontario and Que- bec, in common with the state of New York, have been enjoying unusually mild weather through March and April, the people 1898] Ornithology. 43 living 500 miles south of us have had a season of marked sever- ity. On 5th and 6th April, a snowstorm followed by frost visited Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee, and inclement weather seems to have prevailed in that region, more or less, throughout the spring. This state of things has no doubt formed a barrier which southern birds have not cared to pass through, although the weather further north was such as they would have delighted in had they only pushed on far enough and fast enough. In this connection let me allude to one item in your notes for March which, with due regard for the observer, seems to me almost incredible. I refer to the record of a wood pewee on 28th March by Dr. Fletcher. This species spends the winter in Central America ; Chapman gives 10 to 20 May for its usual arrival at New York. Ottawa records since 1890 vary between 1 3 and 24 May. In view of the late arrival of all other insect- feeders this year, one cannot help doubting the identification of this solitary wood pewee. A. G. Kingston. Ottawa, 30th April. ORNITHOLOGY. Edited by W. T. iMacoun. The weather during most of the month of April has been cool, the nights being especially so, with the result that the birds did not arrive in large numbers and those that came did not show themselves very openly. Many birds which, after a warm night, are so full of song in the early mornings at this time of year, are almost silent. On the 19th of April there was quite a chorus of melody from a flock of vesper sparrows at the Experimental Farm, but they must have caught cold for they have been very quiet ever since. A few purple finches, during the last week of the month, helped to dispel by their full, sweet notes, the almost universal gloom which seems to have fallen over bird life. Birds' Nests. — Northern Shrike Lanius borealis. Two 44 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May nests of this bird were found by Mr. Richard Shillington at City View. There were four eggs in each nest. Eggs probably a week in incubation. Nests were in cedars, about seven feet from the ground. The eggs were presented to the Geological Survey by Mr. Shillington. Broad- Winged Hawk. — Nest seen by Miss Plarmer on the 22rd, in an elm tree thirty feet from the ground. She was unable to discover whether eggs had been laid. — W.T.M. Semi-albino Song-Sparrow.— Mr. C. H. Young, of Hurdman's Bridge, has shown me a very beautiful specimen of a male song-sparrow, which he shot this spring (March 26th) near his house. The head and shoulders are white, as is the whole lower surface with the exception of the patch of feathers on the breast, In this specimen these feathers are darker than usual. The wing coverts and secondaries are beautifully and symmetrically marked with brown and white Primaries white. Tail and tail coverts brown. The specimen has been beautifully mounted by Mr. Young, who is a skilful taxidermist, and will be exhibited at one of the evening meetings next winter. — J.F. Note. — Owing to lack of space "Bird Notes for April" have been held over till the next number. — EDITOR. SUGAR : ITS CHEMISTRY AND MANUFACTURE. The honour of delivering a popular lecture at the recent convocation of Queen's University was conferred upon Dr. Adolf Lehmann, who for several years was Assistant Chemist of the Experimental Farms, and therefore personally well known to many of our Ottawa members. Since his return from Leipzig, Dr. Lehmann has been lecturing on organic chemistry and allied branches at Queen's University, and the esteem in which he is held there is evidenced by the fact that he was this year chosen to give the annual lecture in connection with the closing exercises. Dr. Lehmann took for his subject, Sugar, treating it histori- cally, commercially and chemically. His special research work 1898] The Walker Grand Honorary Prize. 45 on sugars in Louisianna and subsequent investigation pursued in the laboratories at Leipzig, eminently qualified Dr. Lehmann to speak with authority on this interesting and important subject. The Toronto Globe of 26th April, devotes two columns to an account of the lecture, which evidently was a most successful effort and one highly appreciated by the large audience that greeted this talented Canadian Chemist. THE WALKER GRAND HONORARY PRIZE. The members of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club will learn with pleasure of the great honour which has just been con- conferred upon our friend Dr. S. H. Scudder, the eminent Ento- mologist and Palaeontologist of Cambridge, Mass., by the Boston Society of Natural History unaminously awarding to him the Walker Grand Honorary Prize. The following data with refer- ence to this prize have been kindly supplied by Mr. Samuel Henshaw, of Cambridge, Mass. : " The Walker Prizes are awarded from funds given in 1864 to the Boston Society of Natural History by the late William Johnson Walker of Newport, R.L In addition to the annual prizes given for memoirs or subjects proposed, the Walker foundation allows the Council of the Society to award not oftener than once in five years a Grand Honorary Prize. For this Grand Honorary Walker Prize the Council may award the sum of five hundred dollars for such investigation or discovery in natural history as may seem to deserve it, provided that such investigation or discovery in natural history shall have first been made known and published in the United States of America, and at the time of said award shall have been made known and published at least one year ; if^ in consequence of the extraordi- nary merit of any such investigation or discovery, the Council of the Society shall see fit, they may award therefor the sum of one thousand dollars. ' '.' 7 "The award of the maximum sum, one thousand doIIafs,on 46 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May the 2oth of April last, to Dr. Scudder for his contributions to entomology, is the fifth award made. ■ " The prize was first given in 1873 to Dr. Alexander Agassiz for his work on. the embryology, geographical distribution and natural history of Echinoderms; second in 1880, to Prof. Joseph LjCidy for his prolonged investigations and discoveries in zoology and palaeontology ; third in 1884, to Prof. James Hall for his work on North i.'\merican palaeontology ; and fourth in 1892, to Prof. James D. Dana for his distinguished services in natural history." ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. Edited by Prof. E. E. Prince. ■ The First Bat of the Season. — On March ist, at about 9 o'clock in the evening, a small bat was seen flying at the corner of Elgin and Sparks Streets, high above the heads of the crowd that had collected there to hear the results of the Ontario elections. The day had been bright and mild, but so early an appearance of a bat may have been due primarily to the unusual noise and light in the street below. — Lawrence Lambe. FIRST GENERAL EXCURSION OF THE SEASON. The Council have arranged to hold the first General Field- Day of the season at Chelsea, the date and time being announced on the cover of this number. We feel sure from past experience of a large attendance. The charms of this lovely locality, so pro- lific in all objects of interest to naturalists, have always had a special attraction for our members and their friends. Most of the leaders have expressed their intention of being present, so there will be plenty of assistance for those desirous of it, for the naming of specimens, etc. Students of the Normal School and other educational institutions in the city are warmly invited to join the Field-Naturalists on this occasion, when as usual, all students and teachers will be supplied with tickets at club rates. The train leaves C. P. R. Depot at 1.30 p.m. 1898] 47 SUB-EXCURSIONS. No. I. The first Sub-Excursion of the season was held on Saturday afternoon, April 16, to Rock'cliffe. The President Prof Prince and Messrs. Wilson, Halkett and Fletcher, were present as leaders The party was rather small, but a most en- joyable and instructive afternoon was spent in the woods at Rockcliffe, around Hemlock Lake and at Beechwood. Flowers were few but on sheltered warm knolls, particularly near the gates of Beechwood cemetery, several kinds of flowers were found. Mr. Wilson explained the nature of the rocks found in situ as well as of the various boulders observed. Mr. Halkett captured many a hapless insect, spider, or reptile, and descanted admiringly on their beauties. Dr. Fletcher drew attention to the staminatc and pistillate flowers of the hazel, poplars and red maples. On one tree of aspen both staminate and pistillate flowers were found. This is an unusual occurrence. Owing to the remarkably early season, many plants were found in blossom which, as a rule, do not occur till much later in the season. The swamp alder, the silver and red maples, the American elm, the aspen and the large-toothed aspen were in full flower. The hazel catkins were shedding their pollen and the little crimson tufts of pistillate flowers were very conspicuous. At Rockcliffe, fresh green fronds were found of Polypodiuvi vulgare and Aspi- dium mar o^ina/e, which had passed the winter beneath the snow. Capsella Bursa-pastoris caught by the winter before it had ex- panded its flowers, now pushed up its head again, to go on with its work of life after 6 months' sleep. On the sunny knoll near Beechwood, Hepatica acutiloba with pink, blue, and white flowers was found in profusion, together with Claytonia Caroliniana, one or two fully expanded flowers o{ Erythroniuni Aniericanum and sturdy clumps of Caulophyllmn t/ialictroidea. One or two less advanced but open flowers of Uvularia grandijiora and Dicentra Cuciillmia were also found and red and white trilHums just opening. In the swamp at the foot of the hill Salix discolor was in full bloom. In all 18 different plants were collected in flower, a surprising number for the i6th of April. — J. F. 48 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May No. 2. — To the Beaver Meadow, Hull, was held on Satur- day, April 23. About forty members and their friends were present at this excursion, under the leadership of Prof Macoun, Mr. Kingston, Mr. Sinclair and Mr. Wilson. Mr. Sinclair was accompanied by quite a number of Normal School students* The weather was very fine, but the season was found to be con- siderably later than on the warm bank at Beechwood a week earlier. Very few flowers were found, except hepaticas, which were at their best. About five o'clock the excursionists met on the top of the hill, and Prof Macoun spoke on the flowers of trees, showing that those with pistils and stamens on different trees were passing away, while those with perfect flowers were geologically young. He also said a few words on lichens, fungi and mosses. Mr. Kingston was asked to speak on birds, but said that he had seen practically nothing during the afternoon worth mentioning. The afternoon's ramble through the woods was thoroughly enjo}'cd by all present. There is never a lack of objects of interest to lovers of nature. The trees with their various branching habits, the formation of the swelling buds and and gnarled trunks can be studied to better advantage at this time of the year than at any other. — M. I. \V. No. 3.— To Beechwood, April 30. Upwards of 40 ladies and gentlemen took part in this Sub-Excursion. Erytlironiinn Americanum was found profusely in perfect condition, as well as most of the the flov/ers found April 16. The new arrivals since that date were Viola Sclkzrkn, Wnldsteinia fragarioldcs and Dicentra Canadcusis. Dcutana laciuiata had been found by Miss Marion I. VVhyte a few days earlier. Beechwood is one of the two localities where this plant, locally so rare, is found. — J. F. SUB-EXCURSION.S FOR MAV. No. I.— May;. Bank Street Bridge, for Dow's Swamp and Billings Bridge. No. 2.— May 14. New Edinburgh. May 21— Grand General Excursion to Chelsea, 1.30 p.m. No. 3.— May 28. Aylmer. lilLIBRARY THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Vol. xTl OTTAWA, JUNE, 1898. No. 3. THE CRYPTOGAMIC FLORA OF OTTAWA. By Prok. John Macoun, M.A., F.L.S., F.R.S.C. Continued from the May Number. 299. Physcia stellaris, (I.) Very common on trunks and dead or living branches. On black ash trees in a swamp in Stewart's Bush, April 12th, 1895 ; on dead and living crees at Rockcliffe Park, Beechwood, Ottawa East, Dow's Swamp and Skead's Farm, Richmond Road, and common at Britannia ; com- mon on trees in woods at Learny's Lake ; on balsam trees at Stittsville ; on trunks and rails, King's Mountain, Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897. Var. aipolia, Nyl. Same range as the species. On the bark of trees at Ottawa, 1884 ; on a black ash trunk in a swamp west of Beechwood Cemetery ; on beech and maple trees in woods one mile south-east of Billing's Bridge ; on trees in woods, Learny's Lake ; on tamarack and other trees at Stitts- ville, May 14th, 1897. 300. Physcia astroidea, (Fr.) Nyl. On old rails and trunks. On old rails near Hintonburg, April 18th, 1896 ; abundant on the upper part of a fallen hemlock near McKay's Lake, Beechwood, Sept. 29th, 1896; also on old rails at Aylmer, Que. 301. Physcia hispida, (Schreb.) Tuckerm. On trees, but generally on boulders with us. On black ash trees in a swamp in Stewart's Bush along the C.A.R., April 12th, 1895 ; on boulders in a pasture along B igham's Creek, near Leamy's Lake, May 7th, 1897. 302. Physcia obscura, (Ehrh.) Nyl. Trunks, dead wood and rocks. On the bark of white cedar in Stewart's Bush, April 12th, 1895 ; on granite boulders, Rockcliffe Park; on trees and limestone and granite boulders at Britannia ; common on trees and rocks at Hull and Aylmer, Q le. ; o'l trunks in Dow's Swamp ; and on stones in Ottawa East ; on oM fence b )ards at Billing's Bridge ; on trunks and bould^^rs between Brigh.am's Creek and Leamy's 50 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June Lake, Hull, Que. ; on old boards at Stittsville ; on rocks, trunks and old rails, King's Mountain, Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897. 303. Physcia setosa, (Ach.) Nyl. On rocks, and upon mosses, and trunks. On trunks along the Beaver Meadow, west of Hull, Que, April 26th, 1891 ; on trunks "Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park ; on black ash trunks, Cowley's Farm, west of Hintonburg ; on black ash trunks amongst moss in woods north of Beechwood Cemetery ; on beech trees in woods one mile south-east of Billing's Bridge, on various trees in woods at Leamy's Lake ; on trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. 304. Physcia adglutinata, (Floerk.) Nyl. On trees and shrubs. On beech trunks at Beechwood Cemetery, April 23rd, 1892. LX. PYXINE, Fr. 305. Pyxine sorediata, Fr. On trunks in woods. On black ash in Stewart's Bush, April 12th, 1895 ; on beech trunks, " Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park ; in woods north of Beechwood Cemetery ; on ash, balsam fir and other trees in woods west of Beaver Meadow, Hull, Que.; on trees at Britannia; on trunks in woods at Leamy's 1 ake. May 7th, 1897. X. UMBILICAR.L\, Hoffm. 306. Umbilicaria Muhlenbergia, (Ach.) Tuckerm. On perpendicular rocks near the summit of King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, Que., SepL, 1884; also May 22nd, 1897. 307. Umbilicaria vellea, (L.) Nyl. On the face of a perpendicular rock near the summit of King's Mountain west of Chelsea. May 22nd, 1897. 308. Umbilicaria Dillenii, Tuckerm. On the faces of perpendicular rocks near the summit of King's Moun- tain west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. XL STICTA, (Schreb.) Fr. 309. Sticta amplissima, (Scop.) Mass. On large trunks in old woods, not rare. Common in Rockcliffe Park and McKay's woods, April i6th, 1891 ; in Dow's Swamp; on rear of Skead's Farm, Richmond road ; also on trees at Carleton Place; on trees in the swamp west of Hull Station ; on basswood trunks in woods near Hull Cemeleiy ; on trunks King's Mountain and near Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. 1898] Macoun — Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 51 310. Sticta pulmonaria, (L.) Ach. On large old trees in thick woods, common. Common in Rock" cliffe Park and McKay's woods and woods north of Beechwood Cemetery, April 20th, 1891 ; on trees at Carleton Place; on trees in a swamp at Stittsville ; on trunks King's Mountain and near Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897 ; on trees in a swamp west of Hull Station. XII. NEPHROMA, Ach. 311. Nephroma Helveticum, Ach. On rocks at King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, Sep., 1884; also on rocks below the summit, May 22nd, 1897. 312. Nephroma laevigatum, Ach. On large boulders in old woods. In woods north of the Aylmer road and west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; in McKay's woods and in Beechwood Cemetery ; on rocks near the summit of King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 313. Nephroma parile, Nyl. On rocks at King's Mere, west of Chelsea, Que., Sept 3rd, 1884. Xni. PELTIGERA, (Willd.) Fee. 314 Peltigera venosa, (L.) Hoffm. On earth along the broken bank of the Lievre River at Buck- ingham, Que., May 14th. 1896. 3x5. Peltigera aphthosa, (L.) Hoffm. On rocks, U)gs and earth and among mosses in swampy woods. On earth and old logs in wet woods east of the Beaver Meadow, west of Hull, Que., April 26th, 1891 ; on damp rocks by the Lievre River, Buckingham, Que.; on dead logs at Carleton Place ; on old logs in a swam|j at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. 316. Peltigera horizontalis, (L.) Hoffm. On moist rocks amongst mosses In woods near the lake at the head of the Beaver Meadow wtst of Hull, Que., May i6th, 1896. 317. Peltigera rufescens, (Neck ) Hoffm. On earth, rocks, the bases of trees and amongst muss. On rocks in Rockcliffe Park, Beechwood Cemetery, and Ottawa East on a boulder; on rocks rear of Cowle\'s Farm west of Hinlonburg ; on old logs Dow's Swamp ; on earth at Britannia ; common on earth and rocks south of the Aylmer road, Hull, Que.; on earth in a swamp at Stittsville ; on rocks near summit of King's Mountain, May 22nd 1897. ^,,-— — - / ^ 52 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 318. Peltigera canina, (L.) Hoffm. On earth, rocks and the bases of trees in cool woods. On earth in pine woods RockcHffe Park ; on earth Ottawa East ; on earth and rocks in woods west of the Beaver Meadow, Hull, Que. ; on old logs in woods Carleton Place ; on the earth at the base of trees in woods, Leamy's Lake ; on earth in a swamp at Stittsville ; very common on earth, old wood and rocks, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1S97. XIV. SOLORINA, Ach. ^19. Solorina saccata, (L.) Ach. On calcareous earth in the damp crevices of the limestone ledges facing the Ottawa below Governor's Bay, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895. XV. PANNARIA, Delis. 320. Pannaria lanuginosa, (Ach.) Kcetb. On limestone ledges along the cliffs of Rockcliffe Park, April 17th 1895 ; on overhanging rocks along the Beaver Meadow west of Hull, Que. ; also along the Ottawa River on limestone cliffs near Tetreauville, Little Chaudiere ; on limestone rocks Ottawa East ; also near the Ex- perimental Farm ; very common on the faces of damp rocks King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 321. Pannaria leucosticta, Tuckerm. On trunks and rocks, rare. On bark of, balsam poplar in woods south of the Aylmer road, west of Hull, Que., April 27th 1895; on boulders Rockcliffe Park ; and on stones West End Park ; on beech trunks in woods one mile south east of Billings Bridge ; on beech trunks north or Beechwood Cemetery ; on rocks King's Mountain, May|22nd, i897- 322. Pannaria microphylla, (Schm) Delis. Forming a thick crust on rocks. On boulders in woods north of Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895; o^^ boulders, "Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park and in -Beechwood Cemetery; quite common on damp boulders, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 323. Pannaria lepidiota, Fr. On earth and amongst moss on rocks. On moss on a stone in woods, south of Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895. 324. Pannaria nigra, (Huds.) Nyl. On limestone rocks by the cliffs along the Ottawa, Rockcliffe Park, April i6th, 1891, ; on limestone rocks in a field by the Beaver Meadow 1898] Macoun— Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 53 Creek, west of Hull, Que. ; on limestone rocks at Leamy's Lake ; on limeslone rocks between Aylmer and King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. XVI. COLLEMA, Hoffm. 325. Collema myriococcum, Ach. Growini^ on mas';, on limestone rocks by the Ottawa, below Governor's Bay, Rockcliffe Park, April i6th, 1891. 326. Collema pulposum, (Bemh.) Nyl. On earth on limestone rocks " Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park, April i6lh, 1896. 327. Collema crispum, Borr. On calcareous earth in the cutting for the Aylmer Railway west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; on earth in crevices of rocks at King's Mountain near Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897. 328. Collema limosum, Ach. On calcareous earth in the cutting for the Aylmer Railway west of Hull, Que; very rare. April 27th, 1895. 329. Collema floculosa, Nyl. On limestone rocks below Governor's Bay, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; on naked limestone rocks in woods south of the Aylmer Electric Railway, west of Hull, Que. ; very rare, May i6th, 1895. 330. Collema tenax, (Ach.) Tuckerm. On calcareous earth on wet rocks in the cutting for the Aylmer Electric Railway west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895; on calcareous eanh along the limestone ledges at Rockcliffe Park, April 12th, 1896. XVII. LEPTOGIUM, Fr. 331. Leptogium tenuissimum, (Dicks.) Koerb. On sandy earth, on old fence rails along the Richmond Road west f)f Hintonburg, April i8th, 1896. 332. Leptogium lacerum, (Ach.) On limestone rocks amongst moss in the cutting for the Aylmer Electric Railway, west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; on limestone rocks by the Ottawa below Governor's Bay,* Rockcliffe Park ; on damp rocks, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 333. Leptogium pulchellum, (Ach.) Nyl. On trees in woods, Rockcliffe Park, Sep. i6th, 1889, very rare. 54 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 334 Leptogium Tremelloides (L.) Fr. On rocks and trunks ; common. On boulders and trees north of the Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; on trees in Dow's Swamp ; on boulders in Keechwood Cemetery ; in McKay's woods, and on "Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park; on old logs and rocks King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 335 Leptogium chloromelum, (S^v.) Nyl. On old rails near Aylmer and on damp rocks near the summit of Kin-^'s Mountain, west oJ Chelsea, May 22nd 1897. 336. Leptogium respulinum. .'\ch. On hmestone recks near the Oitawa below Governor's Bay, Rock- cliffe Park, April i6lh, 1891. XVHI. PLACODIUM (DC.) 337. Placodium elegans, (Link.) DC. On a large boulder in woods, Governor's Bay, Rockcliffe Park, April i6th, 1895. 338. Placodium aurantiacum, (Lightf ) On trees and rocks ; also on dead wood. On a granite boulder in woods, Governor's Bay, Rockcliffe Park, .A.pril 17th, 1895 ; on lime- stone rocks at Britannia ; on boulders in woods west of Hull and on boulders at Leamy's Lake, Oct. 9th, 1896. 339 Placodium ccrinum, (Hedw.) Common on trees, on dead wood and mosses. On maple and poplar bark Stewart's bush near ihe C. A. R. track, April 12th, 1895 5 on dead trees and living ash bark at Britannia ; on poplar bark south of the Aylmer Electric Road, west of Hull, Que. ; on black ash Ottawa East ; on trunks in woods at Leamy's Lake ; on poplar trees in a swamp at Stittsville ; on old rails and trunks King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 340. Placodium vitellinum, (Ehrh.) On dead wood and rocks. On old pine rails at Britannia, April 20th, 1895; o" cedar rails Ottawa East; on boulders in pasture by Brigham's Creek- on old rails and logs, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 341- Placodium vitellinum, (Ehrh.) var. aurellum, Ach. On granite boulders in woods. Governor's Bay, RockclifTe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; on boulders in woods north of the Aylmer road west of Hull, Que.; on boulders Ottawa East; on boulders in pastures by Brigham's Creek, May 7th, 1897. 1898] Macoun — Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 55 XIX. LECANORA, Ach. 342. Lecanora muralis, (Schreb.) var. saxicola. Schaer. Very common on both gaanite and limestone boulders, Governor's Bay, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895; quite common on boulders south of the Aylmer road and west of Brigham's Creek, Hull, Que.; on rocks between Chelsea and King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897, 343. Lecanora pallida, (Schreb.) Schaer. On young pine trees Carleton Place, May 7th, 1892 ; on a pine trunk Rockcliffe Park ; on trunks in woods west of Hull station, also in woods near Leamy's Lake ; on trunks in a swamp at Stittsville ; on rails and trunks, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 344- Lecanora pallida, (Schreb.) var. cancriformis. Tuck. On living pine trees in woods near the C. P. R. bridge over the Ottawa, west of Hull, April 27th, 1895 ; on beech trees, Rockcliffe Park. 345. Lecanora subfusca, (L ) var. allophana, Ach. On living (line tiees in woods near the C- P R. bridge, over the Ottawa, Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; on (/Id cedar rails in McKay's woods and Ottawa East ; on maple and beech trunks Rockcliffe Park and Beechwood ; on maple trunks one mile south east of Billings Bridee; on basswood bark in Dow's Swamp: on trees in a swamp west of Hull station and on boulders in a field by thj Aylmer Ro id ; on trunks in woods by Leamy's Lake and on boulders by Brigham's Creek ; on tiunks in a swamp at Stittsville ; on trunks, common, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 346. Lecanora subfusca, (Schreb.) var. coilocarpa, Ach. On beech bark in woods, Rockcliffe Park, April i5ih, 1891 ; on beech bark in woods one mile south east of Billings Bridge; on trunks on King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 347. Lecanora subfusca var. argentata, Ach. On small trees at the western base of King's Mountain, west of Chelsea, May 22nd, 1897. 348. Lecanora Hageni, Ach. On old rails near McKay's Lake, April 23rd, 1891 ; on cedar bark on fences, Ottawa East ; on old cedar rails along the Richmond Road above Hintonburg, April i8th, 1896. 349. Lecanora atra, (Huds.) Ach. On young beech trees at Buckingham, Que., May 14th, ;896 ; on limestone shingle at Britannia, April 20th, 1895. 56 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 350. Lecanora badia, (Pers.) Ach. On limestone rocks in woods, north of the Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que., \pril 27th, 1895. 351. Lecanora varia, (Ehrh.) Nyl. On bark of trees old boards and fence rails. On pine bark in woods near the C. P. R. bridge west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895. 352. Lecanora varia, var. symmicta, Ach. On trees and fences ; not rare. On bark of living pine trees in woods west of the Reaver Meadow, Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895. 353. Lecanora varia, var. saepincoia, Fr. On the board fence in the cutting for the Aylmer Electric Railway, west of Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; on old fences at Stittsville ; on old fences between Aylmer and King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 354. Lecanora pallescens, (L.) Schaer. On birch trees near Ottawa 1884; on trunks at the base of King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. 355. Lecanora privigna, var. pruinosa, Auct. On limestone rucks, in woods, south of the Aylmer Road, west of Hull, April 27th, 1895 ; o" boulders along the road and in fields, Rockcliffe Park ; on limestone boulders in a pasture by Brigham's Creek ; abundant on rocks, King's Mountain, May 22nd, 1897. XX. RINODINA, Mass. 356. Rinodina Ascociscana, Tuck. On beech trees in McKay's woods near the Lake, April 24th 1891; on beech trees in woods one mile south-east of Billings Bridge, April 19th, 1897. 357. Rinodina sophodes, (Ach.) Nyl. On bark of young red maples in Stewart's bush south of the C. A. R. track April 12th, 1895; very common on bark of young and old red maple trees along the lake at Britannia ; on beech trees in woods one mile south-east of Billings Bridge, April 19th, 1897. 358. Rinodina constans. Nyl. On beech trees in Beechwood Cemetery, April 20th, 1891. XXI. PERTUSARIA, DC. 359- Pertusaria multipunctata, (Turn.) Nyl. On old trees in Rockcliffe Park and Beechwood Cemetery, April .27th, 1892 ; on butternut trees along the Aylmer Road west of Hull ; on trunks of the same near the entrance to Hull Roman Catholic Cemetery; on old cedar rails between Aylmer and King's Mountain, May 22nd 1897. 1898] 57 ENTOMOLOGY. NOTES FOR APRIL IN VANCOUVER ISLAND. By Rev. Geo. W. Taylor, F.R.S.C. The past month, April, has been exceptionally mild and the season so far as many of the insects are concerned, is fully three weeks in advance of last year. As early as the 22nd of March, in the course of an afternoon walk, I was able to collect no fewer than 40 species of Coleoptera. These were mostly found under bark and perhaps the best capture was Elaphrus Clairvillei of which rare beetle I took 3 specimens. Thus far I seem to have been giving most attention to Coleoptera though collecting in all orders. Consequently I have more to report in the beetle line than in any other. Among notable captures during .April I may mention as occurring under back the rare Carab Psydrus picens together with Clinidium calcaratum and Pcltis Pippingskoeldi, both very common, Adelocera profusa, Hylastcs cavernosus, GnatJiotrichus retusiis, Dendroctoniis rnfipennis ? Rhizopkagus scu/pturatns, the strange \o6k\ng PhcHopsis porcata diX\d the curiously flat Pcdiacus subglaber. Under dead crows (these are the only kind of crows a farmer in these parts cares to see) were found, the very abundant and always in season Necrophibis liydropJiiloides, sup ha Lapponica,\yNO species of Choleva, Histerfcedatus, Saprimis Ingens, and two or three HisteridcB not yet determined ; also of course CrcopJiilus villosus and many smaller StapJiylinidcB. An inspection of the fences brought to light Hylesinus sericeus (common), numerous specimens of Haltica, MalacJiius auritus, EllycJinia Califomica, Trogosita virescens, an wx\Vx\oy^nLasco7iotus, Platycerus Oregonensis, Clerus sphegeus and abvuptus, Hylotrupes ligneus (very common) and an interesting little beetle, Listrus MotscJmlskii which I took last year, for the first time, on the same fences. Under logs I found two Ditylus gracilis and IptJiinius serratus and very many CarabidcB. Hiding in crevices Plectrura spinicaiida and two kinds of Helops, pernitens and latus. On the wing in the bright sunshine I have taken many ^8 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June specimens of the beautiful Cncujus puniceits and the equally brilliant Eros simplicipes and E. Icetus, Odonteus obesus, Synaplmta Qucxii. This last named insect attacks the willow and some years ago 1 took more than twenty specimens from a heap of dead willow branches in my yard. On flowers there have not yet been many beetles, the only captures perhaps worth noting being Anthaxia csneogaster, LathriniCBiim pictum and Grynocharis pilosula. Assisting me to rid my fruit trees of Aphides are 1 1 species of Lady birds and their efforts are seconded I think by Podabriis pruinosus. This insect is very common on the affected trees and I believe its errand is a friendly one. Lastly in my pantry, in stale bread left there as a bait, I have found many beetles, Omosita discoidea, Colastus truncaius, a Cryptophagid for which Professor Wickham cannot give me a name and numerous small fry which have not yet been determined. By the way there is one other beetle 1 must mention as it is both rare and curious, Nosodendron Californicum, I found this for the first time on May 13th last year, when I took about twenty in an old wound on the trunk of a balsam fir {Abies gnmdis). This year I have taken other specimens in the same place, the earliest date being y\pril 26th, but I cannot find a single specimen elsewhere. Among the Lepidoptera I have not been doing much. The hibernated Graptas with V. Antiopa and Milbertii put in an appearance before the end of March. By the beginning of April the early Blues, TJiccla Siva, T. indinus and T. iroides, Anthocaris ausonides and A. Stella and Pieris venosa were all abundant. A single specimen of Papilio Eurymedon was observed on April 24 a month before its proper time of appear- ance. The larvae of Linienitis Lorquinii left their hibernacula on the apple trees and spiraeas before a leaf was out, but managed to satisfy their hunger by nibbling the buds. The larva of Anthocaris (I am not sure which species) was also to be found at the end of the month feeding on Arabis perfoliata. 1898] Entomology— Notes for April. 59 Of moths I have hardly made any notes this season, but I remember seeing Hemaris rubens (which is a very common in- sect with us, the larvai feeding on Symphoricarpiis) in the last week of March. Towards the end of April I cut some pupae of Sesia tipulifotniis from my currant bushes and on the last day of the month I bred a fine specimen of Telca Polyphemus from one of three larvse taken on willow last September. A along the Ilviiienoptera our enemy Gyninonychus appendicU- iatas appeared on April ist and all through the month has been busy oripositing on the currant and gooseberry bushes. Two other saw tlies, Strongylogaster distans and Dolerus striceus have also been abundant; but I think they do not meddle with our cultivated plants. Wasps and bees have been in hundreds and in thousands at the gooseberry blossoms (both wild and culti- vated kinds) but as yet I know not their names. Of ants I have collected nearly 20 kinds but these too are as yet undetermined. I have also found under bark some other curious apterous Hymenoptera which I intend to send to Mr. Harrington in my next box. In other orders I have not taken many species. The smaller of our two kinds of Cicada appeared on April 13th, very much in advance of its usual season. Our earliest and smallest grasshopper [Tettix granulatus I believe) has been swarming since the beginning of the month and I have also taken a few specimens of another orthopterous insect, to wit the curious little cricket Mrvniecophila Oregonensis described and figured by Bruner in Can. Ent. XVI. p. 41-43. These 1 found under bark of fir logs apparently associating with a honey-coloured species of ant. But I must stop this lengthy enumeration, having said enough I am sure to show my Ottawa brothers of the Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club that April has not been an unprofitable month for us Entomologically in Vancouver Island and to make you, Mr, Editor, wish that you could have a little of our British Columbia early spring in exchange for some of your prolonged, but healthy and pleasant Ottawa winter. Gabriola Island, Nanaimo, B.C., May 18, 1898. 6o The Ottawa Naturalist. [June EXCURSION No. i TO CHELSEA. The first General Excursion of the year was held on May 28th to Gilmour's grove at Chelsea. This beautiful spot over- looking the rapids of the Gatineau, ne\er loses its charms for our members. Here all, whatever their tastes, can be satisfied, the wild grand scenery, the cool woods and rocks rich with specimens of all kinds, and the facility of reaching the locality, all tend to make this an ideal spot ior a naturalist's hunting ground. About 175 Members of the Club and their friends left Ottawa by the 1.30. train. The weather was proclaimed on all sides to be simply perfection and the afternoon passed all too quickly. Mr. Shutt, the always reliable, Chairman of the Ex- cursion Committee had made the arrangements so well that everything went off with the smoothness of clock-work, except perhaps that he had not arranged to have the sun put bark an hour to give the Excursionists more time to enjoy themselves. Specimens of many kinds were collected by eager hands, plants, insects, shells, minerals, etc. The lovers of birds were peering into every tree and bush with eyes no less sharp than those of the birds they were observing. The Botanists brought in many specimens for the leaders to name and explain the characters of — Cypripediuvi acaiile was found in some numbers, the beautiful flowers calling the attention of the most unobservant. One enthusiastic botanist was seen ruth- lessly picking off the flowers from a clump of plants " to prevent thoughtless people digging up the roots which they cant grow and cleaning out the locality" he said. The small but striking flowers of Corydalis glauca and Canada Columbine were found on the rocks, as well as the x'mcs o{ Epigea 7-Lfc)is. Viburmnn lantanoides was one of the most beautiful flowering shrubs observed, but most of the bushes were past flowering. Viola Cuadlata was in great beauty and a few fungi were collected. The most interesting being a very large specimen of 1898] Excursion to Chelsea. 61 the Morell, Morchella esculenta, of the remarkable size of 10 inches from the bottom to the apex, found by Mr. Conrad Ostrom. Insects were abundant and the leaders' hearts were, made happy by taking no less than 5 specimens of the rare and beautiful longicorn Ajit/iophylax Malachiticus. Mr. C. H. Young was the lucky captor of a beautiful specimen of Amblyscirtes Sanwset a pretty little Skipper butterfly onh' tvvice before taken here. The President, Prof. Prince, called the meeting to order at the end of the afternoon and two excellent addresses were listened to, the first from Prof Bailey F. R.S.C. of Fredcricton, N. B. and a Member for many }-ears of the Club, who Sj^okc on the Geology of the locality and another by Prof Macoun who sp'>ke of some of the more interesting plants collected. He alluded to some very interesting investigations which had been made by Mr- James Macoun on the violets of the localit}' and pointed out that undoubtedly 4 or 5 distinct species had been confounded under the name ]^. Cucullata. The whistle of the train at 7.30 warned the excursionists that their pleasant afternoon in the woods had come to an end and all returned to Ottawa happy, satisfied and very tired. SUB-EXCURSIONS. No. 4. — To Dow's Swamp. Ma}- 7. The day was clear, bright and hot. The President, Prof Macoun, Miss Marion Whvte and Mr. Attwood led the party. The Spring had advanced considerably since the last sub-excursion on the previous Saturday, Trilliums, Uvularias and Cla)'tonias were in perfection. The President and Prof Macoun struck out into the swamp to visit the small lake (the true Dow's Lake) CaltJia palnstris was conspicuous with its golden cups and rich green leaves. Salix Candida too, with its striking crimson anthers, was much admired. Prof Prince caught among other interesting denizens of the lake, the Mud Minnow. The majority of the party remained with Miss Whyte on the higher ground which 62 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June skirts the swamp and worked their way towards Billings Bridge. The Sugar maples were now just at the fullest glory of their golden splendour. How strange it is that, often as the maple is written of and depicted, little is slid of the extremely beautiful flowers which hang in copious silken tassels from the tip of every twig, their yellow flowers and anthers hanging on the slender thread-like pallid pedicels contrasting with the delicate green of the expanding foliage and making up for their small size by the profusion in which they are produced. Passing on towards Billings Bridge the only Ottawa locality for Claytonia Virginica was visited. Close by fine specimens of Viola Cucullaia in varying forms were collected. Before the close of the Ex- cursion Mr. Frank T. Shutt joined the party and added to the interest of the outing. The wild Plum was one of the con- spicuous ornaments of the open woods. No. 5. — To New Edinburgh, May 14th. A rather dull morning with a sharp shower was followed by an exqui- site afternoon and a most pleasant outing was enjoyed in the woods between Rideau Hall, Hemlock Lake and Beech- wood. The party was led by Dr. Fletcher, Miss Whyte and Mr. Halkett The rock\' hill by the Governor General's bay produced many interesting specimens — Hejyatica triloba with pink, blue and white flowers attracted the attention of all. Corydalis atirea and Fedicularis Canadensis were first recorded to-day for this season. Aquilegia Canadensis was found in quantities. This pretty plant sometimes called inaccurately " HoncysucKle " seems to have given its namers some trouble,, its Latin name, Aquilegia, is derived from Aquila, an eagle while its English name, Columbine, comes from Coluinba,3.do\e- Several birds attracted attention, among these the beautiful Brown Thrasher and its relative the Catbird, both close kinsmen of the true Mocking bird and themselves mockers of no mean attainments. The Purple Finch poured forth his delightful song with special fervour in honour of his visitors. In the cedar woods near Crichton Lodge the naturalists had a good oppor- tunity of examining closely a fine American Hare which 1898] Resurrection Plants. 63 surprised and surrounded in his lair, remained in view for a minute or two before he scampered off. No plants of special rarity were collected but the woods were full of beautiful flowers. Orchis spectabilis was found in bud, Viola Canadensis, and V. pabescens were in great profusion and beauty. The Sugar Maples and Beeches still bore many flowers and other plants were noted in bloom for the first time this season. — J. F. RESURRECTION PLANTS. Our attention has been called to the above subject by the Hon. R. B. Dickey, who has very kindly furnished the editor with notes on these plants, as well as with the interesting extract given below from a letter written bv Mr. H. E. Milner, of London, England. Certain members of the vegetable kingdom are possessed of such remarkable tenacity of life that their vital spark seems well nigh unquenchable. For such the most unfavourable and adverse conditions, such as being submitted to long periods of drought, or even being broken into small pieces, are not sufficient to kill entirely, though they may arrest life and growth and even cause an appearance of death. With the return of favourable conditions, as the presence of moisture and warmth, these plants spring forth again into renewed life and growth. Plants with this great vitality are apt to become troublesome enemies of the agriculturist. It is only necessary to mention such succulent plants as the Live-for-Ever (5f'c///;// Telephiuni) and the common Purslane {Portulaca oleracea), the latter of which will continue to expand flowers and ripen seeds for weeks, when pulled up and hung on a nail against a brick wall in the full blaze of an August and September sun. Those plants which have an ex- tensive system of underground stems, like the Field Convol- vulus {Co7ivolviilus arvensis), the so-called Canada Thistle {CnicHS arvensis'), and Couch grass {Agropyrujn repens), are thereby enabled to withstand much aggression from the farmer 64 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June Plants with fleshy compact stems, like Cacti, Euphorbiae, etc., or with bulbous roots such as many of the Liliacew are able to remain a long time in a dormant condition. This is particularly the case with the Onions, the difficulty of drying which, as botanical specimens, unless the bulbs are scalded at the time of pressing, collectors of plants know well. Some of the plants which possess this marvellous recuperative power are known as Resurrection plants, though the name might imply that these plants die and come to life again, which is not actually the case> In the animal world this condition would be called " suspended animation." This extraordinary ability of apparently coming to life again, or of re-vegetating, is possessed by members o' many widely divergent genera of plants; most of which grow naturall}- in deserts or in arid districts, and it is easy to under- stand how this exceptional power must assist in the perpetuation of the species when the plants are subjected to severe, and in the case of ordinary plants, fatal conditions of environment. It is not our purpose, however, to discuss now this interesting phase of physiological botany, but to bring before our readers brief accounts of the three species most frequently spoken of under the title of Resurrection plants. SELAGINELLA LEPIDOPHYLLA. This is a cryptogamous plant allied to the Lycopodiums or Club-mosses. Tt is a vivid green, rosulate, branching plant, covering a space on the ground of from five to eight inches in 1898] Resurrection Plants. 65 diameter. When dn^ it rolls up into a dull grayish ball, but upon the return of moisture expands again into a beautiful green flat rosette, The Hon. Senator Dickey writes as follows of a specimen which was brought to him by a friend from Mexico : " The habitat of this strange plant is in the crevices of mountain rocks, to which it clings as a dry nest-like ball of twigs, in the dry season. In the rain}- season the stems uncurl and the plant flourishes as a beautiful rosette of brilliant green. On the return of the dry season, it again curls up to be brought back again to life the next year with the return of the rainy season. The peculiarity of this plant is that you can witness the phenomenon of its opening and shutting as often as you please, when the plant is, so to speak, in confinement. I had the oppor- tunity of testing this repeatedly last summer after my friend had brought it in his trunk from Mexico, and before I sent it on. another 3,000 miles to my son-in-law in London, who has had the same experience. As a dry roll of brittle tangled fibres, it can be sent for thousands of miles rolled up in a piece of brown paper, and a few hours after being placed in a saucer filled with water, will gradually present an appearance of the greatest beauty." The following extract is from a letter received by Mr. Dickey from his son-in-law, Mr. H. E. Milner : " The name of your Resurrection plant is Selaginella con- voluta, a species which occurs from Mexico right through tropical America. There are several Resurrection plants ; a Japanese one is a Selaginella nearly allied to the species you sent over. The plant usually called Resurrection plant and connected with the Holy Land is a small Crucifer, Atiastatica Hicrochiintiua, but opinion, in which Mr. Nicholson, the Curator of Kew shares, now is that the true thing is a Composite. The plant appears on the arms of some of the old crusader families and certainly the plant there figured is not the Crucifer, but the Composite." Another opinion with regard to the Resurrection plant of heraldry, referred to above, is that it is a species of Mysembfy- antJieumm. The interesting Selaginella spoken of by Mr. Dickey is apparently not the same species as that usually sold in shops in 66 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June Europe [and America, under the name of Resurrection plant ; but is closely allied with it and has almost the same range. The form most usually seen in curiosity shops is S. lepidopJiylla^ which extends from Texas to Peru and of which an excellent figure is given herewith, copied from the American supplement of the Encyclopedia Britannica. These plants, like the mosses, nearly all of which— as pointed out hy John Ruskin — may be called Everlasting plants and will regain their green colour and former beauty upon being moistened, even when they have been quite dead for years. ROSE OF JERICHO — { Anastatica Hierochuntina.) Probably the plant most widely known under the name of Resurrection plant— the generic name of which,indeed,is derived from the Greek word Anastasis, resurrection — is a small annual Crucifer belonging to the Cress family, which grows wild in Syria. It is a curious little plant, with thick stems, fleshy leaves and small white flowers. The leaves fall from the plant after flowering, and the many branches and branchlets thickly beset with short seed-pods then become dry and woody and rising upward, bend inward at their points. In this condition the dry plant becomes separated from the ground, and like the " Tumb- Img-weed " of our western plains, is driven long distances across the desert by the winds. It is stated in Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening that this is supposed by some commentators to be 1898 Resurrection Plants. 67 the " rolling thing before the whirlwind " mentioned by Isaiah. This plant does not resume vitality or even the appearance of it as in the case of the Club moss mentioned above ; but upon the application of moisture, first the hard woody branches, and then the copious, 2 to 4-seeded pods open up and the seeds are dis- charged. The jtlant can be easily grown from seed even after the stems have been kept dry for a great many years.- The living plant, however, is of no beauty, and but for its associa- tions, is of little interest. It is frequently to be seen exposed for sale in curiosity shops both in Europe and in this country. The figure given herewith is from a photograph taken by Mr. Shutt of a plate in Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening. LEWISIA REDIVIVA. By far the most beautiful of the|plants,which from their power of resuming active growth after being for a long time dry and to all appearances dead which have been called Resurrection Plants and received specific names indicating their recuj^erative power, is the charming member of the Portulaca family named above, of which specimens were found by Capt. M. Lewis who accompanied Capt. Clark, in his celebrated journey to the Rocky Mountains at the end of the last century. Specimens were brought back by these travellers and sent home to Europe as dried botanical specimens ; when, however, these were unpacked many months afterwards the roots were found to have thrown out healthy leaves. Some of the roots were planted and were the first plants of Ltivisia rediviva ever cultivated in Europe. There are only two species in the genus Lewisia, one extend- ing from California to the interior of British Columbia, with leaves terete and succulent, growing in tufts, from the apex of the ta[)ering fleshy rootstock. These die down before the flowers appear (in June at Ashcroft B. C.) and- then the large and beautiful flowers, four or five from each root are produced. These are somewhat like those of a cactus, opening out from three to four inches in diameter, pink at the outside and shading towards the centre where they are almost white. The scapes 68 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June are from i to 2 inches high and each bears besides the one large flower, 3 bracts just below it on the stem. The calyx is conspicuous and adds much to the beauty of the flovver being waved at the margins and of a rich brownish red. The stamens are indefinite in number, about 36. The pistil is compound, seven-cleft. This interesting plant is very abundant in some parts of the interior of British Columbia, i have found it in the Okanagan valley and the Hon. Senator Cornwall sent me some years ago roots from Ashcroft, and at the came time described the great beauty of the flowers as they lay close to the sandy ground in every direction around his house. The root of Lezvisia is eaten by the Indians and has various designations among different tribes. It is the "Bitter Root" of some writers, " Sp?etlum " of others. Many years ago Dr. Kellog, of the California Academy oi Sciences showed me specimens found by him in California which had instead ofgrass-like terete leavesmuch shorterspatulate leaves from a quarter to ^a inch in diameter. This I presume is the other species mentioned by authors. J. FLETCHER ORNITHOLOGY. (Edited by W. T. Macoun.) Bird Notes for April and May. April I. American Herring Gull — Lams argentatus Sinithso- nianus. Mr. W. A. D. Lees. On 2nd, Mr. G. R. . White. " 3. American Merganser, Goosander — Merganser Ameri- ccDius Mr. White. " 3. Pigeon Hawk — Falco colwiJibarius — Mr. C. H. Young. " 9. Tree Swallow — Tachycineta bicolor. Mr. Young. Other records are four days later. " 10. Ruby-crowned Kinglet — Regidus calendula. Mr. White. " 10. Horned Grebe — Golymbus auritus. Mr. W^hite. " 12. Chipping Sparrow — Spizella socialis. Dr. Fletcher. « 1 6. n. Mr. White. " 15. Downy Woodpecker — Dryobattspiihescens. Mr. Lees. " 16. Flicker — Golaptea auratus. Mr. Young. " 16. Savannah Sparrow — ArMnodramus sand>x;ichensis savaana. Dr. Fletcher and Mr. Lees. Great Blue Heron — Ardea Herodias. Mr. White. Ivory Gull — Gavia alba. Mr. Young. Rusty Blackbird — ^'colecop'utguH carolinus. Mr. White. 20. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker — Sphyrapicus varius. Mr. White. Fox Sparrow — Passerella iliaca. Mr. Young. Purple Martin— Progne subis. Mr. Young. Loon — Urinator iiiiber, Mr. White. American Osprey — I'andion hali 'etios caroiinensis. Mr. Young. Pied-billed Grebe — Podilymhus podiceps. Mr. White. 27. White-throated Sparrow— .^ono^ric/?m a^6ic'^^^is. Mr. White. On 29th, Miss Harmer. Barn Swallow — Ghelidon erythrogaster. Mr. White. American Bittern — Botauruslentigmosus. Mr.White. Hermit Thrush — Turdus aonalaschkce Palasii. Mr. White. " 30. Wood Thrush — Turdus iniistelinus. Prof. J. Macoun. May I. Swamp Sparrow — Melosfiz't' georgiana. Mr. Lees. " I. Crested Flycatcher — Myiarchus crinitus. Mr. Lees. I. Cliff Swallow — Petroclielidoii lunifrons. Mr. Lees. I. Bank Swallow — Glivicola riparia. Mr. Lees. On 3rd, Mr. White 3. Chimney Swift — Ghoitura pelagica. Miss Harmer and Mr White. Spotted Sandpiper — Actitis macularia. Mr. White Yellow Warbler — Dendrylca cestiva. Mr. Kingston. Least Flycatcher — Empklonax minimus. Mr. Lees. Myrtle Waabler — Dendroica corowita. Mr. White. American Goldfinch — Spiuus trlstis. Mr. Lees. On 22nd, in full breeding plumage, Mr. White. Red-shoulder Hawk — Buteo lineatus. Mr. Kingston. Golden-crowned Kinglet — Regaius satrapa. Mr. Kingston. (( 21. (( 21. (( 23- <( 23- t( 2i. (( 27. « ^8. (( 30. (( 30. « 5- (( 5- (( 6. « 7- (( 8. « 8. (( 8. JO The Ottawa Naturalist. [June " 10. Baltimore Oriole — Icterus gaWula. Mr. Lees. On 1 2th, Mr. Kingston. " lO. Cd,th\rd — Galeoxcoptescari)yin"nsU Mr. White. On 1 2th, Miss Harmer. " lo. Kingbird — Tn/vdnnLcs Tyrannus. Mr. Kingston. On 1 2th, Mr. White. " lo. House Wren — J'roglodytes aedoa. Mr. Lees. On 1 2th, Mr. White. " lo. Black and White Warbler — Mniotilta varia. Mr. White. " 10. Nashville Warbler — Helminthophild ruficapUla. Mr. White. " lo. Magnolia Warbler — Dfndroicamrictilosa. Mr. White. '' lo. White-crowned Spa.vi:ow~—Zo notrichia I eucophrys. Mr. W. T. Macoun. On I2th, Mr Lt-es. " lo. Warbling Vireo — Vireo (/iloas. Mr. Lees. " II. Bobolink — Dolickonyx oiyzivoru><. Mr. Macoun. " II. Wilson's Snipe — Gullinago deiic da. Mr. White. " II. Greater Yellow-legs — To'anas nieldiioleucas. Mr. White. " 12. Brown Thrasher — Hdrporhyacka^ i-ufa^. Seven were seen by Mr. Macoun at the Experimental Farm, four were in one tree at the same time. 12. Killdeer — ^gialitis voGifera. Mr. White. 12. American Pipit — Anfhus pennsylva^iicas. Mr. White. On 15th, Mr. Kingston. 14. Hairy Woodpecker — Dryohatesv'Uosas. Miss Harmer 14. Blue i 3.y—C yanocltta cristata. — Mr. Lees. 14. Solitary Sandpiper — Tolanus solitariuH — Mr. White. 14. American Redstart — S'^-fophag 0 luticiUa — Miss Harmer. On 15th, Mr. Kingston and W. T. Macoun. 14. Chestnut-sided Warbler— P^Aic/'-O'Ct peimsy vanicd — Miss Harmer. 14. Black-throated Green Warbler — D ndroica virens. — Miss Harmer. Wilson's Thrush — Tardus fw^cescen^ff — Miss Harmer. Red-eyed Vireo — V'reo oliv weus — Mr. Lees. Rose-breasted Grosbeak — Habia ludovlciana — Mr. Kingston and Mr. Macoun. 15. Maryland Yellow-throat — Geothlypis trichas. — Mr. Macoun. I'S- Ruby-throated Humming-bird — Trochilus coluhris. Mr. Lees. « « 15. « IS- « IS- 1898] Ornithology. 71 " 15. Night Hawk — Chordeilrs virginianiis- -Mr. Kingston. On 19th Prof. Macoun. " 18. Whip - Poor - Will — Avtrostomus vociferus — Miss Harmer. " 18. Blackburnian Warbler — D-ndroica Blackburnice — Mr. White. " 18. Tennessee Warbler -Hdminthophila peregrlva — Mr. White. " 18. Black-poll Warbler — Dendroica strinta — Mr. White. " 18. Orange-crowned Warbler — HelmintJtopJtila celati — Mr. White. " 18. Black -throated Blue Warbler — Dendroica cwiu- lescens — Mr. White. " 19. Scarlet Tanager — PiramjaerytkroTnelas — Mr. Kings- ton. On 28th Miss Harmer. " 19. Oven-bird — Seiurus lairocapillus — Mr. Kingston. 19. Red-headed Woodpecker — -Mehinerpes erythroce- phalus — Mr. Lees. . " 21. Loggerhead Shrike — Lanius Ludovicianns — Mr. Kingston. " 23. Black-billed Cuckoo — occyzas erythrophthalmus — Mr. White. " 24. Cedar Wax-wing — AmpHsccdroruon — Mr. Kingston. " 24. Wood Pewee — L'onfopus virens — Mr. Kingston. " 24. Olive-backed Thrush -Tardiif^ ustuiatus Suuin- sonii. — Mr. White. " 26. Yellow-billed Cuckoo — Cuccyzus Amoicanus — Miss Harmer. " 26. Wilson's Warbler — Sylvania pusilla. — Mr. W^iitc. " 26. Bay-breasted Warbler — Dendroica cdf^tanen — Mr. White. " 27. Traill's Flycatcher — Empidomtx pusillus Traillii — Mr. White. On 28th. Mr. Lees.' " 28. Blue-headed Vireo — Virco solitariuf- — Miss Harmer, at Chelsea. " 29. Indigo Bunting — I'asseriwi cyane i — Miss Harmer. BIRDS' NESTS. Mr. White sent in the following notes. Crows started to build April i6th. The /American Robin started to build April lOth. Young birds were able to fly on May the 24th, and on 28th, two eggs of the second brood were 72 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June laid. Bronzed Grackle started to build on April 14th and young were about to leave the nest on May the 20th. Song Sparrow started to build April 15th. Bank Swallow commenced to dig holes on May 8th. Catbird started to build on May i8th. House Wren started to build on May 15th. On May 12th a Prairie Horned Lark's nest was found at the Experimental Farm containing four eggs. The nest was beside a large dandelion on the lawn in the arboretum. Miss Harmer found a nest of the same bird with young on the nth. A Chickadee's nest was found by Miss Harmer on the 14th of May in a hollow stump, three feet high and four feet in diameter, the entrance to the nest was from the top of the stump the hole apparently being made by the birds, the nest was about 9 inches from the top. A Purple Finch's nest was found by Dr. Fletcher near his house at the Experimental Farm on the 21st of May. The nest was in a white s|)ruce tree, about 9 feet from the ground. On the 28 of May, Miss Harmer found a Blue-headed Vireo's nest at Chelsea. It was only partly built and was composed of finely shredded birch bark, and down, probably brought from some willows near by. The nest was suspended from a horizontal branch of a young maple. The following notes of arrivals of birds at London, Ontario were kindly furnished by Mr. W. E. Saunders. P'lickers, March 17th, Belted Kingfishers, i8th, Cowbird, 19th, Red-shouldered Hawk, 20th, Vesper Sparrow, Phoebe, 27th, Fox-coloured Sparrow, April 3rd, Rusty' Grackle, 5th, Chewink, nth. Savannah Sparrow, 12th, Chipping, 14th, Tree Swallow, 14th, Yellow-bellied Wood-pecker, i6th. Dove, 17th, White-throated Sparrow April 23rd, Ruby-crowned Kinglet April 24th, Louisiana Water-Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Field Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Barn Swallow, April 27th, Myrtle Warbler, Bobolink, Purple Martin, Chimney Swift, April 28th, Black-throated Green Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, Warbling Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, May 1st, Least Flycatcher, Catbird, Water Thrush, Yellow warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Whip-poor-will, Maryland Yellow-throat, Ovenbird, Nashville warbler, Black and White Warbler, House Wren, May 2nd. W. T. M, -^'LIBRARI THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Vol. XII. OTTAWA, JULY, 1898. No. 4. THE VANISHED BUFFALO. By Prof. Edward E. Prince, Dominion Commissioner of Eisheiies. It is hardly possible for the thoughtful traveller to cross the prairies of Western Canada without some reflections on the vanished buffalo. That these apparently interminable plains, now so silent and destitute of animal life, were once the pasture ground for incrediblv vast herds of bison or American buffalo {Bos aniericaiius) can scarcely be realised. For fully a couple of da}'s the Pacific express speeds across this treeless waste, clothed with brown grass except in summer when it is carpeted wMth the strange flowers peculiar to these monotonous plains.. In every direction the flat waste melts in the blue distance like the sea in mid-ocean but no sign of life appears except a few birds, and that ubiquitous prairie rodent, the gopher. Herds of domestic cattle, the property of isolated ranchers, roam at will ; but an occasional cayote or prairie \^o\{ {Canis latrans, Sayj, a startled badger {Taxidea avierzcana, Bod.), or a fevv antelope. (Antilocapra aniericanus, Ord.^ may be seen hastening away from the railway track. It is fully twenty years ago since the buffalo in any con- siderable numbers were found on the plains. In 1884 out of a herd of twenty, eleven or twelve were killed in the vicinity of Cypress Hills not far from Maple Creek, and so recently as eight years ago a small herd of six or seven cows and calves was killed by Indians a little north of Swift Current, Assiniboia, N. W. T., these being probably the remnant of the Cypress Hills buffalo. In the early part of 1886 the Smithsonian expedition scoured Montana with the hope, a very meagre one, of finding 74 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July some living buffalo, and no less than 24 specimens, including 10 old bulls, were killed. The wood-buffalo still survive in remoter parts of the North West ; but they are probably not numerous, and are doomed to early extinction with the present opening-up of these distant gold producing areas. Observers who crossed the prairies, before the buffalo were nearing extermination, confess that no description can do justice to the impressive spectacle which these bovine monsters presen- ted. Their brown almost black forms scattered over the plains and quietly grazing in untold numbers or spurred by fear and fury rushing in irresistible stampede and leaving clouds of dust behind, can be only dimly imagined. Single herds ol ten thousandbufTalowerenot at alluncommon.andnothingcould resist the shock of these legions when in stampede. Fences, tents, waggons, even settlers' huts were thrown down, and railway trains have been compelled to stop until the monstrous troop passed by or run the risk of being overturned by the onward 5weep of the buffalo. The narrow winding paths along which they moved in single file can be still clearly seen upon the prairie, radiating in every direction and converging and crossing each other, while the hollow basins in the earth, the " wallows " where they rolled in the dust, or in wet mud where the ground was marshy are distinctly visible though hollowed out twenty or thirty years ago. Of the thousands of paths to be clearly discerned by the traveller on the C. P. R. west of Winnipeg, a large proportion run nearly north and south and indicate no doubt seasonal migrations from the usual summer resorts to more southerly •winter grazing grounds. Six or eight paths frequently run side ,by side, and as the western rivers usually take an east and west <:ourse, the buffalo paths lead to water. Some of the paths are stated to have been worn down to a depth of 24 to 30 inches so vast where the long lines of buffalo which tramped along them. If it is hardly possible to adequately picture the roving buffalo herds as they appeared a quarter of a century ago, we can happil)' still form some conception of their imposing and 1898] Prince— The Vanished Buffalo. 75 even terrible aspect from the few living specimens that yet survive. Those survivors, like the couple of hundred in the Yellowstone Park, Montana U. S. are either in a practically wild state, under protection more or less effective, or in a confined park, securely fenced in, as at Silver Heights, near Winnipeg, where a herd of sixteen or seventeen roam in an extensive enclosure* Col. Bedson, ten years ago had 70 or 80 of them, pure bred, at Stony Mountain, near Winnipeg but they have been sold and form part of the herd of Mr. C. J. Jones, Garden City, Kan., which probably numbers about 150 full blood buffalo. Mr. W. F. Cody and others have a few specimens, but there can hardly now be more than 1000 of these noble animals remaining of the countless myriads which not long ago peopled the plains. Lord Strathcona had kindly suggested on my visits to the west that I should view his herd at Silver Heights, but the opportunity did not occur until last August, and my notes, made at the time may be of interest although nothing that is new or of scientific importance can now be said of the buffalo. The herd have a fenced reserve covering eight or ten square milesr and over this grassy park they wander with as much freedom as in nature. Some horses feed on this ground ; but, while the buffalo do not associate with them much, there appears to be no animosity between them. One of the horses was injured, I learned, some months before, but the animal was possibly lame or weak, and unable to quickly get out of the way of the buffalo. Weak members of their own tribe are invariably attacked and killed. The principle of the survival of the fittest finds rigorous fulfilment among the buffalo. When a friend and myself reached the farm, the buffalo had not been seen for some hours, and were said to be several miles away. We de- termined to find out their whereabouts, but like other visitors who departed disappointed at not seeing the buffalo, we were just beginning to share in the same feeling, and were about to give up hope of viewing the herd, when we observed two *Since these notes were jotted down Lord Strathcona has gifted his herd to the Dominion for the Banff National park. 76 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July buffalo rapidly making^ for the cattle sheds where troughs of water stand. They were busily drinking as we approached, and we imagined that they were pretty well domesticated. We were quickly undeceived. In the first place, they were drinking out of the small pools formed by water overflowing from the adjacent pump. They are never known to drink out of the spacious troughs provided with clean water. In the second place a slight breeze arose and blew towards them from our direction. The effect was instantaneous. They raised their heads, sniffed suspiciously, curled their tails aloft, and bounded away with lightning speed. One gained some idea of the strength and swiftness of the buffalo, for these two monsters bounded away lightly as deer, and in a few minutes were lost to view. Their fear of man is still strong, and they retain so much of their original wariness, that anything touched by human hands they avoid. Hence they refuse to enter the cattle sheds in winter, and prefer the snowy waste. They will not even lie down upon dry straw which was thickly spread over the snow for them. Hence also they refuse to drink out of troughs, buckets, or any vessels placed for cattle or horses, and invariably quench their thirst at mud-puddles and small scattered pools of water. Foxes, bears, etc, exhibit similar wariness, and are able to detect the touch of man's hand on traps set for their capture. Hunters adopt many devices to elude this keen sense of smell, which warns wild animals of danger. Castor, which the beaver hunter procures, is invaluable for smearing traps set for certain fur animals. We feared that the startled pair had rejoined the herd and that all would have hurried far away. That they were shy we had been assured. They were also less trustworthy than for- merly, having been much disturbed by numbers of visitors, some of whom had thoughtlessly teased the animals. We were cautioned if we went in search of the buffalo to move quietly and slowly. Sudden movements or noises startle them, and they either rush off in stampede and may not be visible any more that day, or they turn threateningly upon the intruders. 1898] Prince — The Vanished Buffalo. 77 Fortunately we found the herd leisurely feeding in the open not very far away from the farm buildings. They had been rejoined by the two animals which we had disturbed, but the whole herd were coming in for water. There they stood like great bronze monsters statuesquely surmounting a slight eminence on the grassy plain. It is diffi- cult to accurately describe the impression produced upon the spectator when he first beholds a living buffalo. Something of sentrmenf'will naturally mingle with his thoughts, but apart from the feeling that he is beholding one of the last of a tribe of noble game, practically extinct, he is awed by the massive uncouthness of the animals. Uncouth and monstrous they are, yet noble and grand. A fine specimen of an adult lion in life never fails to impress the spectator, but he realises that it is a huge cat, a gigantic type of a familiar mammal. The buffalo recalls no other animal with which the spectator is acquainted. It is a wholly unfamiliar form, and unlike any other creature which the observer has seen before. For myself I had a feeling akin to that experienced when I have discovered upon some leafy branch a huge caterpillar rearing its bushy head in proud de- fiance—a strange delight and curiosity. The buffalo struck me as resembling in some features a bull, in others a lion, in others a bear, in others a colossal mule, yet really unlike any of them. His limbs resemble the first ; his mane, the second ; his dark furry head and cheeks, the third ; his body and tail, the last-named. The combination is a grotesque one, yet it is not wholly fanci- ful, and I was interested recently to find in Hornaday's report on the buffalo, a quotation from a writer in 1724, who gives his impression in these words : " a wonderful combination of diverse animals. It has the crooked shoulders with bunch on its back like a camel, its flanks dry and tail large, and its neck well covered with hair like a lion. It is cloven-footed, its head armed like a bull, which it resembles in fierceness, with no less strength and agility." The effect, at any rate, is as strange as it is impressive. The animals, as already stated, were grouped upon slightly rising ground, and their dark forms contrasted strongly with the 78 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July pale tints of the surrounding pasture. We moved quietly to- wards t.icin ; but they appeared unconscious of our presence and with i.oses to the ground continued browsing. Not until we were within 60 or 70 yards did they appear to be aware of our presence. They all raised their heads together, turned and stared at us curiously. The small calves, of which there were several, kept at the further side of the cows, and ran hither and thither as if afraid. The bulls stand very high at the shoulder, the height being increased by the curly mane, which is golden or tawny, glistening like silk. A height of 5 ft. 8 m. appears to be a maximum measurement though the bushy mane adds another 4 or 5 inches. A short ridge of stiff bushy hairs ex- tends behind the shoulders along the middle line of the hack. The mane shows a distinct line of demarcation passing diagon- ally down from the back forward to the front legs. Behind this line the body is of a rich sooty-brown with a silky sheen like the coat of a well-groomed horse. In winter the hair becomes long, thick, and matted, and gives the buffalo a very different appearance. The tail is rather like that of a cow, or rather a mule as it is short and has a very slight terminal brush. The body slopes backward and diminishes very rapidly behind the massive shoulders. It falls away very much as does the body of a lion. Indeed, the appearance of the buffalo in many respects is suggestive of the lion. When the animal turns round the view from behind recalls the small and slender body of the mule or ass, but bears little resemblance to that of the ox or of the horse. A bushy conical beard of jet black hair hangs from the under side of the head in the bull buffalo. The horns are smooth and grey, not polished and black like those burnished for ornament. They are very sharp, and are gracefully curved upward and to the front. Between the horns, and above them, the hair of the forehead is long and thick and stands erect like plush or the pile of the richest black velvet. Later, in winter it may become paler and brown, and matted or curly ; but seen as I saw it, late in the summer, it did not appear woolly or curly, but erect and thick, so that it was blown about by every breath of 1898] Prince— The Vanished Buffalo. 79 wind. The ears are not prominent. The snout is wholly unlike that of a horse, being blackish or dark grey, wet and shining^ and so blunt and crinkled that it might be compared to the nose of a bull-dog. It certainly reminds one less of a cow than of a huge pug or bull-dog. I confess to a feeling of fear when standing fifteen or twenty yards from the full grown bull. He looked so much like a monstrous bull-dog, with no trace of mildness or docility. When the whole herd raised their heads and gazed at us the effect was not reassuring. They are not at all trustworthy, and the cow-buffalo, when her calf is young, is very fierce. They will not brook impediments or obstructions and will throw such down rather than divert their course. The massive skull, and the cushion of hair in the frontal region, en- ables the buffalo to charge an obstruction without injury. They are very obstinate, and a few weeks prior to our visit one of the Silver Heights buffalo had to be shot. He got into the veget- able garden, and was busy tearing up the beds and throwing down the crop, and every means taken to stop his unruly pro- ceedings failed. It was found impossible to eject him. He made terrific rushes at the men who attempted to drive him out — nothing could move him, and the only feasible course appeared to be a dose of lead. When the herd are disturbed they gallop off in a straight line. Nothing can turn them aside. They never tire, but go on and on with their tongues hanging out like monstrous dogs, and no horse has sufficient endurance to keep up with them in a lengthened run. They are said to bellow at times like a bull ; but as a rule are perfectly silent. When wounded, especially by a shot breaking one of their legs, they endeavor to rise and charge at the hunter, snorting fiercely and glaring in the most savage manner. Many a hunter has been awed by the splendid fury of the wounded buffalo ; but unless the region of the heart or some vital part were penetrated, bullet after bullet might be discharged at the head or shoulders without effect. In early days when the Indian pursued the buf- falo with bow and arrow, instances were common, of an arrow directed at the heart passing clean through the buffalo's body, 8o The Ottawa Naturalist. [July and out on the further side, so terrific was the force of the Indians' bow and so closely were the victims approached. The colour of the calves is uniform, not spotted or striped, and is much the same as that of the cows. The cow is invariably smaller than the bull and lacks his sullen ferocity and massive grandeur. Both sexes possess horns. The voice of the bull is a deep sonorous bass call or growl, and in the distance, especially when several bulls were bellowing together, it is said to have resembled the roll of distant thunder. Among many traditions still current, old settlers have one respecting the so-called " sharpening-places," i.e., low rocky cliffs in the " coulees " or hollows of the prairie where the bulls were said to rub their horns in spring in preparation for the pairing period in August or September. The bulls were fierce fighters, but this sharpening of the horns is probably a myth. I have, however, several pairs of very thick old horns, which are quite worn down by rubbing upon one side of each horn. Possibly this rubbing was done when the buffalo rolled upon the ground, a habit which was constantly indulged in, partly no doubt to get rid of the flies, which annoy them just as they anncy the caribou on the barren plains of the north. The tips of the horns in old bulls, are often narrow and pointed at the tip, but very thick, clumsy, and corrugated down to the base. All attempts to induce the buffalo to shelter in winter, or even to lie down on beds of straw in the open air have failed at Silver Heights. Straw was abundantly laid down for them in winter, but they invariably preferred some place well covered with snow, where they lay down and slept. While the extinction of the noble buffalo may be justifiably deplored, it is questionable whether the western country could have been settled, or crops profitably grown as long as their immense herds roamed at will. Certainly man's ferocious bar- barity and love of merciless slaughter would have continued so long as any wild buffalo remained to be butchered. 1898] 8 I AN OTTAWA NATURALIST'S JOURNEY WESTWARD. III. — The Aleutian Islands and Behring Sea. By Andrew Halkett^ Marine and Fisheries Department. The Aleutian Islands present unusual physical features. Some are craggy and barren, but many, although wholly devoid of trees, are densely covered with a low growth vegetation ; such floral forms as irises, blue-bells, anemones, daisies, &c., growing in rich profusion, and lending a charm to the islands. I arose between three and four o'clock one morning to see the Entrance to Captain's Bay. That was a dreary dismal morning in a wild place. A very heavy mist hovered over the precipitous rocks, between which appeared intervening spaces of verdure. A few hours later the vessel anchored at Dutch Harbour, near the village of Unalaska. This village is an interesting and picturesque place. It is situated in the midst of mountains in a beautiful bay. An ornament to the village is a neat little Russo-Greek church. It is a wooden structure, built in a somewhat oriental style, having, instead of spires domes with crosses on their tops. The Russo- Greek ritual, a very ancient form of nominal Christianity, and a most imposing ceremonial, is the recognized religion of the Aleuts. I was delighted to see in this far-off village, a domesticated flock of Canadian Geese {Bernicla canadensis) comprising four- teen fine birds, but they were by no means so handsome as the specimens of this goose at the Central Experimental Farm. Apparently they were of the variety known as the Smaller White Cheeked Goose {B. c. lencopana). At the village, and around the island of Unalaska were numbers of Ravens {Corvus corax, L.), and as I found the broken tests of sea-urchins at considerable distances from the sea, it is 82 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July possible that these birds carry them to considerable heights, and dropping them descend to feed upon their contents. To a naturalist the bay at Dutch Harbour is a fascinating spot. Mollusks are rich, as to numbers, in both species and specimens. In places exposed to the beating waves were found in plenty the beautiful striped Chiton known as Tonicdla lineatus, Wood; and a species of Anomia with thin perlaceous valves of such pleasing deep lustrous green, that it might vie with many a tropical shell. Upon the stones, high and dry, await- ing the return of the tide, are innumerable gastropods called Littorina sitkJiana, Philippi. They are of a dull but often vari- gated colour, and have a wide distribution. I saw them in plenty at Vancouver Island, and specimens collected in Siberia are in my possession.* The shell of this species is thin, and the edge easily broken, and therefore in this respect is unlike the thick shell of the Scotch " Buckie " or British Periwinkle {Lit- torina littorea, L.) Numerous specimens of Purpura lima, Martyn ; and various Limpets {AcmcBo) were found in the pools. A.t another spot, some miles down the shore from the vil- lage of Unalaska, I found a neat little specimen of the genus NaticUy with a close shutting calcareous operculum. One evening two of the seamen went fishing, and I accom- panied them. We rowed over the bay in full view of the islands until we were several miles away from the schooner. We caught a number of cod-fish, halibut, skulpins, and rock-cod. Near by on one of the mountains were some Bald-headed Eagles, and as one of them had settled on a crag, high over head, we resolved to climb the cliff, in order to get a better view of this really magnificent bird. We arduously toiled our way to the top, clutching moment by moment the firm vegeta- tion, but were well repaid with the excellent view we obtained of the eagle when parallel with it. It was a fine sight to see the large bird up there, and it repeatedly opened its great beak in a threatening manner. The Bald-headed Eagle {Halicetus leuco- cephalus, Linn.) belongs to the Falcon family of rapacious birds. 'Collected by Mr. R. N. Venning, Dept. of Marine and Fisheries. 1898] An Ottawa Naturalists' Journey Westward. 83 It is of a dark brown colour, with a white head and tail, and the feet, bill, and eyes are yellow. It preys largely upon fishes. Al- though scarcely so handsome a bird as its ally the Golden Eagle {Aqiiila ckrjscetus, Linn.), yet this is the species which has been honoured as the emblem of the United States. An egg of the Bald-headed Eagle, from Long Island, Lake Erie, is in my pos- session.* The nest was built near the top of an elm tree, about 70 feet high, and contained two white eggs. At the end of July the schooner which had been anchored for some time near Dutch Harbour, made her way into the open waters of Behring Sea. Having left the Entrance to Captain's Bay behind, on one side of which is a promontory rock called the "Priest" ; and on the opposite side a water-fall, pouring itself over the cliff— the first notable thing we observed in the sea was a number of Fin-back Whales {BalcEnoptera velifera, Cope)- These huge Cetaceans were often close to the vessel's side, and shewed their great mouths and blow-holes (nostrils). The blow- ing, which is respiratory, is very audible. At one spot and time the water was fairly agitated as these monsters rolled over, but unfortunately only a small part of the creature's body can be seen at the same moment, for if the head is above water the tail' is under, and vice versa. One day when far from land, I scooped up a specimen of Medusa from the surface of the sea ; and rinding it tenacious of life placed it in a glass-vessel containing sea-water, in order to watch its graceful motions, and examine its structure. It was of a soft brown colour ; very complicated and delicate in its organization, but probably belonged to the genus Chrysaora The Medusae differ considerably among themselves, but are generally mushroom shaped, and from the body, or disc, are suspended 'numbers of tentacles. Besides this small form many other Medusa; were seen during the voyage, and whilst approach- ing the Straits of Juan de Fuga, when " homeward bound " we passed through a regular field of them. On that occasion various ♦Collected by Mr. W. H. Noble. 84 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July species were observed, and many specimens were nearly a foot in diameter. A few days afterwards I scooped up another Coelenterate, very different from the Medusa, but equally as beautiful. This was a species of Ctenophore.* It was of a ^transparent white colour, with a red internal part, and bright yellow spots under- neath. The beautiful, but grotesque looking, Puffin or Sea Parrot {Luna cirrata, Pall), is frequently seen in Behring Sea. With its brilliant colours it suggests the ludicrous among birds, almost as much as the mandrill does among mammals. The head is white with yellow tufts, the bill green and red, the legs red, and the general colour of the body black. While on deck one night, when all was quiet, and it was calm, mild, and still on the sea, 1 heard the cry of a Murre — never heard by me before. It was a simple and single " mur ' each time, coming from the distance, and at once revealed why the bird had been so named. The Murres (Urici) of which there are a number of species inhabiting both the Atlantic and Pacific are dark coloured above and white below, and are frequently to be see in the Behring Sea, either on the wing or resting on the sur- face of the water. I sav/ one one day when hundreds of miles from land, on the surface of the waves with her brood, which consisted of a single young one ; for the Murre lays only one egg at a time. Countless thousands, however, of these birds congregate together among the rocks during the breeding time,so that Murres' eggs have considerable commercial value. In large collections of the eggs the most varied ground colours and markings are displayed: the ground colours are different shades of white, differ- ent shades of green, bluish, grayish, earthy : the markings are spots, blotches, and zigzag lines of brown, black, or lilac : occasionally eggs are devoid of markings. At times I have seen great numbers of sea-birds, when out in a boat on the open sea. On one such occasion hundreds of *The Ccelcnterata are divisible into the Hydrozoa and the Actinozoa— the Medusx' belong lo the former, and the Ctenophora, along with Corals, Anemones, &c, to the latter. 1898] Liquid Hydrogen. 85 Gray Fork-tailed Petrels {Pceanodrouia fiircata, Gmei.) were seen resting on the bosom of the water, also an occasional Murre flying past and three Terns hovering about over head. The Terns were particularly beautiful : the head was black on the top, the back ashy grey, the breast pure white, the tail forked. 1 was attracted to them by the cry. I was further unabled to examine this tern, as one example came on board towards night-fall, and I had it in my hand. There was a white mark along the crown of the head, and 1 would have pronounced it the Aleutian Tern {Sterna aleutica, Baird), except that th^ bill was orange on the under mandible, and Coues says the bill of that species is black. The feet were also orange : the hallux small and well set behind the tarsus. It was seemingly a young bird and tired, and so had sought a resting place on the deck of the vessel. I took it down to the cabin and put it on the table, where it dressed its feathers with its bill and pecked at my finger. I then released it. Away it soared, far up into the air, the wind and the waves congenial, far distant from the land. Andrew Halkett. Ottawa, 30th June 1898. LIQUID HYDROGEN A notable event in the history of chemistry is being chronicled in the scientific journals. At the meeting of the Royal Society (England) on the 12th may last. Professor Dewar, a chemist eminent by reason of his successful research work at low temperatures, announced that by means of special apparatus, a pressure of 180 atmospheres and a temperature of -210 degrees C. he had liquefied hydrogen. It has only been within the the last few years that oxygen, nitrogen and air have been liquefied ; the liquefication of hydrogen and helium, the last of the so-called permanent gases, is now an established fact. The apparatus for this achievement, says Dr. Dewar, " took 86 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July a year to build, and many months were occupied in testing and making preliminary trials." Success attended the experiment made on May loth when hydrogen gas at a temperature of -205 degrees C. and under a pressure of 180 atmospheres "was allowed to continuously escape from the nozzle of a coil of pipe at the rate of 10 to 15 cubic feet per minute, in a vacuum vessel doubly silvered and of special construction, surrounded with a space kept below -200 degrees C." Under these conditions liquid hydrogen began to form in drops, until in five minutes there were about 20 c.c. of liquid hydrogen. Further liquefaction was prevented by " the solidification of the air in the pipes of the apparatus, closing the orifice of the hydrogen jet." It is thus evident that air freezes at a temperature higher than that at which hydrogen becomes a liquid. Liquid hydrogen, according to Professor Dewar, is colour- less and clear, with a high refractive index and a density evidently greater thau that ascribed to it by theory, namely, .10 to .12. Its boiling point had not then been determined, but that it is excessively low was proved by immersing in the liquid , hydrogen the closed end of a glass tube containing air. The tube as far as it was immersed became filled with solid or frozen air. A further experiment made by Professor Dewar in this connection was the liquefaction of helium (a recently discovered element) by placing in liquid hydrogen a sealed tube containing this hitherto considered permanent gas This highly interesting and valuable paper goes on to state that chlorine was liquefied by Faraday in 1823, that sixty years afterwards, VVroblewski and Olszewski produced liquid air and that now fifteen years later the two last of the gaseous elements to baffle efforts at liquefaction had been obtained as static liquids. Professor Dewar concluded by saying that "with liquid hydrogen as a cooling agent, a temperature could be reached within 20' or 30 of the zero of absolute temperature, and its use would open up an entirely new field of scientific enquiry. No- body could predict the properties of matter near that zero." F.T.S. 1 898] 87 BIRD NOTES FOR JUNE. Edited by W. T. Macoun. By the time June has arrived most of the birds which come to Ottawa have put in an appearance, so that there are never many new records for that month. Those birds which are noted for the first time had probably been here for some days, but were not seen previously this year. Mr. F. A. Saunders has done very good work during the month of June, and had he not kindly furnished us with his records, there would have been but few bird notes for this month. He was fortunate enough to add two new species to the list of Ottawa birds, namely, the Short- billed Marsh Wren {CistotJiorus stcllaris), and the Grasshopper Sparrow {Animodramus savannaruni passerinus). The following observations were made by Mr. Saunders : June 1 1 — American Sparrow-hawk, Falco sparveriiis. " I [ — Pine Warbler, Dendroica vigorsii. A pair breeding at the Experimental Farm. " 1 1 — Canadian Warbler, Sylvania canadensis. Breeding in Dow's Swamp and elsewhere. " II — Long-billed Marsh Wren, ChtotJionis pahistris. Com- mon near the canal. " 12 — Mourning Warbler, GeotJdypis Philadelphia. Seems to be getting much commoner. Breeds in Dow's Swamp and elsewhere. " 13 — Least Bittern, Botaiiriis exilis. j\ pair, doubtless breeding, in marsh at Experimental Farm. " 13 — Sora (Carolina Rail) Porzana Carolina. " 14 — Winter Wren, Troglodytes hienialis. Dow's Swamp. " 14 — Water Thrush, Seiurns noveboraccnsis. Dow's Swamp. Breeds regularly in same place. " 14 — Red-breasted Nu thatch, 5///rt canadensis. T)ovj'sS\vdiVa^. " 15 — 0\{vc-s\dQd¥\yc3.\.c\\Qv, Contopus borealis. Mer Bleue. " 15 — Yellow Palm Warbler, Dendroica palniaruni liypo- cJirysea. Mer Bleue. Common. " 15 — Short-billed Marsh Wren, CistotJiorus stellaris. One seen in Mer Bleue. June 17, two seen and one shot. This is a new species for Ottawa. " 16 — Parula Warbler, Compsothlypis aniericana. Chelsea. " 24 — Grasshopper Sparrow, Aviniodramiis savannarum passerinus. One seen beyond Hull on the 24th, doubtless breeding. Seen in rear of Experimental Farm on 26th and 27th, and one shot on the 28th. This is another addition to Ottawa's bird list. The Grasshopper Sparrow was not taken previously nearer than the St. Clair Flats. 88 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July Birds' Nests and Breeding Places. Prairie Horned Lark — On the 8th of June a nest of the Prairie Horned Lark was found in the arboretum at the Experimental Farm by Mr. Macoun. The nest was in a hole in the lawn and contained three eggs. Young fledged birds were flying about at the time. Brown Thrasher — A Brown Thrasher's nest was found by Mr. Macoun in the arboretum at the Experimental Farm on the ground on the i6th of June. The nest contained three eggs and was built at the base of a climbing honeysuckle. Later the nest contained four eggs. Maryland Yellow-throat. — On the 22nd of June a nest, containing three young and one egg, was found by Mr. Macoun at the Mer Bleue. The nest was at the base of a small shrub. On the 23rd a nest was found in Dow's Swamp at the foot of a plant of Meadow Rue, with four young, apparently but recently hatched. American Bittern — Miss Harmer reports that Prof. Macoun found a nest with three young, half-grown, at Moore's Landing on the 25 th. The nest was in a tuft of marsh grass. Nashville Warbler — Breeds in Dow's Swamp, Mer Bleue, Chelsea, etc. Mr. Saunders. Black-throated Blue Warbler — June i6th. Breeding in the grove at Chelsea and in hard woods northward. Blackburnian Warbler — June 24th. Breeding in the grove at Chelsea Mr. Saunders. At Moore's Landing. Miss Harmer. • Yellow-bellied Flycatcher — June 15th. A nest found in Mer Bleue with young. June 24th. A nest found at King's Mountain with young, Mr. Saunders. The following notes of birds seen at Long Island, Lake Erie, were sent by Mr. L. J. Boughner : Corvus aniericanus, June 1st ; Gallinago delicata, ist ; Icterus galbula, ist ; Megascops asto, 2nd ; Coljinhns atiritus. 4th ; Aigialitis vocifera, 4th ; Zen- aidura viacrourn, 4th ; Colaptes auratus, 3rd ; Petrochelidon luni- frons, 3rd ; Spizella soczalts, 5th ; Urinator arcticus, 6th ; Ceryle alcyon, 9th ; Melospiza fasciata, loth ; Agelaius p/iceniceus, nth ; Melanerpes erytJitocepJialus, loth ; Larus 2irgentatus, 13th ; Anas obscura, iith ; Antrostoinus vocijerus, 14th ; Dolkhonyx orysi- vorus, 13th; Podilyinbiis podiceps, 17th ; Botaiirus lentiginosus, 17 th ; Aix sponsa, 17 th ; Clivicola rip aria, 17 th ; Sayorhis Phoebe, 20th ; Pooccetes gramtneus, 21st ; Sialia sialis, 21st ; Galeos- coptes caroliniensis, 21st ; Tyrannus tyraiinus, 23rd ; Tachycineta Fresh Water Found by Boring in Granite, &c. 89 bicolor, 27th ; Urmator imber, 28th ; Bonasa umbellus, 28th ; Hali(£ctus leucocephalus, 29th ; Arden herodias, 29th ; Grus atneri- cana, 29th ; Trochiliis colubris, 30th. FRESH WATER FOUND BY BORING IN GRANITE AND OTHER HARD CRYSTALLINE ROCKS. Sir Clements Markham, K.C.B., President of the Royal Geographical Society of London, draws attention* to a remark- able discovery recently made by Baron Nordenskjold, viz : — that fresh water will be found by boring through hard crystal- ine rocks to a depth of from 30 to 35 metres, i c, from 100 to 120 feet. The practical utility of this fart becomes very apparent in a country like Canada, where A.rchaean rocks are so extensively developed, and especially so on islands or isolated areas where fresh water does not readily flow at the surface. As early as 1867, in his "Sketch ot the Geology of Spitz- bergen Island," Stockholm, Baron Nordenskjold gave the results of a series of observations from borings in rocks of Carboniferous Age capped by others of Tertiary Age, the latter being quite folded and disturbed, the former having alternating bands of plutonic rocks interstratified with them. In attempting to account for the crumpling of the Tertiary rocks by means of an almost imperceptible but nevertheless continually operating force, he points out that differences of temperature at different times of the year are sufficient to cause dislocation of the strata, and " it should not surprise us," he goes on to say, " to find even the newest formations greatly folded, while older formations in the vicinity may be quite undisturbed." These facts taken into consideration with the general occurrence of cracks and fissures in all rock formations, he argued that in all solid rocks at an in- significant depth below the surface a horizontal crack would generally exist. A series of borings was carried on in Scandinavia under the Baron's supervision, with results that have more than fully justi- fied the hypothesis and stand he took, and warranted the expen- diture of moneys in boring in the hard solid granite rocks on isolated areas and islands off the coast of Norway, leading to the discovery of fresh water at depths from 30 to 35 metres from the surface. He had ascertained on enquiry, that the water and springs from mines and openings below or near the sea coast, was fresh rather than salt or brackish. *The Geographical Journal, Vol. X, pp. 465.469, Nov., 1897. 90 The Ottawa Naturalist. July The first boring undertaken in hard crystalline rocks was on the little island of Svangen, in 1891, south of Kosterfjorden. This was abandoned " because a long crack was arrived at extending from the sea to the boring-hole." Baron Ruuth, General Director for Pilots, caused a second boring to be tried. It was at Arko, beyond Braviken in May, 1894, under the direction and supervision of Gustav Norden- skjold, the geologist Svenonius, and Director Casselli. " The rock consisted of hornblende, gneiss and diorite. As soon as a depth ol 35 metres was reached they came to excellent water, yielding 450 litres an hour. The boring had a diameter of 64 millimetres." The water obtained was "perfectly clear." At forty-four different stations water was thus obtained since the successful trial at Arko, and at Stockholm the tempera- ture of the water reached in the bore-hole varies from 6" to 7° C. (about 43° to 75° Fahrenheit); Gelliavaara water, 13° C, or 55° Fahr. " Baron Nordenskjold is convinced," says Sir Clements Markham, " that water will be found in the same way as in Sweden wherever hard close rock exists, with variations in temperature and not permeable." In Canada where the Archaean gneisses, granites and diorites are so abundant, we find that the whole Archaean area is fairly teeming with flowing springs, even on the crests and brows of our Laurentide Hills. These springs or streams supply an innumerable quantity of fresh water for the numer- ous lakes which abound everywhere throughout our Archaean country as may be readily seen on examining the geological maps of Canada which include part of the Archaean complex. I venture to throw out the suggestion, that, the presence of these cracks or fissures in the hard crystalline rocks of Canada is probably due to the variations in temperature to which the Archiean areas are subjected in coldest winter and warmest summer, or in the rapid and pronounced variations in tempera- ture of alternating day and night. Such an hypothesis appears to be in keeping with the views and facts advanced Baron Nordenskjold in Scandinavia, and the presence of such streams (many of them intensely cold in summer, indicating that they come from considerable depths) as issue from the cracks and crevices everywhere present, would account for the supply of a great deal of the fresh water in our great and small lakes. H.M.A. 1898.] Observations. 91 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR OTTAWA, 1897. B. C. Webber, Esq., Acting Director of the Meteorolgical Service, Toronto, Ont. in the absence of Dr. R. F. Supart, Dirictor, has kindly forwarded to the Club an abstract of the Meteorolgical observations taken at Otttawa, Canada for the year 1897, for publication in the Ottawa Naturalist. The editorial s aff and members of the Club appreciate very highly the value of the annual abstract of these observations. H. M. A. Fre^juency of tbe Different Wind? from Objervaions ^t 8 21.11)., 3 iind 8 p.m., OtUwd, 1897. January . . . February . . March April May June July .August . . . . September October. . . November. December . Year . N. N.E. E. S.E. S. s.w. W. N.W. 15 16 6 8 6 II 28 3 3 9 ■7 9 5 15 16 10 3 4 22 2 5 16 23 14 7 7 S 4 12 18 18 16 II 6 15 5 12 14 18 12 12 I II 7 1 1 II 19 18 6 8 27 1 1 12 5 16 6 5 6 TO I 9 21 25 14 15 9 7 2 '5 15 II 15 6 10 19 2 9 15 8 •'5 2 1 1 19 1 9 9 21 17 9 8 22 3 10 22 II 94 95 183 55 loS 160 225 15' Calm o o 4 o o o 2 2 5 9 I 5 24 January i8 — Stormiest day of year, mean velocity 27.3 miles per hour " 19 — Coldest day of year, mean temperature — 13°-0. March J% — Heaviest snow storm of year, depth 6.5 inches. " 20— First thunder of year. April 27 — Last snow of season. " 27 — Last frost of season. July 8 — Warmest day of year, mean temperature 83''. 85. Aug. lO-ii — Heaviest rain storm of year, depth 1.20 inches. Sept. 78 — First frost of season. October 8 — Last thunder. Nov. 9 — F'irst measurable snow, a few fiakes on previous day Dec. 2 — First record below zero — 4°. 3- LIBRAR 92 The Ottawa Naturalist. 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OQ ■ ■ O ^ OOONi-it^iO 1 CMOOOt^O NOO , mm CM i-ir^liy-,^ „ ^, 1 "-1 1 "^ '-I OOCOCMNOO- lO CM 0*''^t^N0C3N'-« CO CO^ CM '-' 00 -^ mNO ■ Lo u-i C-) ^-l rooo O (m ^ OO ro LT) ■ r-^ -' o m c C O CO ■ • • • ■ ■^ • C~l 00 ■ ■ O on no - • h^ ^^ OOON'-'milOl e-CM W-l'O O -. ^ { 1 ■— • . o S o k.1 OJ ■- rt C t. r. ranges, mperat nperati apour. the air, of dew lip<; _ . b/3.£ t/3 OJ o tf) 2 uded . . iletely i ind (m E c • 3 \ 1 o reduced to sea It barometer . . ly and annual i e temperature nee from avera t temperature, temperature. y and annual i e maximum te e minimum tei e daily range . e pressure of v e humidity of i e temperature t of rain in inc ice from avera r of days of ra o c ir. ^^ O 4-' Terence from avera mber of days of sn ■centage of sky clo mber of days comp erage velocity of w mher of a\iroras. . (L c r of fogs r of days withoi c > > <<< <^ << Q 1 < Q 1 OJ = > = z 3 3 THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Vol. XII. OTTAWA, AUGUST, 1898. No. 5, THE CRYPTOGAMIC FLORA OF OTTAWA. By Prof. John Macoun, M.A., F.L.S., F.R.S.C. Continued from the June Number. 360. Pertusaria communis, DC. On bark ot old trees. On maple trees in Stewart's Bush near the C.A.R. track, April 12th, 1898; on beech trees in woods one mile south-east of Billings' Bridge ; on old fence rails along the Richmond Road west of Hinlonburgh ; on trees in woods west of Hull ; on trees in woods at Leamy's Lake ; on trees and old logs, Aylmer and Ring's Mountain. 361. Pertusaria velata, (Turn.) On an ash tree in a swamp, Britannia, April 20th, 1895 ; on beech trunks, "Pine Hill," Rcckcliffe Park ; on o'd rails near Aylmer and at the base of Ring's Mountain ; on butternut trees along the Aylmer Road west of Hull. 362. Pertusaria leioplaca (Ach.) On beech trees in woods at Buckingham, Que., May 14th, 1896. 363. Pertusaria Wulfenii, DC. On beech trees in woods, Rockcliffe Park, April 21st, 1891 ; on the base ol beech trees in words one mile south-east of Billings' Bridge ; on beech trees in woods west of Hull Station ; also on beech trunks near Leamy's Lake. XXn. CONOTREMA, Tuckerm. 364. Conotrema urceolatum, (Ach.) Tuckerm. On bark of bi'ter nut hickory in woods north o( the Aylmer Road and west of Hull, Oct. 4th, 1884. XXIH. GYALECTEA, (Ach.) 365. Gyalectea lutea, (Dicks.) Tuckerm. On the bark of hemlock trees in woods iiorlh f)f Beechwood (Cemetery, April 27th, 1892. XXIV. THELOPREMA, (Ach.) 366. Thelotrema lepadinum, Ach. On black ash trees in a swamp west of the enUajice to Beechwocd Cemetery, Oct. i6th, 1884. 94 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August XXV. STEREOCAULON, Schreb. 367. Stereocaulon paschale, (Ach.) Abundant on damp shingle along the C. P. R. west of Biitannia, April 20th, 1895 ; on boulders in pastures, Ottawa East, and almost everywhere around Ottawa ; on boulders around Hull, quite common ; also on boulders near the Catholic Cemetery, Hull ; on boulders in fields at Stittsville ; on boulders at King's Mountain. XXVI. CLADONIA, Hoffm. 368. Cladonia alcicornis, Floerk. On limestone boulders, in shade, south of the Aylmer Electric Railway and west of the C. P. R., Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895 ; on earth on stones alon^ Brigham's Creek ; on limestone rocks between Aylmer and King's Mountain. 369. Cladonia mitrula, Tuckerm. On earth at the base of pine stumps west of Britannia, Oct. nth, 1890. 370. Cladonia cariosa, Floerk. On eanh on stones by a fence, Ottawa East, April 14th, 1897 ; on earth at the base of a stump in woods, Leamy's Lake; on old rails near Aylmer. 371. Cladonia pyxidata, Fr. On earth, rocks, old logs and old fence rails. Old rails, Stewart's Bush, Ap:il i2lh, 1895 ; on boulders, earth and old stumps, Rockcliffe Park ; common on earth and pine stumps at Britannia ; on old pine logs and limestone rocks, Aylmer Road, Hull, Que. ; on boulders, borders of Dow's Swamp ; on boulders, Ottawa East and Billings' Bridge ; on boulders along Brigham's Creek ; on old rails and stones near Aylmer. 372. Cladonia fimbriata, (L.) Fr. On pine stumps, "Pme Hill," Rockcliffe Park, April 14th, 1895 .• on cedar stumps in Dow's Swamp ; and also in a swamp east of Beech- wood Cemetery ;on the base of stumps in woods west of Hull Station ; on the base of stumps in a swamp at Stittsville; on o!d rails near Aylmer and King's Mountain. 373. Cladonia fimbriata van tubaeformis, Fr. On pine stumps and old pine logs at Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; on pine logs and stumps at Britannia ; on rotten pine logs and stumps south of the Aylmer Road, west of Hull, Que. ; on old logs in Dow's Swamp ; on dead wood in woods near Leamy's Lake ; on old logs in a swamp at Stittsville ; on old rails near Aylmer and King's Mountain. 1898] Macoun — Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 95 374. Cladonia gracilis, var. verticillata, Floerk. Quite common on earth at Britannia, along the Can. Pac. Railway west of the station, April 20th, 1895 ; on boulders in woods, Rockcliffe Park ; on earth in woods at Leamy's Lake. 375. Cladonia gracilis, var. hybrida, Schner. On pine stumps and earth ; common. Pine slumps, Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; on earth and pine stumps at Britannia ; on old pine logs and stumps at Slittsville and Carleton Place, and on the same at Ayhner ; on earth in woods, Leamy's Lake ; on old r.ils and logs near Aylmer. 376. C'adonia gracilis, var. elongata, Fr On old pine logs in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. 377. Clad :nia squamosa, Hoffm. On old pine stumps at Britannia, April 20th, 1895 : on the base of a stum]) in woods, Leamy's Lake. 378. Cladonia furcata, var. crispata, Kloerk, A small clump on a pine stump a mile west ot Britannia, April 20th, 1895 ; ^^ <^'d pine logs south of Aylmer Road, west of Hull ; on damp earth in woods along the cliff, Rockcliffe Park, iVIay 7th, 1896. 379 Cladonia furcata, var. racemosa, Flcerk. On old logs in woods in Rockcliffe Park ; also on pine stumps at Britannia, April 20th, 1895. 380. Cladonia rangiferina, (L.) Hoffm. On pine stumps m Rockcliffe Park, April i 7ih, 1895; on earth and pine stumps at Britannia ; on old logs and stumps in a swamp at Stittsville ; on old stumps at Carleton Place ; on old logs and stumps in a swamj) east of Beechwood Cemetery ; on old pine stumps and logs, A)lnier Road, west of Hull : on old lo^s and earth, Ivmg's Mountain. 381. Cladonia rangiferina, var. alpestris, L. On rotten pine stumps at Britannia, April 20th, 1895. 382. Cladonia uncialis, (L.) Fr. On rocks on the island at Gilmour's Mill, Chelsea, Que., May 15th, 1896 ; on the summit of King's Mountain. 383. Cladonia delicata, (Ehrh.) Floerk. O 1 roUin [line stumps at Britannia, .April 20th, 1895 : not uncom- mon on o!d pine logs in woods close to the Can. Pac. Railway bridge west of Hull ; 0:1 the- base ot stumps in woods at Bucking^ham, Que. ; on an o'd pine log in a swamp at Stittsville. 384. Cladonia deformis, (L.) Hoffm. On a pine stump at Britannia ; very rare. April 20th, 1895 ; on an old stump in a swamp at Stittsville ; in a swamp near Lake Flora, Hull, Que. ; on earth slopes of King's Mountain. g6 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August 385. Cladonia digitata, (L.) Hoffin. Oa an old pine stump about a mile west of Britanniji, April 20th, 1895 ; on old pine logs south of the Aylmer Read, west of Hull. 336. Cladonia cristatella, Tuckerm. On cedar rails and pine stumps and old logs in Stewaii's Bush, April 1 2th, 1895 ; on old pine stumps, Rockcliffe Park ; very common 0.1 pine stumps at Britannia ; on dead pine logs and stumjis at Aylmer, Que. ; on logs in a swamp east ol Belleville ; on stumps and old logs at Stittsville ; on logs and stones in woods near l.eamy's I.ake ; on old stumps and pine logs near Aylmer. XXVII. B/EOMYCES, (Pers.) DC 387. Baeomyces seruginosus, (Scop ) DC. On dead pine wood in cool woods In woods at Meeche's Lake, Que, Sept. 23rd, 1893 ; in woods at Buckingham, Oue., May i4ih, 1896. XXVIII. BIATORA, Fr. 388. Biatora rufo-nigra, Tuckerm. On limestone rocks in Rockcliffe Park, April lylh, 1895. 389. Biatora granulosa, (Ehrh.) Poetsch. On carbonized wood on dead pine stumps one mile above Britan- nia, .\\n\\ 20th, 1895 ; on burnt logs. King's Mountain. 390. Biatora rubella, (Ehrh.) Rabenh. On bark ol maple and ash trees at Stewart's Bush near the Car. Atlantic Railway, April 12th, 1895 ; on ash trees in a swamp at Britan- nia : on black ash, white cedar and maple, Aylmer Road, west of Hull ; also on oak bark in Rockcliffe Park ; on trees in a swamp at Stittsville ; on trees in woods at Lea my 's Lake, near Hull ; on black ash in a swamp near Hintonburgh, April i8th, 1896. 391. Biatora fusco-rubella, (Hoffm.) Near the base of black ash trees in Stewart's Bush near Canada Atlantic Railway, .A.pril 12th, 1895 ; on balsam poplar bark in woods south of the Aylmer Road west of Hull ; on beech trees in woods at l^uckingham, Que., May 14th, 1896 ; on black ash east of Beechwood Cemetery, and west of Hull Station ; on the base of young maples in woods, Rideau Park, April 19th, 1897. 392. Biatora suffusa, Fr. On the base of black ash trees in Stewart's Bush near Canada Atlantic Railway, April i2[h, 1895 '> on bark of black ash, Aylmer Roaf1, west of Hull ; on basswood bark, Dow's Swamp ; on beech trees in woods near Leamy's Lake ; on black ash bark in the swamp west of Hull Station, Que., April 24th, 1897. 1898] Macoun — Crvptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 97 393 Biatora SchweinitzH, Fr. On spruce, pine and beech trees in woods at Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1S95 ; on white cedar in Dew's swamp ; on old fence rails along the Richmond Road west of Hintonburgh, April i8th, i8g6 ; on cedar bark in a swamp at Stittsville ; on spruce trees in woods we>t of Hull, Que., May 7th," 1892. 394. Biatora sanguina-atra, Fr. On moss on the base of trees in Dow's Swamp; May 2nd, 1896 ; on earth nl the base of trees along the cliff in Rockcliffe Park, April 22nd, 1896 ; on moss in woods west of the lieaver Meadow, Hull, Que., Oct. 20th, 1884. 395. Biatora varians, Fr. On bark of young maples at Casselman ; and at Aylmer, Que., May 5th, '891 ; on alder bark in Dow's Swamp, May 2nd, 1892. 396. Biatora oxyspora, (Tul.) On Parmelia Borreri in McKay's Woods, near the Fake, April 23rd, 1891. 397. Biatora Laureri, (Hepp.) On the bark of dead and living beech trees in woods near McKay's Lake; on beech trunks, "Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park, April i6th, 1896. 398. Biatora sphaeroides, (Dicks.) On roots of trees at Ottawa, 1884 ; on the bases of trees in woods at Carleton Place, May 12th, 1892 ; on moss on rock at Rockcliffe Park, May 7th, 1896, 399. Biatora hypnopiiiba, Turn. On moss on rocks or rails. On moss on dam]> rocks, Rockcliffe Park, April 16th, 1891 ; also on moss on an old log in Beechwood Cemetery, April T4ih, 1896. 400. Biatora Macounii, Fckfeldt. (N. sp.) On granite boulders in w'oods at Rockcliffe Park, April 17th, 1895 ; also on boulders in woods south of the Aylmer Road, Hull, Que., April 27th, 1895. XXLX. HETEROTHECIUM, Flot. 401. Heterothecium pezizoiieum, (Ach.) Flot. On moss on the base of a tree at Carleton Place, Oct. 21st, 1891. XXX. BUELLIA, De Not. 402. Buellia parasema, Ach. Not uncommon on the bark of growing pine trees. In McKay's Woods and " Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park, \\i\\\ 20th, 1891 ; on young 98 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August pines, along the Ottawa River west of Hull, Que. ; on pines, at King's Mountain, near Chelsea, Que ; on ash trees in a swamp north of Beech- wood Cemetery, April 27th, 1892 ; on trees in a swamp at Stittsville, May 14th, 1897. 403. Buellia myriocarpa, (DC.) On old fence rails ; doubtless common. On stones in fields near Britannia. April 20lh, 1895 ; on old fence rails in McKay's .Woe ds, quite common. April 23rd, 1891 ; on old rails at Siitisville, May 14th, 1897 ; also at Buckingham, Que ; on old fence rails near Hinlonburgh, April i8th, 1896. 404. Buellia papillata, (Sommerf.) Tuck. On moss on old fence rails at Carleton Place, Oct. nth, 1889. 405. Buellia Pertusaricola, Willey. On the bark of aspen poplar, but parsitic on Pertusaria communis n woods by the Beaver Meadow near Hull, Que., Oct. i6th, 1889. XXXI. GRAPHIS, Ach. 406. Graphis scripta, (Ach.) Very commom on trunks of all kinds in woods around Ottawa. On black cherry, beech, maple and oak bark at Aylmer, May 6th, 1891 ; on butternut, birch and beech at Hull, Que., April 28th, i8gi ; on maple, basswood and ironwood in Beechwood Cemetery, April 26th, 1892 ; on balsam fir nt Stittsville, May 14th, 1897 ; on blue beech at Leamy's Lake, Hull, Que. ; also abundant on trees at King's Moun- tain, Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897 ; on alder trunks in Dow's Swamp ■ also in Rideau Park, April 19th, 1897. 407. Graphis recta, Humb. Not uncommon on the bark of yellow and canoe birch in woods. In woods along the Beaver Meadow, Hull, Que., May i6th, 1896 ; also on the same at Buckingham, Que., May 14th, 1896. XXXII. OPEGRAPHA, Humboldt. 408. Opegrapha varia, Pers. On butternut baik in woods along the .\ylmer Road west of 11 uP, Que., April 23rd, 1891 ; also on cedar bark at King's Mountain, near Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897 ; on cedar bark in bow's Swamp, May 2nd, 1897. XXXIII. ARTHONIA, Ach. 409. Arthonia astroidea, Ach. On bark, quite common in woods around Ottawa. On bark of Juglans cinerea in woods along the Aylmer Road west of Hull, Que., April 28th, 1 89 1 ; on Abies balsamea and young j)ines in Dow's Swamp, April 23rd, 1892 : in woods near Aylmer, Que. 1898] Macoun — Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa. 99 410. Arthonia Swartziana, Ach. Not uncommon on oak and ironwood trees near Aylnier, Que., May 6th, 1891 ; on maple trees at King's Mountain, near Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897. 411. Arthonia lecideella, Nyl. On various young trees and shrubs. On Acer spicatum at Aylmer, Que., May 6th, 1891 ; quite common on young Acer rubrum in Stewart's Bush and Rideau Park ; on young maple trees at Bucking- ham, Que., May 14th, 1896 ; on young red maples near Hintonburgh, April i8th, 1896. 412. Arthonia spectabilis, Flot. On thick bark of old trees ; common, on basswood and sugar maple bark at Carleton place, May 7th, 1882 ; on bark of Carya amara in woods west of Hull, Que., September 21st, 1889 ; on old maples at Casselman ; on Juglans cinerea at Aylmer, Que., May 6th, 189 1 ; on maple trees in Rideau Park, near Bilhngs' Bridge, April 19th, 1897. 413. Arthonia taediosa, Nyl. On young beech and maples, at Buckingham, Que., May 14th, 1896. 414. Arthonia dispersa, (Schrad.) Nyl. On bark of young sugar maples at Ottawa. Collected in Beech- wood Cemetery, April i6th, 1892. XXXIV. MYCOPORUM, (Flot.) Nyl. 415. Mycoporum pycnocarpum, Nyl. On oak bark in woods by the lake near Aylmer, May 6lh, 1891 ; also on bark of young Acer rubum, at Britannia, April 20th, 1895, XXXV. CONIOCYBE, Ach. 416. Coniocybe furfuracea, (L.) Ach. On the roots of trees in woods. On earth on pine roots in woods north of Ironsides, Que., Sept. i6th, 1891 ; on roots of trees in Dow's Swamp, Oct. 12th, 1887. XXXVI. CALICIUM, Pers. 417. Calicium subtile, Fr, On dead cedar stump in Dow's Swamp, Sept. 26th, 1891. XXXVII. ENDOCARPON, Hedw. 418. Endocarpum, fluviatite, DC. On stones in the Beaver Meadow Brook below the C. P. Ry. bridge near Hull Station, Que., April 24th, 1897 ; on rocks in a brook loo The Ottawa Naturalist. [August at Meeche's Lake, near Chelsea, Que., Sept. 23rd, 1893 ; on limestone rocks, close to the Ottawa River, Gatineau Ferry, Rockcliffe, Nov. 12th, 1896. XXXVIII. TRYPETHELIUM, Spreng. 419. Trypethelium virens. Tuck. On beech trunks on "Pine Hill" in Rockcliffe Park, and Beech" wood Cemetery, April 26th, 1891 ; on beech trees at Casselman, and at King's Mountain near Chelsea, Que., May 22nd, 1897. XXXIX. PYRENULA, (Ach.) 420. Pyrenula punctiformis, (Ach.) On bark of trees at Carleton Place, May 12th, 1892; on maple trees near Hintonburgh, April i8th, 1896 ; on trunks of sugar maple, "Pine Hill," Rockcliffe Park, April i6th, 1896. 421. Pyrenula gemmata, (Ach.) On old maple trunks in McKay's Woods near the lake, April i6th, 1891. 422. Pyrenula mamillana, (Ach.) On bark of maple trees in old woods, Carleton Place, May 12th, 1892. 423. Pyrenula nitida, Ach. Quite common on beech trunks around Ottawa. On beech trees in Rockcliffe Park and McKay's Woods, April 26th, 1891 ; on beech trees at Moose Creek and Casselman, Sept. 6th, 1891 ; on trees at Aylmer, Que., May 6th, 1891. 424 Pyrenula thelena, Ach. On canoe birch in woods along the Beaver Meadow, Hull, Que. April 24th, 1897. 425. Pyrenula fallaciea. On bark of young maples at Chelsea, Que., May 15th, 1891. 426. Pyrenula cine. On young maple trees at Ottawa, May 7th, 1892. 1898] lOI VEGETATATION IN THE BEMUDAS.— Part. I. TREES By H. B. Small, Esq., Ottawa, Canaba. Bermuda, locally called the " Land of the Lily and the Rose," presents an aspect of shelving cedar, sloping hills green with verdure, and shimmering under a southern sun, with a misty haze of violet hovering over all. For the horizon there is a sea of emerald hue, shading at times to turquoise blue> whilst purple patches show the coral shoals and reefs, with ever and anon the white sails of a fishing boat flashing in the sunlight. It may be styled a land of sleep, of rugged gorge, of sheltering valley. Vegetation is profuse, and its growth is maintained by the very heavy dew nightly occurring, and which is so saturating that at sunrise it may be seen dropping from the foliage like rain. /As a consequence trees, shrubs and plants attain a luxuriance unknown in more northern climes. The most abundant and universal tree is the Juniper {Jiinipenis Berjiiudiensts), known in the islands only as the Cedar. Its abundance everywhere makes it almost wearisome to the eye in its sombre monotony. It varies in size according to soil and situation. The wood is very durable and fragrant. The earliest records of parties wrecked, as far back as 1593, speak of the cedar, palmetto, mulberries and wild olives, " infinite store, with divers other unknown by name and nature." But there is in fact no reliable data or report respecting the arboreal or floral vegetation of these islands between these early records and the beginning of the present century. Helmsley, whose report on the botany of Bermuda in connection with the "Challenger" expedition is the best work of reference, says the botanical history of the islands really began in 1806, when Micheaux visited them. Helmsley thinks the native plants may be put down at from 140 to 150, and that a parallel is offered on the other side of the Atlantic by the flora of the Azores. He places the endemic flora of Bermuda as eight species, and adds to this that " weeds and chance species brought out in seed packages naturalize with facility, and 102 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August perhaps few places of so limited an area offer a greater variety, or so much to gratify a botanical observer." The most abundant tree, next to the cedar, is the Fiddle- wood {Citharoxyluin Quadrangulare), ornamental in its growth, its trunk or larger branches being cylindrical, valuable as a timber tree, and not unlike our beech, but of a more graceful growth. The i^oinciana {P. Regia), originally a native of Madagascar, is one (>{ the most graceful trees to be found on the islands, its far and wide-spreading branches, peculiarly smooth and bare, closely resembling an elephant's trunk, with leaves one foot long, composed of from 12 to 18 pairs of leaflets, must be seen, rather than described, to be admired. Jt attains a height of some thirty feet. The Tamaiind {^Tainarindus Induus) is another tree of striking appearance, attaining a large size, and with far spreading branches densely clothed with bright green leaves. The Galba {Calophyllum Calaha) is largely dis- tributed, a tree with blunt, leathery, dark green leaves, very glossy. Although as a tree it attains a height of 30 feet, it has the peculiarity when trimmed young of branching from the ground and is sometimes grown as a hedge or wind brake. Very similar in appearance is a tree known as " White Cedars '' a most misleading name as it has nothing in common with the Cedar famil)'. It is the Tecoma Pentapliylla, and makes a hand- some and ornamental tree in large grounds. The Loquat (Ei'iobotrya Japonica), bearing a small edible fruit is a handsome middle sized tree of dark green foliage, with blossoms very similar to our horse-chestnut. It is abundantly grown not only for its beauty as a flowering tree, but also for its fruit, somewhat resembling the smooth yellow tomato. The Seaside Grape^ {Coccoloba Uvifera) another misnomer as it has nothing to do with the grape vine— is a tree from 10 to 30 feet high with large smooth shining leaves, almost round or heart shaped from 3 to 6 inches long and often broader, and of a very massive appear- ance. It probably takes its name from the fruit which is the size of and not unlike a grape and of a pleasant taste and purplish hue. The Alligator or Avocado Pear {Persea Gratissimd) 1898] Small^Ve(;etatiox in the Bermudas. 103 form? a very handsome tree when standing out alone. The Pride of India, {Me/ia Azedaj'acJi) a large massive tree with lilac pendulous flowers flanks many houses, and is planted on the streets. But being deciduous, its leafless state and dried, and withered berries in contrast with the f'>liage all round, give it the appearance of a dead tree from November till March, The Mangrove {R/iiaapoj-a Mangle) is abundant along the lagoons, sending out from every branch secondary limbs which foim new trunks and consequently dense thickets. The Mulberry {Morus Rubra) the Ailanthus, Banyan, Mahogan)-, and Calabash, with a variety of others are to be found, but with the exception of the Mulberry have been imported. Palms of every kind abound, and the row of Royal palms {Oreodoxa Oleraeed) at Pembroke Hall some 70 feet hi'gh with a graceful fcather-likc plume of leaves at the summit arc an object of admiration to all. The Palmetto {Sabal Umbraculifera) grows indigenous everywhere, some old specimens rising 20 and 30 feet in damp valleys, whilst on the rocks it is completely dwarfed. Its fruit or seed was used by the early settlers and the wild hogs fed largely thereon ; the leaves were used as thatch for houses, and were woven into baskets ; but with the exception of a few fans made from its bleached leaves the palmetto is now neglected. The Rubber Tree {Ficiis Eiastica) is not uncommon and presents a remarkable growth, branching out from the root with numerous sturdy branches clothed with long thick leathery leaves, the young buds of which are tipped with a reddish brown tinge. It attains a great height and covers a large expanse of ground with its spread- ing boughs. Although scarcely ranking as a tree, the Bamboo may claim the rank, as in sheltered places it {Bauibusa Aruu- dinacea) raises its rodlike stems 30 and 40 feet high, attaining at their lower joints the thickness of a man's thigh. The stem has slender branches o{ solid growth which bear leaves about six inches long. The cane terminates in a large tawny plume or panicle, which sways with every passing breeze. With the exception of two or three species, there arc no trees that may be called deciduous on the islands. Although not 104 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August evergreen in the true sense in which that term is applied in the North, they retain such a proportion of foliage during the winter season, that the leaves they shed are scarcely noticed. The Rubber Tree, although always green, sheds a large portion of its leaves in March, perhaps more noticeable from their size than with other trees ; but the new growth either forcing off the natural leaf, or supplying its place before the latter is shed, fills up the gap. Northern trees, which require by nature a period of rest, such as the apple, do not thrive, and degenerate very quickly. I omitted to mention above the Tamarisk [T. Gallica) which thrives along the shore, and is a favourite in exposed situa- tions. It is never injured by the salt spray in storms, which quickly tells on other trees, and is used as a wind break largely along the North shore. The False Mangrove {Aricennia Nitida) is easily distinguished from the true Mangrove, with which it is is much intermixed, by its darker foliage. The two species form the Mangrove swamps, a well known characteristic of the tropic?. I have copious notes on the flowering shiubs and flora generally of Bermuda, which arc reserved for a future article. BIRD NOTES FOR JULY. Edited by W. T. Macou.v. The only notes for this month are those sent in by Mr. F.A.Saunders. In " Birds' Nests and Breeding Places" for June, "Yellow-bellied Flycatcher" should read Yellow-bellied Sapsuckcr. The only additions to the birds recorded this year were the Brown Creeper, July 3rd, and the P^ield Sparrow, July 4th ; seen by Mr. Saunders. Breeding Notes. Blackburnian Warbler. — Seen July 2nd and 3rd. Breeds commonly back of Low. Mai!;nolia Warbler, Parula Warbler. — July 2nd. Breed commonly back of Low. Olive-backed Thrush — July 2nd. Commonest thrush back of Low. Field Sparrow. — July 4th. Near Kazabazua. Does not usually breed so far north. 1898] I05 NOTES ON THE FLORA OF LONG POINT ISLAND, LAKE ERIE, PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, CANADA. By LeROV J. I)OUGHNER. I arrived here about the middle of May and took up my residence at " the Bluffs." This is the most central part of the Point, and is situated on dry land. The island is about twenty miles long, the upper part of which is almost entirely marsh while the eastern part is covered by dense forests of cedar and birch. These two trees are the most common on the island, al- though red cedar is a close second. Oak is very abundant and pine was originally, but was removed about thirty }-cars ago. There are no hickory nuts, no chestnut, and but one tree each of beech and butternut. There is also a single representative of the nettle-tree, on Ryerson's Island. I am preparing a cata- logue of the sum.mer and autumn plants of the island which 1 shall send in the fall. Meantime my botanical notes will be brief. The commonest plant on the island is Indian Puccoon, Lithospcruinin canesccns, Lehm. Convolvulus sepiuni, L., is also very common, principally about " The Cottage." Epiphegus Virgiiiiana, Bart., is not infrequent and in abundance is about equalled by Pogoniaop Idoglossoides. Calopogon pulchellus, R. Br., is common on the southern side. Utricularia vulgaris, L., is of course common, but not so much as U. Cornuti, Michx. An ordinarily rare plant, Pin-drops, Pterospora Andromedea, Nutt., is so frequent on the island as to be almost termed common. I have found one specimen each of Cypripediuni parvijloruvi, Salisb., and C. arietiunm, R. Br. Sparganium eurycarpuin and Pontcdcria heteranthcra are very common, and I have found in great numbers flowers of Levina perpusilla. I have observed carefully one remarkable fact of the island which seems to me to be such a remarkable instance of the adaptation of plants to insure cross-fertilization as to well merit the notice of the Club. On my arrival I perceived that the staminate flowers of the Common Meadow Rue, Tlialictruvi dioicum, were growing higher on the ridges and more to the eastward than the pislillate. The only explanation I could offer was that aftbrded by the winds which are almost invariably from the east when the Meadow Rue flowers. io6 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August A LITTLE BIRD EXPEDITION. By F. A. Saundkks. On July i6th the writer, in company with some hundreds of other excursionists, left Ottawa for Ste. Anne de Beaupre, not in the hope of being relieved of any bodily ailment, but for the prosaic reason that the trip was cheap, and would bring a lover of nature very easily to a part of the country where the fauna is more northern in character than ours at home. After a visit to that famo.us place of some few minutes duration only, the road east was taken, with shank's mare for a conveyance, and in due time the picturesque village of St. Joachim de Mont- morency came in sight, standing just opposite the lower end of the Island of Orleans, and giving a fine view of both Mt. Ste. Anne and Cap Tourmente, the mountains which are visible down the river on a clear day from the terrace at Quebec, the latter being the first of the Laurentians below that point whose base is washed by the tides, and the one which, with the little chapel and cross on the summit, is so well seen from the deck of a passing steamer. The next day was spent in climbing to the top of this hill, and the writer was so fortunate as to miss the main path and get entangled in a swamp in which there was such an abundance of bird life, and all of it so interes;ing that one knew not which way to turn or which bird to look at first. Here was surely the place where they make up those tourist parties of warblers that are at the same time such a delight to see and such a vexation to sort out in the fall migration. Blackburnian, Magnolia and Parula Warblers, and many commoner species came up from all sides to see who the intruder was,— a mutual inspection in which the birds had much the worst of the bargain, as they are perfect gems of colour and were that day in their very best Sunday plumage, which the writer certainly was not. The climb proved to be a comparatively easy one after all, and repaid the climber in many ways, but chiefly by the view from the top, which was most impressive. Except for the moun- tains near by, and those bounding the horizon to the south (in 1898] A Little Bird Exi-euition. 107 Maine) the whole country was spread out like a carpet under foot, the Citadel of Quebec itself seeming little higher than a footstool though forty miles away, and here with the eye delighted by the silent ships passing over the great blue floor of the St. Lawrence, and the ear greeted by a chorus of Olive- backed Thrushes and White-throated Sparrows, a very memor- able hour was spent. The descent, though the good path deprived one of the pleasure of pioneering one's own way through un- known forests, proved interesting on account of the birds. Here were met mixed flocks of both kinds of Kinglets (the Golden- crested much the commoner of the two however) with the usual accompaniment of Nuthatches and Chickadees, and at one point an uncanny black-eyed owl fluttered clumsily from one branch to another, peering with much curiosity and a very human expression at the strange field-glass-eyed creature that con- fronted him, and the interest on the other side was even greater, as he proved to be a Barred Owl, a rarity almost anywhere, and like most owls very seldom met with in broad daylight. When his feelings became too much for an owl to bear, he relieved them with a yell not unlike the unearthly whining that greets the ear morning and evening from a siren-whistle in Hull, but with a human quality that made it seem the voice of some wild departed spirit, — a sound quite capable of making the chill run up a strong man's back, if he heard it at night and alone, not knowing its source. According to the books this is but one of the many calls of this owl, but neither my derisive imitation (though he eventually had the grace to answer it) nor any other noise I was capable of producing could induce him to express himself otherwise, nor could any jests change the expression of pained self-importance on the bird's face. On the following day the writer tramped to Bay St. Paul over the road used dail}' by the mail wagon. This road goes up-hill for nearly seven miles from St. Joachim until, on turning around the shoulder of a high cultivated hill, a wide view is obtained both forward and behind, the latter being almost as fine as that from Cap Tourmente m the same direction. Then after crossing a great valley we plunge into unbroken forest from which we emerge after ten or twelve miles in a nearly straight line, up hill and down dale, and then travelling about as far io8 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August again, almost continually down hill, we enter the village of Bay St. Paul in the middle of its beiutiful valley. This proved the most interesting day of the whole trip from an ornithological point of view, 52 species being observed. As soon as the forest was reached PineSiskins and Kinglets became common, and a wild and varied canary-like song was, after much trouble, traced to the White-winged Crossbill which was found to be not uncommon throughout all that region, though difficult to identify on account of its preference for the highest perch available. A few warblers were singing, and of these the Black-throated Green, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Mourning, Nashville, Canadian and Black-throated Blue were the most prominent, while the rest of the warblers seemed to have already formed into mixed flocks, amongst which were found the Bay-breasted and Myrtle Warblers. A little grou]) of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers answered readily to an imitation of their simple call-note (not unlike the Wood Pewee's) ; at one place a Blue-headed Vireo displayed great anxiety when the chirp of a young bird was imitated, and at a couple of" others Hudsonian Chickadees were found and showed themselves to be the same little bus)'-bodies as their commoner cousins. This dis- trict would doubtless repay a long study, as the Canada Grouse, Canada Jay, Blackpoll warbler, the Three-toed Woodpeckers, and perhaps the American Crossbill might reasonably be ex- pected to breed here, and there is always in addition the chance of some great rarity that every naturalist has one eye open for ; and if the birds are so northern as this, no doubt the other branches of natural history would yield equally interesting results to collectors. The writer was on the lookout for the Gray-cheeked thrush also, but the only thrushes found were the Olive-backed, the Hermit and the Veery, the first-named being twice as common as both the others put together, and though every thrush that was convenient was coaxed into good view none were seen that had any trace of gray in the cheeks. The rest of this short trip included walking as far as Murray Bay, but no furthur bird records of value were obtained. King- lets, White-winged Crossbills and Pine Siskins were to be heard and seen about the hotel there quite often and we were treated regularly to a concert by the Olive-backed Thrushes, but the time of song was nearly over, and when the visit came to an end the deep silence of midsummer held the woods all day, broken only by the faint chirp of .some warbler wandering through the tree-tops, or at night by the hoarse bark of the Night Heron passing overhead to his feeding grounds uncovered by the falling tide. ^. .- • ^. ': -.^ e; ^ iSRARYl : THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. ^^fvV Vol. XII. OTTAWA, SEPTEMBER, 1898. No. 6. VEGETATION IN THE BERMUDAS.— Part. II. Flowering Shrubs. By IL B. .S.MALL, Esq., Ottawa, Ont. The greater part of the trees, shrubs and plants of Bermuda are not as a rule indigenous, but they have become so spread and scattered in every direction that it is a difficult matter to dis- tinguish what may be called wild from the cultivated. The mild- ness of climate, abundant sunshine, moist atmosphere, and varied soil all conduce to luxuriant growth. Only the most striking shrubs can be alluded to in a short article, and that only in a cursory manner, but sufficient enough to attract the attention of the reader. Foremost amongst the shrubs is the " Match-mc-if-you-can" i^Poinsictta pulcherrinia), a handsome growth of from 5 to 7 feet high, with branches not unlike those of the Sumach, and which terminate in clusters of greenish red and yellow flowers, sur- rounded by a whorl of large leaf-like brackets of the brightest scarlet from 6 to 10 inches in diameter. To see one of these- shrubs in full bloom in the late autumn and early winter almost dazzles the eye with their bright hues. The Hibiscus (//. •^imitabilis) grows from 10 to 15 feet hio-h, or sometimes more. Its leaves are of a bright green, heart- shaped, and the shrub is covered with large scarlet flowers 4 inches in diameter, occasionally changing to pink or pinkish white. It keeps in full bloom nearly all the year round, bud succeeding bud as the season advances. The Oleander {Neriuni Oleander) is a bushy evergreen shrub from 4 to 20 feet high, thickly branched from the base. Introduced into Bermuda years ago, it is now one of the most striking features of the landscape. From early spring until no The Ottawa Naturalist. [September December the hedges which line the lanes and roadv/ays, and separate the fields are dazzling with the profusion of its lovely blossoms, while the air is redolent with their fragrance. The colour varies from pure \\liite — the rarest — through every shade of pink and red to a deep scarlet, a charming relief to the monotony of the ubiquitous Cedar. Probably locality and soil may have something to do with its varied hues. So abundant has this shrub become from the distribution of its seeds that it is looked upon as a nuisance by the agriculturists, and it is regularly used as fuel. The more, however, it is cut, unless the roots are extracted, the more bushy it grows. Jn its native -growth in Bermuda, the cultivated specimens of more northern climes sink into insignificance. It is said to possess poisonous qualities, and fowls have been known to die from drinking water that stood under its leaves. A shrub very easily mistaken for the Oleander from the similarity of its foliage, is the Dodoncca BurinanmcDia, a branchmg shrub with green tlowers. The Myrtle {Myrtus comniunis) although a garden shrub, is found abundantly escaped from cultivation, and another shrub very easily confounded with it, the Bermuda or Surinam Cherry (E?/gcum Ugni), grows abundantly by the wayside. Its fruit is about the size of, and not unlike a red cherry, five-angled, of a delicate waxy texture, and pleasant taste, much' sought after by children. Its flowers are white like those of the myrtle, for which it can be very easily mistaken. The Laurestinus ( Vihernnvi Tinns), a compact little ever- green with showy clusters of white flowers, is a garden shrub, but has escaped. I found it in abundance flourishing on the rock)' side of a lane leading to Hungary Bay. The Orange {Citrus) and the Lemon {C. Limcmnvi) may be seen here and there outside of and on the edge of gardens and shrubberies, but are by no means in a healthy condition, owing to insect ravages. Their brilliant smooth shining leaves are thickly interspersed with dead wood, and present an air of neglect and decay. Years ago Bermuda was famed for the fruit of these trees, but the scale insect and a blight of some descrip- 1898] Small — Vegetation in the Bermudas. hi tion attacked them, and their cultivation has been mostly abandoned. The Lime {C. Lvnettd) seems less liable to disease and fruits well. The Pomegranate {Punica granatuni), between a shrub and and a tree, bearing large showy crimson flowers, is abundant everywhere. During the winter months it is deciduous, present- ing an appearance of dead wood. But with the approach of spring its lance-shaped leaves and handsome flowers make it a conspicuous object. It grows more frequently in hedges than as a single shrub. The Papaw [Carica Papaya) is a straight unbranched tree- like shrub from 10 to 25 feet high, and is ubiquitous. Its leaves on the summit of its stem, which is naked, are from one to one and a-half feet in diameter, on long stalks, and the fruit round, orange-yellow when ripe, and of the size of a large orange lying on the stalk in rotation one above another below the leaves, pre- sents the idea of oranges both ripe and green fastened on the bare stem. It may be described as semi-cultivated, for there is scarcely a waste patch of ground on which the papaw has not secured a foothold. The fruit, rather mawkish, is eaten as a desert, and in its green state is valued in cookery for the peculiar property it possesses of softening animal fibre and assisting digestion. From its juice Pepsin is manufactured, an industry about to assume large proportions. The Dog-bush {BaccJiaris heterophylla), an erect bushy shrub from 3 to 6 feet high with leathery leaves and white blos- soms, growing on the edge ot marshes, is one of the chief decorations for houses and churches at Christmas, and it has the property of keeping green and ornamental for months. I have seen it in March still retaining its decorative effect, although placed in position at Christmas. The Datura {D. Metel), rather an arborescent plant than a shrub, although attaining a height of from 5 to 12 feet, is of a beautiful growth, with large bell-shaped drooping flowers, 6 inches long, and of a pure white. It is allied to the Datura or Thorn-apple of northern climes. 112 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September The Pigeon Berry {Duranta P humeri) is abundant, grow- ing everywhere. It is from 6 to 12 feet high, with smooth glossy leaves, and its blue flowers merge into long stalks droop- ing over with wax-like yellow berries, the size of a pea, very ornamental, but highly poisonous. It is abundant on cuttings through hills on the roadside, drooping over gracefully. The Sage Bush {Lantana crocea), a handsome shrub with yellow or orange-coloured flowers, one and a-half inches in diameter, has taken possession of most of the wayside waste gsound, and along the old stone walls where it mostly flourishes. It is a greenhouse flower in the north, but is so common in Ber- muda as to be thought nothing of A kindred bush {Lantana Odomta), \s very common and is used for cleansing kitchen utensils after fish, a few sprays of it taking away all traces of previous cooking, when boiled for a short time. It has nothing in common with the pot herb Sage, nor with the Sage bush of the American desert {Artemesid). The Snuff Plant {Budd/eja Americana) is a very showy shrub, 6 to 10 feet high, branched from its base, with a woolly down on its foliage, the Itaves being 3 or 4 inches long. Its blossoms hang in drooping clusters of from 4 to 6 inches, of a yellow colour, presenting a pretty appearance. Its drooping growth is not unlike that of the weeping willow. The Wild Acacia {Lucoena glaiicd) is common on waysides and in hedges. Its flowers are in dense globular white heads, and the seeds which hang in the pods are used for making neck- laces, under the misnomer of Cassia seeds. There is a straggling sea-side shrub, 2 to 3 feet high, with flesh)' leaves and small pinkish flowers, followed by a black fruit, the size of a cherry, not edible. It is the Scoevola Plumieri, but I could find no common name by which it is known. It is very abundant fringing sandy bays. The Bay Y>zxxy {M yrica cerifera^/d, bushy shrub, bearing brown catkins,- followed by berries in dense clusters, half the size of a pea, coated with white fragrant wax used in America for candles, is abundant in marshy valleys. The E^lder {Sambucus niger) is 189S] Small— Vegetation in the Bermudas. 113 seen here and there, but does not appear to fruit as it does north, the berries either falling off before maturity, or being eaten by birds. Its white flowers are larger than in Canada. The Seaside Lavender {Suriana marJtinid), an erect bushy shrub from 3 to 4 feet high, with yellow flowers scarcely one inch in diameter, grows abundantly along rocky shores, and on sand banks. It is said by the negro population to possess many medicinal qualities, and is in great request amongst them. The Castor Oil Plant {Riciniis communis) attains in Ber- muda a height of from 10 to 15 feet or more, branching out like a shrub. It is common on waste land, and revels in disused quarries. The Yucca or Spanish Bayonet ( Y. aloifolia) with massive thick spear-shaped leaves, from 4 to 6 feet high, with a sharp spine terminating each leaf, grows abundantly on rocky ridges, and IS sometimes used as a live fence. It is closely allied to the Aloe [A. vulgaris), very similar in growth but more fleshy and substantial, which is also well distributed. The Century Plant {Agava ^wm^c^/^cz) is another shrub not unlike the foregoing in growth and appearance. It throws up a flowering stem from 15 to.25 feet high, with orange yellow blos- soms on alternate branchlets. This plant was formerly supposed not to bloom till too years old, but this is incorrect. There are many other shrubs of a less showy description, but which this sketch can scarcely notice. There is, however, a class of shrubby plants of profuse growth and size in Bermuda, viz., the Cacti, which assume pro- portions unknown in the north. The Night-blooming Cereus {Cactus grandifloriis), whose long snake-like stems either hang over walls, or ascend trees to a considerable height, unfolds after sunset one of the most magnificent flowers in the whole veget- able kingdom, 8 or 9 inches in diameter, wax-like and fragrant, but closing with or soon after daybreak. A large plant on the outskirts of Hamilton on the turn to Prospect had two years ago between 200 and 300 blossoms. The many other Cacti familiar to horticulturists grow abun- 114 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September dantly and to a great height, but probably the only indigenous plant of this family is the Prickly Pear {Opuntia vulgaris), very common on barrens and sandy shores, with a prostrate massive fleshy stem thickly studded with awl-shaped spines. Its flower is yellow, followed by an edible crimson fruit which must be peeled before eaten. The porosity of the coral rock sublying all the islands, and retaining like a sponge a certain amount ot moisture, doubtless tends to the prolific growth of shrubs and plants, many of the latter assuming arborescent conditions. Plants will constitute the subject of the next article. H. B. Small. OBITUARY. jAMhS Hall, PAL.iiONTOLOGIST. James Hall, the father and prince of palaeontologists in America, has passed away at Echo Hill, Bethlehem, N.H., full of years and honour. For sixty years he has been most active and constantly engaged in the field of geological research in America, and in more particular detail in the State of New York, having held the position of State Geologist since the early years of the establishment of that renowned State Survey. The accuracy of the work performed in pointing out the economic resources of this enterprising State, the indefatigable labours and numerous obstacles and prejudices which he had to encoun- ter in the beginning only stimulated him to greater effort and more pronounced achievements. Indeed, many of the valuable geological resources which have made New York State so famous, have been pointed out by him in his reports or by the reports of members of his staff. His successes as State Geo- logist and as Paleontologist were both marked. In guiding the affairs of the Geological Survey of New York State he combined both economy and sound judgment, and in Paktontology, won 1898] Obituary. 115 a reputation of world-wide fame. The learned societies of Europe and America have showered upon him all the honours possible, by electing him an honorary or corresponding fellow, and by granting him awards of merit and medals of honour, such as few distinguished men ever have shared. In Canada, the name of Hall is a household name among geologists and students of science. His works are classic. They bear the impress of a master-mind. It is easy to read in them the progress of scientific thought and trend of discoveries in the broad field of palfeontological enquiries the world over, from the thirties to these the closing years of this century. So great an impress did the New York State Survey produce on the geology of America that its nomenclature has been practically adopted as a standard for over fifty years. The magnificent State Museum at Albany, the library of royal quarto volumes on the Geology and Palaeontology of New York State, together with a vast amount of preliminary and final reports in Reports of the Regents of the University of New York — besides the nucleus of the fine typical collection of fossil remains in the American Museum of Natural Histor)', Central Park, New York City, are standing monuments of the labour, pen and mind of James Hall, whom the world of geological science now mourns, not as one who died prematurely — but as one who passed away to his rest, having accomplished much, encouraged many and won for himself laurels that fade not easily — and glory in the annals of American geological history. In a future number we hope to give a more comprehensive and detailed account of Prof Hall's writing, especially with re- ference to their bearing upon Canadian Geology. — The Editor, ii6 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September ON SOME FOSSIL CEPHALOPODA IN THE MUSEUM OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF EIGHT SPECIES THAT APPEAR TO BE NEW.* By J. F. Whiteaves. A. — F7'07n the Cambi'O- Silurian rocks of the Provinces of Qitcdec, Ontario and Ma7iitoba. Nanno AULEMA, Clarke. Nanno aulema, Clarke. 1897. Geol. Minn., Final Rep., Vol. Ill, pt. 2, p. 770, pi. 47, figs. 4-1 1. Several specimens in the Museum of the Survey, that are obviously referable to this species, were collected by the late Alexander Murray in 1854, from the Black River limestone at Western Manitou Island (now called Macdonald Island), Lake Nipissing, and similar but silicified specimens have been noticed in an old collection of the fossils of that formation from Paquet- te's Rapids. Orthoceras tenuistriatum, Hall. Endoceras prottifotvie, var. tenuistriatum, Hall. 1847. Pal. N. York, vol. I, p. 209, pi, 45, figs. 1, a-b\ and pi. 47, figs. I, a-b, and 2, a-e, Orthoceras tenuistriatum, Clarke. 1897. Geol. Minn., P'inal Rep., vol. Ill, pt. 2, p. 788, pi. 55, ngs. 5 and 6. An unusually well preserved specimen of this species, col- lected by Mr. G. Sutherland in the winter of 1872-73, from the Trenton limestone exposed in excavations for the foundation of the Post Office at Ottawa, was presented to the Museum of the Survey by Mr. W. R. Billings in 1879. The maximum length 'Communicated by permission of the Director. It is intended to publish illus trations of the new species described in this paper, in one of the Survey publications 1898] Whiteaves — On some Fossil Cephalopoda 117 of this beautiful fossil is eighty-eight millimetres, or nearly three inches and a half Its maximum diameter is twenty-six mm. at the larger end and about twenty mm. at the smaller. Its surface markings consist of numerous and densely crowded, but not very regularly arranged, transverse stria?, or minute impressed lines, which are crossed by still more minute longitudinal raised ridges, that are not visible without the aid of a lens. The minuteness of this reticulation gives quite a silky sheen to the exterior of the specimen. Its siphuncle is apparently central or very nearly central. A large example of O. tenuistn'atnin, with the test preserved, In the same Museum, from the Trenton limestone at Hull, P.Q., was purchased from a quarryman by Dr. Ami and the writer in May, 1889. It is fully seven inches and a half in length, by about fifteen mm. in diameter at the smaller end, and thirty eight at the larger. Its surface also is very minutely reticulated and has a peculiar silky appearance, A fragment not quite two inches in length and about three quarters of an inch in its maximum breadth, collected by Mr. T. C. Weston in 1866 from the Trenton limestone at the Mile End, Montreal, is also probably referable to this species. The surface of this specimen, which although well preserved is not silky in texture, is finely reticulate by densely crowded and very minute transverse stria;, crossed by equally minute and close set longitudinal raised lines and by rather larger and comparatively distant longitudinal ridges, which are from half a millimetre to one mm. and a half apart. It is only these latter that are suffi- ciently large to be visible to the naked eye. Orthoceras Westonl (Sp. nov.; Shell medium sized, longicone, straight, increasing very gradually in thickness and slightly but perhaps abnormally compressed. Surface marked by very oblique and rather distant flattened annulations, about a millimetre broad and separated by flat spaces from four to five mm. wide. Internal structure not very well shewn in the onlyspecimen collected, butthe siphuncle,as ii8 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September exposed in a transverse fracture, is eccentric and so large that it may be moniliform. Trenton limestone, Mile End, Montreal, T. C. Weston, 1866; one specimen about four inches and a half in length. The writer has much pleasure in associating this singular species, which seems to be well characterized by its distant and very oblique flattened annulations, with the name of its discoverer. Orthoceras BEAUPORTENSE. (Sp. nov.) Shell rather below the medium size, longicone, straight and tapering so gradually that the few specimens which the writer has seen are almost cylindrical. Surface marked by low, roun- ded, narrow transverse annulations, with numerous minute and close set, transverse thread-like raised lines between and upon them, all of which are crossed by small and narrow but com- paratively distant longitudinal ribs or ridges. The transverse annulations average from two and a half to three millimetres apart, at their summits, and are separated by shallow depressions nearly twice as wide as themselves. The longitudinal ribs or ridges are equidistant, uniform in size, and, on an average, about one millimetre and a half apart. The crossing of these ribs by the transverse annulations makes a very regular and rectangular reticulation, which is plainly visible to the naked eye, but the crowded transverse raised lines cannot be well seen without the aid of a lens. Internal structure and shape and relative position of the siphuncle unknown. Trenton limestone at Parent's quarry, Beauport, near Quebec City, D. N. St. Cyr, 1888 : one well preserved testiferous specimen not quite two inches in length and with a considerable portion of its surface buried in the matrix. A similar specimen, but with the whole of the outer surface visible, from the same locality, has been lent to the writer by the authorities of Laval University. This finely sculptured shell seems to be closely allied to the O. pseudocalamiteum (Quenstedt) Barrande,* but to want the *Systenie Silurien de la Boheme, Vol. II, Texte 3, 1874, p. 261, pi. 217, fig. 8 ; pi. 222, figs. II, 12 ; pi. 228 ; pi. 236, figs. 11-16 ; and pi. 361, figs, 15-17. 1898] Whiteaves — On SOME Fossil Cephalopoda. 119 intermediate longitudinal ridges characteristic of that species. Both clearly belong to Barrande's " Group 6 " of the genus Orthoceras and to Hyatt's genus Dawsonoceras* The surface ornamentation of O. Beauportense appears to be decidedly dif- ferent from that of any of the small annulated species of Orthoceras from the Trenton limestone of the State of New York described and figured by Hall in the first volume of the Palaeon- tology of that State. O. bilineatuni. Hall, is a much larger and more robust species, with coarser annulations and two series of longitudinal ridges or linear elevations. In O. clathratuin, Hall, the longitudinal markings are very minute and crowded, and are said to consist of " sharp elevated lines distant ^^ of an inch," or very little more than a half a millimetre apart. There are, also, no comparatively coarse and distant longitudinal ribs or ridges in O. textile, Hall, and in that species the transverse annulations are represented as both prominent and angular. Tripteroceras Lambil Gonioceras Lambi, Whiteaves. 1891. Trans. Royal Soc. Canada, Vol. lx, sect. 4, p. 86, pi. Xl, figs. i,and i a-b. Triptoceras Lambi, Clarke 1897. Geol. Minnesota, Final Rep., Vol. Ill, pt. 2, p. 793, pi. 56, figs. I and 2. Tfipteroceran Lambii, Whiteaves. 1897. Geol. Surv. Canada, Palseoz. Fossils, vol. Ill, pt. 3, p. 213. The type of this species is a well preserved specimen of the septate portion of the shell, rather more than ten inches in length but imperfect at both ends, collected in the Galena — Trenton limestone at East Selkirk, Manitoba, by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell in 1890. Until quite recently, the only other specimen that the writer had seen is the badly preserved but otherwise similar cast collected at Wekusko Lake, in the District of Saskatchewan, by Mr. Tyrrell in 1897 and referred to on page 2 14 of the third volume of " Palaeozoic Fossils " published by the Geological Survey of *It seems to the writer that it would be more euphonious and more in accor- dance with classical usage to write Dawsoniceras an.i Bai'raniHceras rather than Dawsonoceras, and Barrandeoceras. I20 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September Canada. This specimen, which is also imperfect at both ends, is about a foot in length, and seven inches and three quarters in breadth at the larger end. In the fall of 1897, however, a specimen from East Selkirk, collected by the late Professor J. H. Panton in 1884 and belong- ing to the Provincial Museum at Winnipeg, which is obviously- referable to this species, was lent to the writer by Mr. J. P. Robertson, at the suggestion of Mr. Tyrrell. This fossil is a badly preserved cast of the interiorof the shell in a slab of building stone, and only the ventral surface is exposed. It is of interest as being much the largest specimen of the species that has yet been found andashavingaconsiderable portion of the body chamberpreserved. As measured along the middle of the exposed surface longitu- dinally, its length is twenty-three inches, the septate portion being twelve inches in length and the non- septate eleven. Its maxi- mum diameter or breadth is seven inches and three quarters at the smaller end, and nine inches and a quarter at the larger. About twenty-eight septa can be counted in the septate portion, and they are from a quarter of an inch to a half an inch apart at the surface. The specimen is slightly imperfect at both ends and must have been more than two feet in length when entire. According to Professor J. M. Clarke (op. cit. p. 793) the OrtJioceras zipldas, O. Jiastatum and O. servile, of Billings, are referable to Hyatt's genus Tripteroceras. To these may be added, as Canadian representatives, the present species and possibly O. semiplanatuni, nobis. Cyrtoceras Quebecense. (Sp. nov) Shell elongate conical, increasing very slowly in thickness and not much curved ; dorsum slightly compressed, venter and sides rounded. Siphuncle large, cylindrical, dorsal and mar- ginal ; septa apparently rather closely approximated. Length of the only specimen collected, which is imperfect at both ends, about seventy-five millimetres, or three inches ; thickness of the same about eleven mm. at the smaller end, and nearly thirty at the larger. 1898] Whiteaves — On SOME Fossil Cephalopoda. 121 Levis limestone at Pointe Levis, opposite Quebec City, T. C. Weston ; a single specimen, which seems to be quite dis- tinct from all the species of Cyrtoceras from that locality, described by E. Billings in the first volume of "Palaeozoic Fossils." BaRKANDEOCERAS SUBCOSTULATUM. (Norn, prov.) Shell consisting of about two gyroceran volutions which are coiled loosely on the same plane, but nowhere in close contact, and gradually becoming more eccentric, the outer one slightly compressed both above and below, so that the outline of a transverse section near the aperture would be broadly elliptical, and the dorso-ventral diameter a little greater than the lateral. Surface of the test distinctly costulate, though in the only specimen that the writer has seen the ribbing is most clearly defined on the inner volution where it consists of rather distant but irregularly disposed, small, thin, acutely angular and slightly flexuous, transverse libs or ridges, which are generally much narrower than the very shallow depressions between them, and marked with numerous minute stnations parallel to the ribs. Sutures of the septa not clearly indicated ; shape and relative position of the siphuncle unknown. Black River limestone at Wolfe Island, near Kingston ; a fine specimen fully four inches in its maximum diameter, which was presented to the Museum of the Survey by Professor James Fowler in 1888. According to Hyatt, B. convolvans (the Lituites convolvans of Hall but apparently not of Hisinger), of the Black River limestone of the State of New York, has a smooth shell, though its shape appears to be essentially similar to that of the speci- men from Wolfe Island. LiTOCERAS versutum, Billings. (Sp.) Nautilus versutus, Billings. 1865. Geol. Surv. Canada, Palajoz. Fossils, Vol. I, p. 259. Litocems versutuM, Hyatt. 1883. Genera of Fossil Cephalo- pods (Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. XXII) p. 268. 122 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September Litocems Whiteavsi, Hyatt. 1894. Phylogeny of an Acquired Characteristic (Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc, Vol. XXXII) p. 475. On page 475 of the paper last cited Professor Hyatt writes as follows, in reference to his genus Litoceras. " The type of this genus, when it was first described, were the specimens, in the Geological Museum at Ottawa identified as Nautilus versutus of Billings, but these appear here as Litoceras Whiteavsi, since there is every reason for supposing that they are not the species described by Billings under the name oi versutusT A few lines farther on, Professor Hyatt makes the following remarks upon his Litoceras Whiteavsi. " Having examined the so-called origin- als of this species" (i.e., o{ Nautilus v:rsutus, Billings) "so far as they exist in the Geological Museum at Ottawa, I have found that none of them came from Billings' locality. Bonne Bay, and none of them agree with Billings' description. Billings' species had ten septa to the inch ; this species has the sutures about one- quarter of an inch apart, a difference shewing essential distinc- tion." These statements are unfortunately based upon such grave misapprehensions of the facts of the case as to call im- peratively for some explanation. When Professor Hyatt visited the Museum of the Survey there were, and are still, five speci- mens of nautiloid shells from the "Quebec Group" of Newfound- land on exhibition in one of the upright cases. One of these then had, and still has, two labels attached to it, one printed and the other written. The printed label reads, — " Newfoundland. Bonne Bay, East Arm, S.-VV. side. 1861. J. R." — and the writ- ten one, — "iV. versutus, type." Moreover, notwithstanding Prof Hyatt's statement to the contrary, this specimen does agree with Billings' description and measurements of the type and only known specimen of Nautilus versutus, and it clearly has about ten septa to the inch. Of the other specimens, three are labelled as having been collected at Point Rich by Mr. James Richardson in 1 86 1. These, in the writer's judgment, are most probably the types of Nautilus insolens, Billings, and apparently also of Lite- 1898] Whiteaves — On some Fossil Cephalopoda. 123 ceras biangulatum, Hyatt, The fifth specimen, which was collected at Table Head by Mr. Richardson in 1861, is a small specimen of Lttiiites Pluto, Billings, but clearly not the type of that species. B. — From the Silurian ( Upper Silurian) rocks of Manitoba. Tripleuroceras Robsonl (Sp. nov.) Shell large, robust, longicone, straight and increasing very slowly in breadth and thickness, flattened in the broad siphonal and presumably ventral legion, but rounded and much narrower at the sides : characters of the antisiphonal side and nature of the surface markings unknown. Sutures of the septa broadly and concavely arched on the venter, nearly straight where they pass over the sides ; the three or four next to the body chamber closer together than those which immediately precede them. Siphuncle marginal, presumably ventral, large, expanded between the septa and apparently nummuloidal. Three imperfect and badly preserved casts of the interior of shells of this species, from Stonewall, Manitoba, were presented to the Museum of the Survey in the fall of 1897, two by Mr. VV. H. Kobson, of Lethbridge, Alberta, and one by Mr. Donald Gunn of Stonewall. The whole of the antisiphonal and presu- mably dorsal region of each of these specimens is buried in a very hard dolomitic limestone, so that it is doubtful whether they are referable to Hyatt's genus Tripleuroceras or not. The two presented by Mr. Robson are septate throughout, and the larger one has a nearly cylindrical, septate but possibly adventitious object, like a cast of the interior of the shell of a small Orthoceras, some two inches in length and fully half an inch in thickness, exposed in the middle of its siphuncle posteriorly. The one presented by Mr. Gunn has a considerable portion of the ventral side of the body chamber preserved, but the lateral margin on both sides is very imperfect. The species seems lo differ from the " Orthoceras (Actino- 124 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September ceras) Beloitcnse'' of Whitfield,* from the Trenton limestone of Wisconsin, which it resembles in some respects, in its more flattened venter, more concavely arched septa in the ventral region, and in its proportionately larger and apparently nummuloidal siphuncle. Trochoceras INSIGNE. (Sp. nov.) Shell, or rather cast of the interior of the shell, rather large and attaining to a maximum diameter of fully five inches, dextral, and consisting of two slender, closely contiguous volutions that are coiled on very nearly the same plane, and slightly compressed both above and below, so that the outline of a transverse section of the outer volution would be broadly elliptical, with the dorso- ventral diameter a little greater than the lateral. Surface of the test unknown, that of the cast marked by large, transverse rib- like plications, which are moderately prominent on each of the sides, but obsolete on the periphery or venter, — and by very small, acute, thread-like spiral ridges. The transverse plications are rather distant, slightly tiexuous and somewhat sigmoidal on each side of the outer volution, where they are separated by wide and shallowly concave depressions. The small spiral ridges are numerous, comparatively close together, through not very regu- larly disposed, and in one specimen, at least, rather larger and more prominent on the periphery of the outer volution than on its sides. Sutures of the septa concavely arched on both of the sides, where each suture intersects one, or rarely two, of the transverse plications. Shape and position of the siphuncle unknown. The first specimen of this shell that the writer had seen was given to the late Chief Justice Wallbridge by a quarry man at Stonewall and presented to the Museum of the Survey by Prof. E. J. Chapman in 1895. The exact locality from which this specimen was obtained was for a long time doubtful, but there is now every reason for believing that it came from the quarries at Stonewall. At any rate, in the fall of 1897, two specimens Geology of Wisconsin, Vol. iv, p. 226, pi. 8, fig. i; and pi. 10, figs. 9, and 10. 1898J Whiteaves — On some Fossil Cephalopoda. 125 which are known to have been collected at Stonewall were pre- sented to the Museum, one by Mr. John Gunn, and the other by Mr. \V. H. Robson. At the same time, also, Mr. Tyrrell obtained a characteristic fragment of a specimen of this species, in situ, at the Stonewall quarries. By far the most perfect of the specimens yet received is the one presented by Mr. Gunn. It has two entire volutions preserved, which are gyroceran rather than nautilian in their mode of coiling, but very slightly asymmetrical. The inner volution is openly coiled, the apex or initial point being widely eccentric, and there is a large central perforation about an inch and a quarter in diameter. These specimens seem to indicate a previously undescribed species, which is here referred provisionally to Trochoceras rather than to Lituitcs,\xv\W\ theshapeandrelativepositionof itssiphuncle be ascertained, when it may have to be transferred to Plectoceras, Peisvioceras or Discoceras. It differs from Lituitcs Bickmoreanus Whitfield, (from the Niagara limestone of Indiana) which Hyatt says is a Plectocetas, in its more openly coiled inner volution, in its broadly elliptical and not subquadrate cross section, and in its closer transverse plications, which are quite obsolete on the periphery. Professor Whitfield, who has kindly compared two of the best specimens from Stonewall with the types of his species, thinks that the two forms are quite distinct. C. — From the Devonian I'ocks of Ontario. Orthoceras Walpolense. (Sp. nov.) Shell small, longicone, straight, slender and increasing very slowly in thickness, slightly and perhaps abnormally compressed. Test unknown ; surface of the cast marked by thin acute, trans- verse, annular ridges, which are much narrower than the grooves between them. Septa, and shape and position of the siphuncle unknown. The largest specimen known to the writer was collected many years ago by J. DeCew in the Corniferous limestone of Lot 6, Concession 14, of the Township of Walpole. It is about 126 The Ottawa Naturalist. [September eighty-four millimetres {2% inches) in length, by six mm. in thickness at the smaller end and about fourteen at the larger- Near the smaller end there are about ten annulations and near the larger end about six, in a length of ten mm. The only other specimen that the writer has seen, is a fragment about an inch and a half in length, from the same formation and labelled Lot 42, Concession i, Cayuga, which is probably referable to this species. It has about eight annulations in a length of ten mm., at the larger end. O. Thestor, Hall,* is described as having proportionately finer annulatio/is, and O. Idmoii, Hal],j- judging from the figure, is almost cylindrical. Orthoceras Hagersvillense. (Sp. nov.) Shell of medium size, straight, longicone and increasing slowly in thickness. Surface markings consisting of a fine rec- tangular reticulation caused by the crossing of numerous equi- distant and continuous, minute and close-set, longitudinal ridges, by transverse but otherwise similar ridges. In the only speci- men that the writer has seen, the longitudinal ridges are rather less than a millimetre apart at the smaller end, and about a millimetre apart at the larger ; while the transverse ridges are slightly closer together, especially towards the larger end. Septa, and shape and position of the siphuncle unknown. Corniferous limestone at Hagersville, collected by the writer in 1890 ; a slightly distorted specimen, about three inches long and an inch broad at the larger end, with a considerable portion of its surface buried in the matrix. The species seems to be well characterized by the minute reticulation of its surface, though its internal characters are unknown. * Palaeontology of the Stale of New York, Vol. v, pt. 2, p. 302, pi. 82, fig. 18. tlbid., p. 302, pi. 43, figs. II and 12. 1898] Whiteaves — On SOME Fossil Cephalopoda. 127 GOMPHOCERAS EXLMIUM, Hall. Gomphoceras eximium. Hall. 1861. Fourteenth Reg. Rep. N.Y. St. Cab. Nat. Hist., p. 109. " " 1876. Illustr. Devon. Fossils : Ce- phalopoda, pi. 44, figs. I and 2. 1879. Pal. N. York, vol. V, pt. 2, p. 329, pi. 44, figs. 1,2: and Sup- plement (1888) p. 32, pi. 120, figs. 1-3 ; and pi. 121, figs, i and 2. In the Museum of the Survey there are two good specimens of this species, from the Corniferous limestone of St. Marys, one presented by Mr. Blackader, of Montreal, about the year 1879 or 1880, and the other obtained through Mr. David Boyle, of Toronto, in 1884. GyrOCERAS Numa, Billings. Gyroceras Niivia, Billings. 1874. Canad. Xat. and GeoL, N.S., vol. VII, p. 238. The type and for many years the only known specimen of this rather obscurely defined species, is a very imperfect cast of the interior of the shell, which is said to be "about 10 inches " in its maximum diameter, from the Corniferous limestone at Kilworth, collected by E. or J. DcCew. In 1884 a somewhat more perfect and rather smaller but otherwise essentially similar specimen, from the Corniferous limestone of Pelee Island, was presented to the Museum of the Survey by the Rev. W. Minter Seaborn. This specimen, which is about seven inches in its maximum diameter, shows that the sutures of the septa are flexuous, and sigmoidally curved on each side ot the shell. The surface markings, and the shape and relative^j^ositioij^^of the siphuncle of G. Niiina are still unknown. Ottawa, July 28th, 1898. Afi*/0 ®A^\ f!ilLIFRARY|ao 128 00 00 H O < H H O <5 ID (J R o S H < CO X ■x < w o H I— H if. H I— ( w u w vo oci -te- u-i o o o ^J^ o CO o 0\ O "O Cn O Lo VO ^ C>i 00 is in « O « ) a, O rt (U > £ S o a, 3 (J .in '-^ .- u t/5 E r;" ?; = H. r ^ ^ V; O (V) 0,0,30 a E (U o - ^ 0-1 < J W CO ON CO c o bJD i- ^ ri bJD C 4-1 o «5 O "w oJ pi; u ^; o CD o 2 S ^ o o n -^ O " n -te- o o O (^' O ^'^ 00 -&e- c i-, o c 2 ^ o c 03 on C .2 S-i pq CO O > 4^ 03 c« t/1 o X W O in o CO On CO u O u C c rt ^3 1) +-> • i-i 73 s .f^ CO o\ 00 O. LIBRARY THE OTTAWA NATURALIST>t « V^ Vol. XII. Ottawa, October AND November, 1898. N0S.7 & 8. CHANGE OF FUNCTION IN FISHES' FlNS. By Professor E. E. Prince, Dominion Commissioner of Fisheries, Ottawa. In the Ottawa Naturalist, of October last year, a book notice appeared of the nature of a brief review of that highly interesting subject the life-histories of fishes. It included amongst other new and important statements the affirmation that in young fishes " the breast fins, and in some species the hind pair of fins, become enormously developed, and project like wide-spread fans from the sides of the body. These, no doubt, are effective for protection rather than locomotion." Having watched young fishes half an inch to one or two inches in length, when schooling at the surface of the sea in calm sum- mer weather, I have repeatedly noticed that the enormous paired fins, often deeply coloured, black and white in the Rockling {Motelld), orange red in the Gurnard (Trzgla), ochre yellow in the Ling {Molva), or gleaming white in the American Hake {Phycis), are of little or no use in outward locomotion : but hang helplessly by the side of the body. Projecting like richly tinted fans when expanded, or like stout spines and rods when closed, they must effectively deter many emenies eager to make a mouthful of the tender young fish ; and thus serve a purpose similar to the points and projections of caterpillars or the spines of the porcupine, and the like. As I ventured to point out many years ago, the theory put forward by Dr. Albert Gunther, of the British Museum, that they were simply instrumental in balancing the fish is wholly inadequate, and certainly a large number of minute larval fishes {e.g., the cod and mackerel), which would appear to need them most, do not possess these large (supposed) balancing organs. I30 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. Upon a recent visit to Cape Breton, I observed vast num- bers of American Hake {Phycis chiiss, Walbaum) 3 in. to 4 in. in lentrth. hoveringf around the wharves at the various harbours which were inckided in my tour. Like most species of the genus Phycis the American Hake retains when adult extremely elon- gated ventral fins, which, as already stated, are characteristic of the young or the advanced larval condition of many of the family Gadida;. These long fins of the hake are of an opaque white colour and they are used in a most unexpected and in- teresting way. The little fish were observed by me foraging about the weed-covered piles, moving over sunken logs, and all the time nibbling zoophytes and other food upoii the stones at the bottom. Thousands of them could be observed, each stretch- ing forward a large pair of white hands, so to speak, with long fingers probing amongst moss and weeds. These, which 1 have described as white hands, with slender fingers, were nothing more nor less than the huge hind ])air of fins ^ of an inch m length (in fishes about 3 inches long), and instead of being allowed to hang downward or backward as is usual in fishes, these ventral fins were turned so far forward as to extend along each side of the head. They exactly resembled a pair of chalk- white hands. It was an odd sight to see schools of these dark coloured infant fishes feeling about amongst the weeds, and actually creeping up stumps and piles under water, by means of these actively moving limbs. M. H. Parley in his account of the fishes of New Brunswick says of the hake : " It has one barbule under the chin ; the ventral fins are simple rays, divided or forked, one of the divisions longer than the other," The rays or rods, forming each fin, are three in number, and united by a fin- membrame for a short distance, beyond which the ra}'s are separate and free, like attenuated fingers, capable of considerable varied movements, These fins appear indeed to have wholly changed their original purpose and in the young stages of the hake are no doubt sensory organs, and used like fingers in feel- ing for food. A minute histological study of these fins would no doubt show that the sensory nerve supply is unusually largely 1898] Change of Functions in Fishes' Fins. 131 developed. Iftheplevic fins in fishes really represent the legs and feet of higher animals, while the pectoral fins are homolog- ous with the arms and hands, the change of function described is of great interest, for the hind limbs in this case have not only lost their principal locomotor purpose, but have assumed the complicated functions of the fore-limbs. Mr. H. Charles Williamson, an able expert officer of the Scottish Fishery Board, published in 1893 a thorough research upon the free fin rays of the gurnard's pectoral fin, and described in detail the bones, myology, and nerve supply in the finger-like rods of the breast fins in that fish,* illustrated with nearly a hundred figures, and his conclusion is that, in view of their abundant sensory nerve supply, and the remarkable structure of their tips, and apart from any mechanical uses they may have, the free rays of the gurnard's fins are primarily extremely sensitive organs of touch. Mr. Williamson points out that it is generally agieed that the fin-rays in these cases are sensitive, " but one zoologist, Deslongchamps,has maintained that they also have a mechanical action. He had the opportunity of watching some gurnards, which were confined by means of a net in shallow water. He states that he observed the gurnards marching about on the fin rays, and also stirring up sand by means of these structures. Bloch, according to Tiedmann, suggested that the free rays may be lures to attract prey." The use of sucli ra)'s as lures, or for digging or other mechanical purposes is question- able, when we find it proved that they arc extremely scnsiiive. In the case of the Goose-fish {Lophius), which uses its breast fins as legs, or the still more remarkable Jumping Goby of Ceylon and Fiji we have a change of function scarcely inferior in interest. Moseley describes the latter extraordinary fish as follows : — " Hopping about on the mud, beneath the mangroves on the (Fiji) shore was the PeriophtJialmus, at which I had often been astonished in Ceylon. This little fish skips along the sur- face of the water, by a series of jumps, of the distance of as much *iith Ann. Rep. Scottish Fishery Board, pp. 322-332. 132 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. as a foot, with great rapidity, and prefers escaping in this way to swimming beneath the surface The fish are very nimble on land and difficult to catch. They use their muscular pectoral fins to spring with, and when resting on shore the fore part of their body is raised and supported on these." Other fishes in- stead of using the paired fins for movement may use them as anchors like some of the shore gobies, the lump-fish, and the suckers {LiparididcB) whose ventral fins unite to form a broad sucking disk under the body, enabling them to adhere to rocks and stones with the firmest tenacity. A study of the nerve-supply and myology of the American hake's hind pair of fins has not yet been made, but it would yield some valuable results. Williamson's research on the gurnard and Harrison Allen's account of the microscopic study of the free rays in the Atlantic sea-robin {Prinotus) have shown that these separated rays in the breast fins function as tactile organs, and are really fingers. As I watched, some months ago, the young hake pushing forward their ventral fins like long fingers, poking into crevices with them, and touching particles of food, or climbing over stones, and resting quietly upon these fins just as a dog rests his head upon his paws, the conclusion was irresistible that total change of function had taken place with the change of form in these fins. It is necessary to add that the eyes of these small hake are unusually large and prominent, and the remark of Williamson does not apply in this case that " in many fishes which have comparatively broad heads, and in which the eyes are situated high up on the head, some of the fin-rays of either the pectoral or pelvic fin are fila- mentous. From the position of its eyes, the fish is unable to see objects of prey close to itself It therefore depends on organs of touch for aid in the capture of its food." These fishes illustrate, indeed, a change precisely the re- verse of that seen in the bat, for their wing-like fins have been converted into a kind of hand with separated fingers, extremely sensitive as organs of touch, whereas the fingers of the bat have been elongated and united by membrane to form a fin-like wing. 1898] 133 LIST OF SPECIES OF MAPLES GROWING AT THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA. By W. T. Macoun. The maple is an interesting tree to most people, and the following notes are published in order that more may know how many species and varieties can be grown in this dis- trict, whence they come, whether they are hardy, half-hardy, or tender ; and which of them are the most ornamental. Only 5 species and i variety of maple are growing wild in the vicinity of Ottawa, namely, A. pennsylvanicuni, L. ; A. spica- tuin, Lam. ; A. saccharimim, Wang. ; A. saccharinum nigrum ; A. dasycarpiun, Ehrhart ; A. nibftun, L. In cultivation the only foreign kinds noticed are the Norway Maple {Acer plata- noides,!^.), Wier's Cut-leaved M^L^pXe^Acer dasycarpum laciniatum, Wieri) and Schwedler's Maple {Acer platanoides ScJiwedleri). In the Arboretum at the Central Experimental Farm there are 19 species and about 65 varieties which have lived through from one to eight winters. Some of these are quite hardy. In the following list, of species only, the nomenclature is according to the "Hand-list of Trees and Shrubs grown in Arboretum, Royal Gardens, Kew," which, with few exceptions, is the same as the "Index Kewensis." When a tree is not killed back one-sixth of its growth it is called hardy ; when it is killed back one-half, half hardy ; when to near the ground or to the ground, tender. A. canipestre, L. — Common Maple. Europe, West Asia. Planted 1896. Half hardy until last winter when it proved hardy. A small slow-growing tree. Fairly ornamental. A. circmattiin^Yursh. — Vine Maple. Western North America. Planted 1894. Hardy. Some specimens of this maple have not proved hardy. It is a very pretty native species with drooping branches and vine-like foliage which becomes brightly coloured in autumn. A. cisufolmm, C. Koch. — Japan. Planted 1894. Half hardy. This has finely cut foliage, and if it continues to stand our winters will probably prove very ornamental. 134 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. A. dasycarpuni, Ehrh. — White or Silver Maple. Eastern North America. Planted 1890. Hardy. This is a large rapid growing native tree, but should not be planted for shade where the sugar maple will succeed. A. glabnmi, Torn and Gray. — Smooth Maple. Western North America. Planted 1891. Hardy. A very pretty shrub, with glossy deep green foliage. It is a native of British Columbia. A. Heldreichi, Orph. — Eastern Europe. Planted 1896. Hardy. As yet there is nothing to recommend this as an orna- mental tree, but it has made good growth and seems quite hardy. A. insigne, Boiss. and Buhse. — Northern Persia. Planted 1896. Tender. This tree has been killed to the ground during each of the past two winters. A. japonicum, Thunb. — Japanese Maple. Planted 1897. Hardy. It is too soon yet to say whether this will succeed here or not. One specimen received from Tokio last year proved quite hardy. It is a beautiful little maple with finely cut foliage. A. Myabei. — Japan. Planted 1896. Hardy. This maple is not recorded in the Index Kewensis. The specimens at the Experimental Farm were procured from the Arnold Arboretum, Boston. It is not very ornamental at present, but is a strong growing species. A. monspessulanum, L. — Montpellier Maple. Mediterranean region. Planted 1896. Half hardy. A small tree with three- lobed leaves, the lobes being equal and entire. Rather orna- mental. Some specimens of this tree have proved quite hardy. A. Negundo, L. — Box Elder, Manitoba Maple. Canada, United States. Planted 1890. Hardy. This is a very rapid growing tree, and fairly ornamental, but it is seldom that sym- metrical trees are formed and often they are disfigured by the limbs being Broken off by the wind, as the wood is soft. This tree should only be planted in the coldest parts of the country where few trees will grow, as there are so many other trees of greater merit that will succeed in climates as severe as that of Ottawa. l\ n rl T I r./ir.' 1898] List of Spkcies of Maples, Etc. 135 A. pennsylvanicuni, L. — Striped Maple. Eastern Canada and United States. Planted 1890. Hardy. It is surprising that this handsome little tree is not more used for ornamental pur- poses, its pretty greenish flowers in long drooping racemes, deep green leaves, and beautifully striped bark, give it a unique appearance. A. platanoides, L. — Norway Maple. Europe. Planted 1890. Hardy. The Norway Maple is being planted more and more every year as a shade tree in Canada. It certainly is a tree of great merit Our hard maple has, however, a good record for longevity, and sho'i'd b- n' anted in preference wherever it will succeed. The leaves of the Norway maple remain on the trees about two weeks longer than those of the sugar maple, but do not assume the bright tints of the latter. A. Pseudo-plat anus, L. — Sycamore. Central Europe, Western Asia. Planted 1890. Half hardy. It is not advisable to plant this tree with hopes of much success here. ^4. mbniiii, L. — Red or Swamp Maple. Planted 1890. Hardy. As its name indicates, the habitat of this maple is swampy or moist soil. Is it any wonder that so many of these trees are dying throughout the city, where granolithic pavements and permanent roads are excluding the much needed rain and air ? The red maple is a beautiful tree, especially in the autumn, when it is all aglow with charming tints ; but it should not be used either for sh.ade or ornament unless there is plenty of moisture in the soil. A. sacchayinuni, Wang. — Sugar or Rock Maple. Canada, United States. Planted i88g. Hardy. The sugar maple is well known. It is the most satisfactory maple for shade pur- poses and will grow in a diversity of soils, but succeeds best in a rich sandy loam, and does poorest in wet soil. A. spzcatujn, L. — -Mountain Maple. Canada, United States. Planted 1890. Hardy. This is a native shrub and is fairly ornamental, A.tataricum, L. — Tartarian Maple. Eastern Europe. Planted 1890. Hardy. A small, ornamental tree. The bright red fruit 136 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. at the beginning of August makes this tree very attractive at that time of year. A variety of this, A. tatariaim Ginnala/\s, far more ornamental. It has deeply cut foliage which in autumn rivals in brillancy that of the red or sugar maples. A. Volxenii, Masters. — Caucasus. Planted 1897. One speci- men proved nearly hardy and the other died. This is said to make a fine tree. ON THE REMAINS OF MAMMOTH IN THE MUSEUM OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DEPARTMENT. By Lawrence M. Lambe, F.G.S. Previous to 1898 the only remains of the mammoth in the museum of the Survey were as follows : — 1. The right ramus and symphysis of a lower jaw, a sym- physis, a fragment of a large tusk, part of a smaller tusk, portions of two scapula and several fragments of other bones, found at Burlington Heights near Hamilton, Ont., in 1852, and presented to the museum by Mr. R. Benedict then Chief En- gineer of the Great Western Railway. The lower jaw and the smaller tusk were described by Mr. T. Cottle of Woodstock, Ont., in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History for 1852, 2nd series, vol. 10, p. 395, and in the American Journal of Science and Arts for 1853, 2nd series, vol. 15, p. 282. The then Palaeon- tologist to the Survey, Mr. E. Billings, mentions the discovery of these bones in the Canadian Naturalist and Geologist for 1857, vol. I, p. 380, and later, in 1863, ^^ ^o^- ^m of the same publica- tion, p. 135, describes them at length and refers them to E/ephas Jacksoni, Briggs and Foster, at the same time remarking that Mr. Cottle " was the first to announce the discovery of mammoth remains in Canada" {i.e., what was then called Upper and Lower Canada). In his communication to the American Journal of Science and Arts, Mr. Cottle refers the bones to Eleplias primi- genius, Blumenbach, with a query. 2. Three well preserved teeth from Norton Sound, Alaska, and a tooth, tusks, limb-bones with a few ribs and vertebrae from 1898] Lambe — On the Remains of Mammoth, Etc. 137 the Yukon River, Alaska, forty miles below the mouth of the Tanana River ; collected previous to 1886. and forming part of the Mercier* collection acquired by the Survey in 1886. 3. A molar from St. Catharines, Ont., purchased for the museum by Mr. Whiteaves in 1887 ; this specimen was found whilst an excavation was being made for a sewer under the Opera House on Queen Street. 4. A molar from near Nulato, on the Yukon River, Alaska, presented in 1894 by Mr. C. Constantine, North-west Mounted Police. 5. Part of a tooth from the drift about six miles above Edmonton. Alberta, and presented by Mr. James Gibbons of Edmonton, in 1895. 6. A cast of a molar, the original of which is in the Pro- vincial Museum, Victoria, B.C. and is said to be from the shore of Shuswap Lake, B.C. ; received for the museum in 1895. On behalf of the department the writer visited Muirkirk, Ont., in September last, and purchased the remains of a mam- moth (presumably EkpJias pi'iinigenius, Blumenbach) found there by a farmer named Charles Fletcher on his farm about a mile and a half north-east of the village. The bones were discovered about three years ago in a field that had a short time previously been burnt over and was being ploughed for the first time. A surface layer of peat from two to three feet in depth had been removed by the fire, leaving exposed a brownish-gray clay hold- ing small pebbles, known as the Erie jclay that in this region has an extensive development. The bones were found just be- neath the surface, lying horizontally, partly embedded in the clay and scattered over an area of about two rods square. The ploughshare first struck and broke in two one of the tusks that proved to be eight feet and a half long, a second tusk ten feet in length was found near the other, and in the immediate vicinity the following remains were unearthed — nearly all the limb-bones, an almost complete lower jaw with teeth in place, portions of the upper jaw with the teeth, fragments of the upper pirt of the cranium, some of the ribs, the remains of a few vertebrae and a number of the bones of the feet. The two hind legs are almost entire, some of the bones of the feet only being wanting. * Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, 1894. vol. i., p. i, " Notes on the occurrence of mammoth-remains in the Yukon District of Canada and in Alaska," by Geors;e .\I. Dawson, C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.S., &c. t Vide Geology of Canada for 1863, p. 896. 138 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov_ DEPARTURE OF SUMMER BIRDS, Ey F. A. Saunders. Yellow Warbler, Aug. 17th ; Redstart, Aug. 21st , Night- hawk, Aug. 25th ; Cliff Swallow, Aug. 27th ; Kingbird, Aug. 27th ; Barn Swallow, Aug. 28th ; Purple Martin, Sept. 2nd ; Chimney Swift, Se|)t. 2nd ; Wood Pewee, Chestnut-sided War- bler, Canada Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker, Olive-backed Thrush, Warbling Vireo, Sept. loth ; Yellow Palm Warbler, Sej)t. loth ; Oven-bird, Magnolia Warbler, Wilson's Thrush, Sept. 19th ; Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Sept. 21st ; Maryland Yellow-throat, Black-throated Green Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Sept, 25th ; Catbird, Sept. 27th. Fall Arrivals. Blue-headed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Sept. loth; Golden- crowned Kinglet, Sept. 17th ; Black-poll Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Sept 19th ; Pine Siskin, Sept. 20th ; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, Sept. 21st ; Rusty Blackbird, Tree Sparrow, Sept. 25th. The Philadelphia Warbler was seen a second time on Sept. 19th. DEPARTURE OF SUMMER BIRDS. By Geo. K. White. Tree Swallow 2 July Virginia Rail 10 Sept. Whip-poor-will 7 Aug. House Wren r8 " Short-eared Owl 14 " BLick-ih mated Green Hummingbird 16 " \Varbier 18 " Kingbird 19 " Swamp Sparrow 21 " White Eave Swallow .... 5 Sept. Barn Swallow 21 " Sand Martin 5 " Eave Swallow 21 " Swift 5 " Blue-winged Teal 21 " Sora Rail 5 <• Sc.rlet Tanager ^5 " Fish Hawk 5 " Goldfinch 25 " Wilson's Tern 5 " Golden-winged Wood- Night Hawk 6 " pecker 25 " Sparrow Hawk 7 " Wood Duck 27 •' Spotted Sandpiper 9 " Greater Yellow-legs 28 " Night Heron 10 " Red-headed Duck 28 " 1898] Birds. 139 Soli'.ary Sa'id|)i|)t'r 28 Sc])t. Savannah Sparrow 29 " White-headed Sp irrow. . 30 " Woodcock 2 Oct. Pigeon Falcon 2 " Myrtle Warbler '. 4 " Catbird 7 " Ruby-cr>)wne(i Kirylet 8 " Bluebird 9 " Phoebe 9 " Meadow Lark q " Vesper S|:)arrow 9 " Junco 14 " Purple Grackle 14 " White-throated Spar- row 16 " Golden-crowned Kinglet 16 " {}i\cn-wi::ged Teal . Ring-!iecked Duck Pintail Duck Wilson's Snipe 18 Oct 18 t( 18 <( 18 u BiUern 18 !ii)-.)dtd Merganser . 18 Pied billed Grebe 18 Go isander 18 Kingfisher 23 Soul; Sparrow 20 Black Duck. . . Mall.ird Horned Ltrk Blue Heron Herring Gull Red-winged Blackbird. Robin 2 Robins and Prairie Horned Larks still here, Nov. 8th. — W.T.M. «( u Nov. (1 BOOK NOTICES. Agriculture — By C. C. James, 200 pp. Toronto, 1898. — It has been the lot of few authors to accomplisli so satisfactorily what in their preface they state to have been their object as Prof. James has in preparing the 200 hundred page Manual of Agriculture which has lately been given to the farmers of Canada. The author has had special opportunities which he has made the most of, of learning not only what was needed by the intelligent farmers of the Dominion, but what was the best way of presenting this information to them. Both as Professor of Chemistry at the Ontario Agricultural College and as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Prof. James has been brought into close contact with the leading and rising farmers of Ontario. The new Manual will fill a decided want, which is none the less from the fact that this want may not have been noticed by some until their attention was drawn to it by seeing how well it ha'^ been filled. I40 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. The purpose of the book it said to be " to aid the reader in acquiring a knowledge of the science of agriculture, as distinct from the art of agriculture, that is, a knowledge of the ' why,' rather than a knowledge of the 'how.' The science of agricul- ture may be said to consist of a mingling of chemistry, geology, botany, entomology, physiology, bacteriology, and other sciences, in as far as they have a bearing upon agriculture. The aim has been to include but the first principles of these various sciences and to show their application to the art of agriculture. . . . An intelligent uiiderstanding of the science underlying the art of as^riculture will add much interest to what is otherwise hard work, and as a natural consequence, the pleasure of such work may be greatly increased." Kvery day the fact is being recognized more and more that the elements of those sciences which underlie all progress in every branch of agriculture must be taught in the Public and High Schools of the country. Already simple nature studies and the first steps in chemistry and geology are taught in the schools of Manitoba and Ontario, and these studies have proved to be not only of use and attractive to the students, but a ready means of creating a bond of sympathy between the teacher and his pupils ; more especially has this been the case with those energetic and restless souls too often now called " bad boys '' more, perhaps, from lack of understanding or skill in manage- ment on the part of the teacher than from a superabundance of of real badness on the part of the taught. Boys play truant be- cause they find more to interest them outside the school than at their desks. If therefore the things which appertain to out-of- doors can be brought inside the schoolroom without robbing them of too much of their outside flavour, they will be a sure bait to catch the attention of all bright healthy boys and girls. Their study will arouse interest at once and the habits of concentration, power to observe and compare, and the necessary development of the faculties of exact thought and accurate description will be available for all other branches of study with which the pupil is engaged. 1898] Book Notices. 141 This book may be used as a text-book in High Schools and Public Schools. It would be well indeed for Canada if its use were made compulsory in every school in the land. The great truths laid before the reader are presented in a simple straightforward man- ner intelligible to all. The subjects are so skilfully arranged and concisely stated that a surprising amount of accurate informa- tion is given in this small octavo of 200 pages. The value of this simple knowledge to practical men is not, I believe, overstated when I aver that if all the farmers in Canada would read this little work, as they most certainly should, its appearance would mark an epoch in the history of the Dominion, which would be made manifest to all by an enormous increase in the crops and wealth of the whole country. The scope of the work is shown by the following brief epi- tome of subjects : Part I. treats of the Plant, its development, structure, food and functions ; Part II., Soil, its nature and treatment ; Part III., Crops of the Field ; Part IV., The Garden, Orchard and Vineyard ; Part v.. Live Stock and Dairying ; Part VI., Bees, Birds, Forests, Roads and the Home. In these different sections the insect and fungous enemies of crops are treated at some length. This little volume is bound in cloth and well got up; although some of the illustrations are rather roughly executed, it is on the whole most excellent and for the price, 25c , is a marvel of cheapness. The Winter Food of the Chickadee, Bulletin 54, New- Hampshire College of Agriculture, by Clarence M. Weed —There is something particularly charming about those confiding little feathered denizens of the woods which brave our cold northern winters and stay to cheer us at a time of the year when there is so little animated life. The Chickadee or Black-capped Tit-mouse {Parus atricapillus) is at once one of the most cheerful as well as one of the most useful of our common native winter birds. What a bright, busy, happy sight is presented by a flock of these little friends ; for they are all friends these little balls of black satin and grey down, they are far too busy and well employed to waste 1^2 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. time in fighting. Satan has a hard time of it in " some mischief finding " for these little fellows to do, for their hands are never idle, as they hurry through the woods, running up or around the trunks of trees or hanging head downwards from a slender twig, never still for more than an instant, as they peer into every tuft of moss, every crack or cranny in the bark, along the twigs, under the bud scales of deciduous trees or among the leaves of ever- greens, talking cheerfully to themselves and each other all the time as they carry out their useful mission in clearing the trees and shrubs of countless insect enemies : woe to the luckless caterpillar, chrysalis, spider, or beetle which comes within the range of their sharp black eyes. Nothing comes amiss to these insatiable hunters, from the minute, shining black eggs of an aphis to the fat chrysalis of a Cecropia Emperor Moth ; with deft blows the hard sharp beak soon penetrates the thick silken cocoon and in a very short time the marauder is away looking for another victim. Dr. Clarence Weed publishes in this interesting bulletin the results of some careful investigations which he has carried out as to the winter food of the chickadee. He shows that more than one half of the food of this bird during the winter months c-onsists of insects, a large proportion being in the form of eggs. Vegetation of various sorts made up a little less than a quarter of the food, and two thirds of this quarter consisted of the buds or bud scales which were believed to have been acci- dentally eaten along with the eggs of plant-lice. These eggs made up more than one fifth of the entire food and formed the most remarkable element of the bill of fare. This destruction of myriads of eggs of the plant-lice which infest fruit, shade and forest trees is probably the most important service which the chickadee renders during his winter residence. More than 450 ot these eggs are sometimes eaten by one bird in a single day as well as the eggs of many other kinds of our most important insect enemies of the forest, garden and orchard Dr. Weed figures in his bulletin some twigs of various trees, upon which the eggs of insects have been deposited. Among these are represented the egg masses of the tent caterpillars and the Fall 1898] Notes and Reviews. 143 Canker-worm, both of which are favourite foods of those useful little birds. In addition to eggs of insects, many caterpillars and other stages in the development of insects are destroyed. One interesting figure shows the winter cases of a small cater- pillar, closely hidden behind apple buds ; these are, in all prob- ability, those of the Eye-spotted Bud-moth, sometimes one of the most troublesome and destructive enemies ol the fruit- grower. This bulletin shows much careful work in a field which has been, to a large extent, neglected by entomologists, and Dr- Weed should receive the thanks of all lovers of birds for the proofs which he furnishes of the real benefits we receive from these little favourites. It was pleasing for some to know and most people to think that these birds were useful, but it is now possible to prove it to all who are willing to learn. — J. F. NOTES AND REVIEWS. Natural History in New Brunswick,— The sixteenth annual bulletin of the Natural History Society of New Brunswick has just been issued. Like its predecessors, it is full of interest to all students of the natural sciences in the Maritime Provinces. Prof L. W. Bailey gives a sketch of Dr. James Robb, a pioneer of agricultural science. John Moser gives a list of New Brunswick mosses. S. W. Kain gives an annotated catalogue of earthquakes which have been felt in New Brunswick, and Dr. G. F. Matthew records some recent discoveries in the rocks about St. John. A good map in connection with the article shows the formations in the Kennebeccasis valley about Torryburn, Rothesay, etc. Prof W. F. Ganong has ten short notes on botanical, zoological and physiographic subjects. These are of considerable general interest. Dr. Philip Cox gives a list of New Brunswick batrachians with notes on their distribution. The appendix contains a report on the work done at a summer camp held at Quaco last summer. It consists of reports by P. G Hall, Dr. G. F. Matthew, President G. U. Hay, and Professors Duff and 144 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. Ganong. The zoological report shows considerable activity in the study of birds, fishes and insects of the Province. Other items are a meteorological abstract for 1897, mean sea level at St. John, by E. T. P. Shewen, and reports of committees. Moulding Marble Under Pressure. — Experiments have been carried on at McGill University, Montreal, under the direction of Professor Adams, of the Faculty of Arts, and Pro- fessor Nicholson, of the Faculty of Applied Science, which show that marble may, under certain conditions, be moulded like clay. Without going into technical details, the experiments may be said to consist of placing miniature columns of pure Carrara marble, or granite, in sheaths of iron, and submitting them to long-continued but gradual pressure, with the result that the marble shortens and expands laterally, so as to swell the iron sheath. The iron is then cut away ; the marble is altered greatly in shape, but remains as solid and brittle as before. The differ- ence between the deformed marble and the original rock is that the former is said to have a dead white colour, the sparkling cleavage faces of calcite being no longer visible. Although not quite so hard as the original, it is still firm and compact, especially when its deformation has been carried out slowly. No accurate measurements as to its strength have been received, but it was found to withstand a very sharp blow, and fragments of it weighing ten grammes, were allowed to fall from a height of 8ft. on to a wooden platform, from which they rebounded without breaking. Thin seetions of the deformed marble when examined under the microscope showed that the calcite individuals com- posing the rock had in many cases been twisted and flattened. It is stated that the moulded marble when microscopically examined presented many striking resemblances to certain natural rocks whose peculiar cleavage it has hitherto been diffi- cult to explain. But the recent experiments at McGill show that however brittle a rock may seem to be it is in reality a plastic substance capable of flowing into new shapes as surely as putty or dough. 1898] Ornithology. 145 Dr. Adams has not as yet published any full account of these experiments because they are incomplete, in fact they can now be said to be only beginning. A second machine is being built so that the work which is necessarily very slow, may be carried forward more rapidly. The best account of Dr. Adams's discovery is that in the Scientific American of April 23rd, 1898. ORNITHOLOGY. Edited by W. T. Macoun. A Swallow Roost. — About a mile west of London, on what are called the Cove Flats, there are fifteen or twenty rows of willows, very thick-set, about 75 yards long and 15 feet high — evidently the relics of an ancient nursery, plainly showing what kind of tree was the most difficult to sell. Passing these on the evening of August 4th of this year, I was attracted by the large number of Barn Swallows circling near it, which, as the night drew on, became more and more numerous, until I judged there were about 5,000 birds, — almost all Barn Swallows — in the flock. They flew at random until about 8 o'clock, only a few alighting in the roost before that time, but at 8.04 my note-book records them " falling like leaves," and by 8.05 half were settled. Their manner of descent was both interesting and beautiful, especially of those from the upper strata, for they were flying at all elevations from those just skimming the ground, to those so far up that they could with difficulty be seen, and these latter, in descending at an angle of only 20 degrees from the perpendicular, performed the most beautiful aerial evolutions it has been my fortune to witness. Setting their wings for the drop, they would waver from side to side as they came, much as a leaf wavers, but of course with many times greater speed. A few Purple Martins could be heard, and a few Bank Swallovvs ; once or twice I thought I could detect the Cliff Swallow's note, and next morning I found 146 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. a sinele Tree Swallow on a wire with them, but all the re- mainder of this vast host were Barn Swallows. Within five minutes of the time of the first general move- ment, barely a tenth remained in the air, and their voices, which are so liquid and soft when heard singly, became one of the harshest dins imaginable — English Sparrows could be no worse — and it certainly sounded as if they were all talking at once. At 8.12 only a few are recorded as remaining, and at 8.19 the last one went in. That evening a beautiful cream-coloured specimen was noted, but later search failed to reveal him again. I visited the roost many times in August, and found the num- bers gradually waning as the month wore on. All were gone on September 3rd and none had been notedby the boys near by for two or three days. After the roost was once known, it was easy to notice the Barn Swallows — no matter in what direction one happened to be — between 7 and 8 p.m., flying toward this roost, and indeed such large numbers must drain a vast area, at least five miles in diameter. I had read of only one such roost before, reported by Mr. Widmann of St. Louis, where the Barn Swallows come by thou- sands to the islands in the Mississippi, but doubtless many would be found throughout the country if they were searched for. — W. E. Saunders, London, Ont. BOTANICAL NOTES. One of the largest collections of plants ever brought into the herbarium of the Geological Survey by a private collector was that made by Mr. William Spreadborough while with Mr. McEvoy of the Geological Survey staff in his recent exploration of the approaches to and the mountains in the vicinity of the Yellow Head Pass. The flora of this region has not before been thoroughly worked up, no botanist having collected there since Drummond's time (1826). Though Mr. Spreadborough does not profess to be a botanist, his keen naturalist's eye enabled him 1898] Botanical Notes. i47 to detect many species that would have been overlooked by a less trained observer. More than 500 species of flowering plants were collected and though a hurried examination of the speci- mens discloses no new species the known range of many Rocky Mountain species has been extended northward and several species were collected of which there were no Canadian repre- sentatives in the herbarium of the Geological Survey though they were known to occur in Canada. Altogether, Mr. Spreadborough's collection is one of the most valuable ever made by a non-professional and adds much to our knowledge of the distribution of Rocky Mountain species. Though the flora of Cape Breton Island was pretty well known in a general way, no systematic botanical exploration of the Island was made until this year, when Prof. Macoun spent the months of July and August in thoroughly exploring the Island. Over icxx) species were collected of which about 700 were flowering plants. These show that no part of the Island is so cold as the so-called barren region was supposed to be. No arctic plants were found. Those collected in the coldest part of the Island were identical with the species found at the Mer Bleue near Ottawa. Several European plants not known to have become naturalized in America were collected by Prof. Macoun ; nearly all of these were so thoroughly naturalized that it is possible that many of them are escapes from the gardens of the original French settlers, especially at Louisburg. — J. M. M. HONEY BEES ACCLIMATISED. By P. H. Selwyn. It has been a matter of considerable doubt as to whether the Honey Bee (Apis mellifica, L.) when in a wild state can survive the cold of the ordinary Canadian winter as experienced in the vicinity of Ottawa. Personal observations lead to the conclusion 148 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. that even under moderately favourable conditions as to location, the honey bee can and does winter successfully in hollow trees, and possibly in other self-chosen abodes. In this connection the following may be of some interest to to the readers of The Ottawa Naturalist. On the 1st of July, 1897, a strong colony of bees (first swarm) absconded from the apiary of Mr. S. Short, near Rock- cliffe, and took possession of a hollow tree some quarter of a mile distant. All efforts of the owner to dislodge them proved futile, as the tree, a giant basswood, is some 70 or 80 feet in height and the cavity in which they had located is within 20 feet of the top. After clearing out the decayed wood they settled down to business in their lofty abode, and it may reason- ably be supposed that the winter found them fairly comfortably established, with abundance of honey. Being much interested in the question as to whether they would survive the intense cold of our climate, I visited the tree early this spring and to my satisfaction I found them apparently as vigorous and strong as ever, judging from the hundreds of bees to be seen passing in and out. This condition of affairs still exists, and if the cavity is sufficiently large they have doubtless accumulated a large quan- tity of honey during the past very favourable season, and will therefore be in a better position to withstand another winter. That many colonies which have escaped from their owners do perish during the winter months seems almost certain, but in most cases probably from causes with which the climate has comparatively little to do, viz.: The abode too small to accom- modate both brood and stores in sufificient quantity ; small second swarms too weak numerically to gather surplus stores for winter ; loss of queens ; and possibly ravages of the bee moth grub {GaLleria melloriella, L.) 1898] 149 NOTE ON THE PHYSIOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF KING'S COUNTY, NOVA SCOTIA.* By H. M. Ami, Geological Survey, Ottawa. King's County, Nova Scotia, is bounded on the north by the Minas Channel and Minas Basin (eastern extension of the Bay of Fundy), on the east by the Basin of Minas and Hants County, on the south by Lunenburg County, and on the west by the County of Annapolis. It is traversed in a north-easterly and south-westerly direction by three principal ridges, viz : (i) The North Mountain, an eruptive axis from six to eight miles in breadth and extending from Cape Blomidon to Brier Island at the southern entrance to the Bay of Fundy^ referred by geologists to the Triassic System. (2) TJie Ridge, on and near which the town of Wolfville is builtj consists of an axis of sedimentary rocks of Devonian and Silurian age overlaid unconformably, in its eastern extremity, by a series of granitic sandstones, shales and lime- stones holding plant and fish remains, referable to the Horton division of the Carboniferous system. This "Ridge" extends west through Kentville and Canaan to Nictaux in Annapolis County. (3) The South Mountain — Formed by a belt of granite, in contact with the Silurian slates, sandstones, &c., of the Gaspereau Valley the latter being unconformably capped by rocks of the " Horton Series." The Cornwallis Valley. Between the " North Mountain " and " The Ridge " lies the beautiful and fertile Triassic Valley of the Cornwallis river, the largest and most southerly of the four streams which flow cast into the Basin of Minas. The other streams are : the Canard, the Habitant and the Pereau rivers — the latter sometimes called the Canning river " Look-off," on the North Mountain, is a favourite spot from which the beautiful and broad valley or the Corn- wallis river, with its numerous dykes and orchards, can be seen to advantage, as well as the extensive meads of historic " Grand I50 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. Pre," besides portions of four other counties of Nova Scotia, viz : — Cumberland, Colchester, Hants and Annapolis. North Moun- tain is well clad with a forest of conifers and hard wood trees J and though 700 feet above the level of the Bay, has sufficient soil on its flattened top to make good farming land. The Gaspereau Valley. Between " The Ridge " and the " South Mountain " flows the Gaspereau river, which finds its source in the picturesque and beautiful Gaspereau lake. This is a narrow but charming little valley, very fertile, abounding in orchards on both sides. The Duncan, Angus, Trenholm and Wall Brooks flowing from the South Mountain fall into the Gaspereau, have furnished fine exposures in the rocks of the Horton formation where Sir J.Wm. Dawson, Sir Charles Lyell and the late Professor C. Frederick Hartt obtained interesting series of fossil plants. In the district around the head-waters of the Gaspereau Valley and in many other places down to its mouth, are dense forests of spruce and hemlock and hard wood trees. The Gaspereau river enters the Basin of Minas near the mouth of the Avon River. Long Island. Over one mile in length and about half a mile across, situ- ated four and a-half miles from Wolfville, is a favourite resort for many kinds of birds. It is formed by a mass of red Triassic sandstones, which have withstood the action of the denuding atmospheric agencies in times past. These sandstones are now being washed away rapidly and large masses frequently fall down from the bluffs on the north-western extremity of the Island and are carried away to sea by the powerful tides and tidal action of the Basin which is connected with the Bay of Fundy by a narrow but swift channel between Cape Split King's County and Cape Sharp, below Parrsboro'.in Cumberland County. 1898] 151 NEW SPECIES OF CANADIAN VIOLETS. We are pleased to announce for our next issue a paper on some ne ./ species of violets, which will be hailed with great satis- faction by Canadian botanists. This paper is now being prepared by Mr. James M. Macoun, Assistant Botanist of the Geological Survey Department, ana is the result of a critical study of the whole group of several species, which up to the present time have passed under the name of Viola cucullata, Ait. In the last num- ber of " Pittonia" (24th Sept., 1898), the editor, Dr. Greene, who has described the new species, speaks in the following compli- mentary terms of Mr. Macoun's careful work : — " Whatever of value these notes may contain is largely, if not chiefly, due to abundant living specimens and very copious and intelligently made field-notes, which have been forwarded to me by Mr. Macoun, whose modesty alone seems to have stood in the way of his publishing them himself ; for all the new species here described were so carefully studied by him, that indepen- dently of my own opinion, he regarded them as undescribed." Mr. Macoun has grown all of the species referred to, and studied them at every stage of their growth. We hope to publish with this paper figures illustrating the salient characters by which they may be recognized. Excursion No. 2 to Chats Falls. Notwithstanding the threatening aspect of the weather a very large number attended the excursion to the beautiful Chats rapids of the Upper Ottawa on June 25th. The route taken was by electric cars to Aylmer and thence by the comfortable steamer G. B. Green to the falls. Unfortunately owing to the lowness of the water in the Ottawa, it was impossible to land at our original destination, Fitzroy Harbour. The party accord- ingly disembarked at Moore's wharf some two miles below the above point. As this was a new district it was full of interest to our naturalists, and the members of the Camera Club, many of whom we were pleased to have with us on the expedition, found 152 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct and Nov. ample opportunities of adding many a scenic gem to their col- lections. In the matter of botany, Professor Macoun was a host in himself, and despite the almost continuous down-fall of rain during the afternoon, he made several very successful foraging sorties into the woods, coming back laden with numberless floral treasures, which he exhibited and described to the delight of everybody. The success of this excursion under somewhat adverse circumstances was distinctly due to the energy and good management of Mr. F. T. Shutt, oi the Executive Committee. Excursion No. 3 to Aylmer. On Saturday afternoon the 24th of September, a small party of twenty-five visited Blueberry Point, Aylmer. The weather was overcast, but no actual rain fell, and a most instruc- tive afternoon was spent. Prof Macoun collected about 75 species of toadstools and mushrooms, the qualities and char- acters of which he explained to all who accompanied him through the woods. Miss Marion Whyte returned with her band ot botanists and, notwithstanding the lateness of the season, showed a collection of over 20 plants in blossom. Addresses were given by the President, Professor Prince, by Principal Pollock on the geological formation of the locality, by Prof Macoun on edible and poisonous fungi, and by Messrs. Sinclair and Fletcher on the general teachings of Nature, show- ing that this charming book lay open for all who would learn. Excursion No. 4 to Chelsea. One of the most enjoyable outings of the whole season was held on the ist of October to Gilmour's Grove, Chelsea, when nearly a hundred ladies and gentlemen, chiefly students from the Normal School, took advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Club of visiting the above charming locality under the guidance of the leaders of the different branches of the Club. The addresses were delivered around a roaring bonfire on the bank of the Gatineau River, the speakers being Messrs. Sinclair, Shutt, Fletcher and Bryson. 1898] 153 VEGETATION IN THE BERMUDAS.— Part. Ill Plants and Flowers. By H. B. Small. If after the fall of man any truant flowers of Eden escaped its bounds their seeds must have found a kindly soil in Bermuda. Plants and flowers there attain a daring loveliness which stamps them on the memory of even the transient visitor. The island group may well be called "the Land of the Lily and the Rose" for each of these attains a perfection far beyond the conception of a dweller in the north. The many and beautiful varieties of the garden rose — both bush and standard — bloom in profusion all the year round, and the air is literally laden with their per- fume. Bermuda is a botanists' paradise, but how many pluck every striking flower they see, only to toss it carelessly aside, regardless of its loveliness or its brillliancy. The Passion-flower, Narcissus, Geranium, Heliotrope, Verbena, Violet', Wistaria and a Creeper known as Bougainvillea, one of the handsomest adjuncts to a wall or verandah that the world produces, are all remarkable for their luxuriance. The Bougainvillea was intro- duced from Gibralter by Governor Lefroy in 1874, and has now so established itself as to be seen gracing the majority oi private buildings. There are two species of Passion-flower, one remarkable for its blossoms {Passifiora ccsru/e a), the peculiar formation of which representing the emblems of Christ's Passion has given rise to the name, the other {^Passiflora minima), a wild species covering road- side banks and old stone walls in profusion, but the flower of which is far less conspicuous than its congener. Of the Narcissus two species are abundant, one {N. Tazettci) bearing a cluster of numerous white flowers with a yellow eye, the other {N.jonquilld) with two or three deep yellow fragrant flowers. These plants are abundant on some hillsides along the edge of the cedar groves or beneath the Oleander shade, and in the glades in the valleys. There are two Honeysuckles [Caprifolium sempervirens) and {Loniccra Japonicd), which cover the walls or trail along 154 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. the road-sides, lending a fragrance all their own, suggestive of English lanes and road-side hedges. The Morning Glory [Convoluolus major) is abundant both wild and cultivated, and its purple flowers two or three inches in diameter are pioduced in profusion all the year round. Many a rugged corner or way- side copse is festooned with this beautiful creeper, and its grace- ful hangings of nature's tapestry hide many an unsightly corner or debris of a ruin. The most important flower, and cultivated to a very large extent for exportation, is the Easter Lily {Liliuni Harrisii), and a dwarf species {L. longifloruni) both bearing numerous large flowers of the purest white. A specimen of the latter grown by the late Harvey Trott, Esq., at Waterloo in Pembroke parish produced on one stem 145 flowers. This was exhibited in May 1883 at the St. Nicholas Hotel, New York, and an illustration of it appeared in the London Graphic. A field of several acres in extent planted with these lilies pnsents a strikingly beautiful appearance, not only when in full bloom, but when maturing their bud; ; the latter are carefully cut and boxed for shipment, blossoming after arrival at their destination, and keeping fresh for some days. Besides the Easter Lily, the Blue Lily {Agapan- thus 2-imbellatus) and the Egyptian Lily, or more properly Arum {Calla Ethiopica) grow luxuriantly, and where escaped they seem to flower better than in cultivation. The Cane Shot {Canna coccima) from 3 to 5 feet high, with showy flowers two or more inches long, yellow, red and with lip variegated with yellow, has taken well to waste places, and with its leaves 10 inches long and 4 wide it is a very noticeable plant. A lily species known as Elephant's Ears (Ci:Ai;^/«w) remarkable for its large-sized leaves, is abundant in moist valleys. A very abundant and attractive plant miscalled Heath, {Russelia juncea) with rush-like pointed branchlets and long scarlet tubular flowers, giving the idea of brilliant red coral, grows by the way sides and edges of private grounds, delighting in stony and rocky localities. The Poppy {Papaver diibiuvi) with scarlet flower, and (/'. soinniferuin) are common on waste 1898] Small — Vegetation in the Bermudas. 155 ground and the edges of fields. The Stock {Matt/iiola incana) with purple blossoms is abundant along the sandy margin of the bays, and in sea shore nooks and crannies. A plant known as the Stinging Thistle {Argenione Mexicand) with yellow blossoms, and easily mistaken for a yellow poppy, is common at all seasons in old worn out grounds and waste places. The flower itself reminds one of the EscJischolzia. There are four species of Evening Primrose, the {CEnothera longiflora) with yellow flowers three inches in diameter, not uncommon in waste land, {CE. sinuata) with smaller yellow flowers, common in fields and roadsides, {CE. rosea) with rosy flowers three-quarters of an inch in diameter, found in grass* lands, and (ffi". Jiuniifusd) with Orange yellow blossoms, found on the sea shore. The Four o'clock plant {Mirabilis Jalapd) opens its brilliant flowers at four p.m., and closes early next morning. Although red is its prevailing colour, other varieties are by no means uncommon, as white, yellow, and white with a red centre. Its blossoms are profuse, and continue unfolding all through spring and summer. The Golden Rod {Solidago senipervirens) is as elsewhere in America a very common plant along the shore, by waysides and fence walls, always showy from its long, compact panicle of golden yellow flowers. Two Salvias {S. splcndens and 5. purpurea) with respectively scarlet and purple flowers, are cultivated, whilst [S. coccmea) with very showy scarlet flowers, three-quarters of an inch long, is common on dry hills and wayside banks, and {S. serotina) clothed with a whitish pubescence, and bearing white flowers a quarter of an inch long, is found in similar localities. Both of these blossom from April to October. The Barbadoes Fence {Potnciana pulc/i^rrima) with its orange-red flowers and long stamen and style keeps in full bloom from November to April, with straggling blossoms all through summer, is very pretty and showy, and being almost a shrub, forms a charming hedge when cultivated. The Red Justicia {J. lurida sanguhied) is common, although originally 156 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct and Nov. escaped from gardens, in wild corners of fences, and (/. alba) also grows occasionally with the former. What appears to be the most universally spread plant in Bermuda is the Life Plant {Bryophyihan calycinum), locally known as " Floppers," a name attributable to the cracking noise produced by pressing the buds before they are fully open. Every old wall or rocky road margin is literally covered with its growth, the large fleshy leaves tending to make it conspicuous, and its pendulous flowers, of a green and purple hue with a bladder-like appearance, on stalks eight or ten inches high, all through the winter season at once attract attention. The leaves or leaflets when placed on a moist surface, produce rootlets and young plants at the marginal creases, a peculiarity which appears to render the usual methods of propagation unnecessary, as its seeds are said not to mature. One leaf will sometimes shew when lying detached from the parent plant, a dozen young plants forming around it. From the prolific display of the whole flora of Bermuda, mention of any one more than another seems almost invidious, and in the enumeration of the above-mentioned plants, imagina- tion must supply the reality to those wIid have not visited that flower land. Before closing, I must mention three plants, more of a commercial than botanical value. First is the Dwarf Banana {Musa Cavendishii) of which family there are several kinds, viz., the common one {^M. saptentum), the Red {M. rosacea), the Fig {M. spkatuin), and the Plantain {M. para- disiacd). The Dwarf is the kind most frequently grown, bearing heavy bunches of choice fruit, consequent probably on this variety being more easily sheltered from the wind, which when blowing heavily tears the exposed parallel-veined leaves of the taller varieties to shreds. A large reddish-brown or chocolate- colored drooping flower pendent from each bunch of fruit is a curiosity in itself, and is not unlike the closed bloom of a water lily or Night-blooming Cereus. The graceful palmlike appear- ance of the large feathery leaves and tree-like stems adds not a little to the tropical appearance of the landscape, for there is 1898] Small— Vegetation in the Bermudas. 157. scarcely a house without its Banana plantation beside it. The Cassava {JatropJia Manihoi), from which is prepared tapioca, is cultivated to a limited extent. It is a smooth shrubby plant three or four feet high, producing tubers or roots not unlike those of the dahlia, but much more massive and of a harder texture. Amongst the colored population a Christmas dinner is not com- plete without a Cassava pie, a poor substitute however for the plum pudding of the north. The third plant is the Arrowroot {Mafanta arundinaced) growing three or four feet high, with large spear-head-shaped leaves, and bearing root-like tubers which mature in February. From these a starch is manufac- tured which, after going through several processes, is known as Bermuda Arrowroot and holds a high place in the market, but its place has been lately taken by the article now produced all through the West Indies, in Australia, and in the Fiji Islands. There is a plant which I have been unable to place, neither can I find any description corresponding with it in the few botanical papers bearing on the flora of Bermuda. I am in- clined to think it is a Sanseveria. Its leaves are from 18 to 24 inches long, and about three inches wide, smooth, leathery, of a dark green mottled with purple spots, like some of the Orchis tribe. The under side is purplish. When the leaves dry off they turn a greenish brown with the spots still showing, and are not unlike the back of a snake. It grows in shady places, about rock cuttings or disused quarries, preferring shade to the open. It was not in blossom during my stay. Owing to the extreme moisture in the air, vegetation is always luxuriant, growth being sustained by the heavy dews and the great evaporation at night. These conditions approach the description of Eden, where " a mist went up from the garden and watered the face of the earth." The coral rock too is favor- able to growth, and vegetation of all kinds flourishes apparently out of the face of the rock wherever fissures allow the roots to penetrate. 158 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Donation to the Library. — It will be remembered that last year the Club's library was enriched by a valuable donation from Madame Ville, of Paris, France, who presented to us, through Mr. Shutt. twelve handsomely bound volumes contain- ing the record of the labours of her husband, the late Professor Georges Ville, the eminent agricultural chemist. During the past month a further volume has been received from the same donor. Its title is " Le dosage de r Ammoniaqm deFair etVabsorp- tson de I' Azote de lair par les Plantes" and contains an account of the chief work undertaken by this scientist. The thanks of the Club have been forwarded to Madame Ville for her valuable gift. Dr. Adolf Lehmann, a member of the Club, and a con- tributor to the Ottawa Naturalist, who for years was Assistant Chemist at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, has been appointed Agricultural Chemist for the district of Mysore, India. This is an important position, and we offer him our heartiest congratulations, wishing him all success in his new and distant field of labour. Since his return form Leipsic Dr. Lehmann has been at Queen's College, Kingston, as Demonstrator and Lecturer irl Organic Chemistry. Dr. Lehmann will leave in Canada many warm friends, and we trust that from time to time we may be able to inform them of the good work and good health of our erstwhile co-labourer. American Public Health Association— This important Society, with its membership extending over the United States, Mexico and Canada, held its 26th annual meeting in Ottawa, September 27th to 30th. There was an attendance of about two hundred visiting members, including a party of six from the City of Mexico. A goodly number of Canadians were present, and Ottawa, as might be expected, was well represented. The deliberations of this association include all subjects relating to public hygiene, and papers and discussions upon 1898] Notes and Comments. 159 the disposal of sewage and garbage, the pollution of water sup- plies, disinfection, quarantine and kindred matters occupied the attention of the members throughout the three days during which the society was in session. Three papers were presented by Ottawa gentlemen. The first was by Thos. Macfarlane. F.R.S.C, Chief Analyst of the Inland Revenue Dept., " Upon the disposal of refuse in some European cities." This was an exhaustive account of how sewage is disposed of in many cities and towns of Great Britain and the Continent, and comprises the carefully recorded obser- vations made by the author in person on a recent tour made purposely for that object. It is a most valuable paper for reference, since it contains in concise form useful information not hitherto collated. Mr. Macfarlane emphasized the use of " moss litter " as an absorbent and deodorizer and stated that the experience of all who had tried it for this purpose showed it to be entirely satisfactory. "The Interpretation of the Chlorine number in Well Waters" was the title of a paper read by Mr. A. McGill, B.Sc. The author claimed that most valuable data would be obtained if the chlorine content of the ground waters throughout a district were determined and tabulated according to locality. Such results would materially assist in the diagnosis of rural well waters. A paper on a closely allied subject was given by Mr. Frank T. Shutt, M.A., Chemist of the Dominion Experimental Farms. It was entitled " The Farm Well." Since the institu- tion of the Experimental Farms the useful work of examining well waters for farmers has been done, free of charge to the agricultural public, and the writer stated that in this way the water from more than 1,000 wells had been analysed. The results, as regards the general quality of the waters were far from satisfactory, the chief cause of pollution arising evidently in the majority of cases from the proximity of the well to the barn yard or a similar source of contamination. It was pointed out that life was being jeopardized for the sake of convenience in too many farm homesteads. The paper concluded with a use- i6o The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. ful set of rules to be followed by the farmer for the procuring and preservation of a pure water supply. The Local Committee of Arrangements, with Sheriff Sweet- land as Chairman, and Mr. Thos. Macfarlane as Secretary, are to be congratulated on the success that attended their labours both before and during the convention. The visiting members agreed that their reception had been most cordial and that the hospitality they had received and the entertainments and excur- sions provided had made their short sojourn in Ottawa a most pleasant one. A Black Squirrel at Ottawa. — A fine Black Squirrel was shot recently on the property of Mr. George Holland on the Richmond Road. The specimen was in good condition and has been well stuffed by Mr. Dupuy, of Hintonburgh. It is now in the possession of Mr. Holland. The Black Squirrel, which is a melanic variety of the Gray Squirrel {Sciurus Carolinetisis), is very rare at Ottawa. There are only one or two records of its having been seen here. SOIREES. The usual Evening meetings will be held during the com- ing winter for Lectures, the reading of Papers and Short Notes, and the reception of the Reports of the various Branches. It is hoped to make the exhibition of specimens and informal discus- ions conspicuous features of next winter's meetings. Members of the Club who are desirous of submitting papers are invited to communicate with the Soiree Committee or with any member of the Council as soon as possible, so that the programme may be arranged without delay. The names of the members of the Council are printed on the last cover of each number of the Ottawa Naturalist. THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Vol. XII. OTTAWA, DECEMBER, 1898. No. 9. CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANADIAN BOTANY.* By James M. Macoun. Assist. Naturalist Geo). .Survey of Canada. XII. Ranunculus inamcenus Greene, Pittonia in, p. 91. Green, and appearing as if glabrous, but sparsely hairy, the the stoutish stems 6 to 12 inches high ; radical short-petiolate leaves obovate-flabelliform, at summit either crenate-toothed or 3-lobed, the caulinc usually quite sessile and once or twice ternaiely divided into oblanceolate segments ; peduncles short and slender, often 3 to 5 together and subumbellate ; corolla 3 to 5 lines broad, the 5 petals obovate-oblong ; head of small pubes- cent achenes ovoid or short-cylindraceous, the linear receptacle white-hispid. Banff, Rocky Mountains, 1891 ; from several localities in the foot-hills, i.e.. Jumping Pond Creek, Herb. No. 18,039 5 Bragg's Creek, Elbow River, Herb. Nos. 18,037 ^^^ 18,038, and Moose River, Elbow River, Herb. No. 18,040. {John Macoun^ An excellent species well separated from all forms of R. affints to which it has at various times been referred. Aquilegia flavlscens, Wats. Not rare on mountain-sides on both sides of the summit at Yellow Head Pass, Rocky Mountains, Lat. 52° 50', 1898. {W. Spreadboro2ig/i) Northern limit. Nasturtium sylvestre, R. Br. Naturalized along the road in front of Ball's Mills, Lincoln Co., Ont. ( W. C. McCalla.) New to Canada. •CaRDAMINE ANGULATA, Hook. Spring House Cove, Dawson Harbour, Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C., June 26th, 1897. (Dr. C. F. Newcombe.) New to "*Parts I-XI of these contributions appeared in the " Canadian Record of Science"' during the years 1894-98. 1 62 The Ottawa Naturalist. [December Canada. Collected on the banks of the Columbia by Douglas and Scouler, and in many parts of Oregon and Washington in recent years, but never on Vancouver Island or the B. C. coast, where it doubtless occurs. Dentaria Californica, Nutt. Cardaniine angulata, Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol, i, p. 41. Dentaria tenella, Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. I, p. 39. Common on Vancouver Island. Dentaria geminata, Wats. Rich woods, Burnaby Lake, near New Westminster, B.C., 1889. (/. M. Macoun^ New to Canada. Agrees in every respect with specimens collected in the upper valley of the Nesqually River, Washington, by Mr. O. J. Allen. Arabis drepanoloba, Greene, Pittonia, vol. iii, p. 306. Prennial, the several stout decumbent stems 8 to 12 inches high ; herbage seemingly glabrous and glabrous, but the small oblanceolate lowest leaves sparsely stellate hairy ; the oblong sessile auriculate cauline ones like all the remaining parts of the plant glabrous ; corollas red, . ^:{ inch long or more ; fruiting raceme 2-5 inches long, the broad spreading and slightly falcate- recurved pods 2 inches long including the short pedicel, about i^ lines wide, abruptly acutish, the stigma sessile ; valves with with a manifest nerve at base only ; seeds in two rows under each valve, flat, obovoid, narrowly winged. Collected in August, i89i,by Prof John Macoun at Devil's Lake, Banff, Alberta, and distributed as A. Lenimoni, to which it is indeed related, yet easily distinguishable by its larger dimensions, much less pubescent lower leaves, and especially by its pods, which are twice as broad and with two rows of seeds, Arabis Nuttallii, Robinson. High dry slopes of mountains at Crow's Nest Pass, Rocky Mountains, alt. 7000 It, Aug. 2nd, 1897. Herb. No. 18,162. {John Macoun.) New to Canada. The habitat of this plant is stated by Dr. Robinson to be " chiefly on low grounds in [moun- tain] valleys." The habitat as given by Nuttall " lofty dry hills," 1898] CONTKIliUTIONS TO CANADIAN BOTANY. 163 seems the better one. Nuttall's description of the root "' thick crowned with vestiges of former leaves and stems," well de- scribes Prof Macoun's specimens. ALLIAkIA OFFICINALIS, Andrz Sisymbrium Ailiaria, Scop. Can. Rec. of Science, Nov., 1894. Alliaria Ailiaria, (L.) Britt. At the Cove, Quebec, Que. {Mrs. Brodie.y Not before re- corded from province of Quebec. Sisymbrium altissimum, L. kS". Sinapistrum, Crantz. Ballast heaps, North Sydney, Cape Breton Island, N.S., 1898. {John Macoun.) Not before recorded from Nova Scotia. Okanajj^an Landing, B.C. ( /. A'. Anderson.) Western limit. CONRINGIA PKRFOLIATA, L. *.,, ■ Erysimum Oricntale, R. Br. Can. Rec. of Science, Nov., 1894 :;; ... Now represented in our herbarium from many localities in the North-west and from Snelgrove, Ont. {/as. White.) and Stamford, Ont. {R. Cameron.) Parrya macrocarfa. R. Br. Summit of Father Mt. alt. 6,000 ft. Yukon District, July 3rd, 1898. ( /. B. Tyrrell) Not before collected in that region^ Draba hirta, L. -'-' ' , .;■' - '.1..' ': ')',- ■ Crevices of rocks. Big Intervale, Margaree, Cape Breton Island, N.S , 1898. {John Macoun) Not beforv^, recorded Jrpm Nova Scotia. Northern Labrador. {A. P. Low) Draba PR.tALTA, Ureene, Pitiorrn, vol. in, \>. 3q^,> ;. . >,..,;..:. j.,i; . Annual very erect and strict, mostly quite sitnple; IQ to, I5' inches high, subcinereous throughout, even to the pods, with short stellate hairs ; rosulate basal leaves oblc)ng-lanceplatc, y^ to y^ inch long, entire or with two or three pairs of sharp teeth, the two or three cauline similar ; flowers white ; the loose. fruiting raceine often \ or 6 inches long, the almost lanceolate pods "% ' . . •■■.I'->-'! ■■•.' ' :■ y'j It y-f inch long or more, erect on ascending pedicels j.^icarly ,^s long,^ 164 The Ottawa Naturalist. [December acute, rather turgid, not contorted, a channel-like depression marking the line of the mid-vein from its base to near the middle. This is a plant which by its annual root and large size would be taken for a relation of D. nemorosa, but for its very strict habit, narrow leaves and white flowers. Common everywhere in the Rocky Mountains between 4,500 ft. and 6,000 altitude. Our our herbarium specimens are from Banff, Rocky Mountains, 1 891 (tj'pe locality) ; Kicking Horse Pass, Rocky Mountains, 1885 ; Crow's Nest Pass, Rocky Mountains, 1897. Herb. No. 18,136. [John Macon II.) Yellowhead Pass, Rocky Mts., 1898. (W. Spreadborough). Lesquerkll.'\ ARCTicA (DC.) S. Wats. Vesicaria arctica, Rich. : Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. I, pp. 54, 490. Athabasca River near Lac Brule, northern Alberta, July, 1898. {W. Spreadborough.) Specimens collected by Mr. Spread- borough do not differ in any respect from those collected by Drummond in the same latitude and distributed from the British Museum as Physaria didymocarpa. EuTREMA Edwardsii, R. Br. Northern Labrador, 1897. [A. P. Lozv.) Not before re- corded from Labrador. DiPLOTAXIS TENUIFOLIA, DC. Bank of the new Welland Canal north of St. Catherines, Ont. ( W. C. McCalla) Not recorded west of Nova Scotia. Myagrum perfoijatum, L. On Callow's Hill, Quebec, Que. {Mrs. BrocUe.) Introduced from Europe. Not before recorded from Canada. POLYGALA VERTICELLATA, L. On the open prairie on the ridge near the Insane Asylum, Brandon, Man., 1896. Herb. No. 12,336. {]ohn Macoun^) Re- corded from but one other locality in Manitoba. StELLARIA (;rvMINEA, I. Near Niagara, Ont. {R. Cameron.) Western limit in Canada. 1898] Contributions to Canadian Botany. 165 Arenaria ARcriCA, Stcv. A single specimen of this species was collected in Northern Labrador by Mr. A. P. Low in 1897. According to Dr. Robin- son this specis is confined to Alaska and adjacent coasts and our other herbarium specimens are all from that region, but there can be no doubt about the identity of Mr. Low's plant. Arknakia CAPiiLARis, Ptiir., var. Formosa, Kegel. A. capillans, var. luvdifolia, Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, Vol. I, p. 70, in part, and vol. I, p. 496. Common in the Rocky Mountains and British Columbia. All our specimens with the exception of those from Sproat, B.C., arc this variety. The specimens collected at Sproat are much larger, with larger flowers (petals more than twice the length of the calyx), and much longer spreading pedicels. The whole plant is glabrous, but is not certainly referable to either A. capillaris or the var. nardijolia. Hypekicum nudicaule, Walt. H. SarotJini, Michx. Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. l, p. 85. In sandy fields at Sandwich, Ont. Herb. No. 18,317 {John Macoun^ This is the only Canadian locality from which we have specimens of this jilant. Helianthemum Canadense, Michx. Our only specimens of this species are from Rice Lake Plains, Ont. ; Sandwich, Ont. ( John Macoun?) ; and Niagara Falls, Ont. {R. Cameron?) Helianthemum majus, B. S. P. H. Canadense, Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vo'. I, p. 60, in part, and vol. I, p. 492. Apparently more widely distributed than the last in Canada. Our specimens are from Kingston, N.S. {John Macoun.) ; Lon- don, Ont. {Dr. Burgess)., High Park, Toronto, Ont. (^fas. White,) Lake of the Woods, Ont. {Dr. G. M. Daivson). Lechea intermedia, Leggett. All the references under L. minor, Macoun, Cat. Can. Plant.s, i66 The Ottawa Naturalist. [December vol. I, p. 61, are L. intermedia as far as they are covered by our herbariu n specimens. We have no Canadian specimens of /.. minor. Lech a juniperixa, Bicknell. Fust collected by Dr. C. A. Hamilton in 1891 on dry sterile roadside'-, south of Mahone Bay, N.S., and in adjacent pastures, more particularly along the Fauxbourg road. New to Canada. AnODA I.AVATKROIDES, Mcdick. In cultivated grounds at St. Catherines, Ont, (IF. C. McVAiiki.) Gkranium praxense, L. In fields at Quebec, Que. {Mr>--. Brodie.) Only other Canadian record is from New Brunswick. Ceanothus velutinus, Dou};1. , ivlacoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. i pp. 96 and 503. C. veiatiuu.s var. kavigatus, T. and G ; Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. I, pp. 96, in part, and 504. Common m the Rocky Mountains ana througTiout British Columbia. All the references under var. laivigatu.s in Macoun's catalogue with the exception of Menzies' from Nootka go here. Ceanothus vki.utinus, Dougl. var i..evigatus. T. and (i. Our only specimens of this plant were collected by Prof. Macoun in 1887 at Home Lake, Vancouver Island, not far from Nootka, where it was first collected by Menzies. Rhamnus Frangula, L In a thicket in North London, Ont., (2 to 15 feet high and 3 to 5 inches thick at base. Collected by Mr. J. Dearness, July 1st, 1898. Well naturalized. Not before recorded. TrIFOI.IUM fNVOLUCRATUM, VVilid. West coast of Queen Charlotte Islands, 1897. (JJr.C.F. Newcomht.) Northern limit. ANTriYLLUS VUENERARIA, L. First noticed in clover fields about New Durham, Oxford 1898] Contributions to Canadian Botany. 167 Co., Ont., in the summer of 1897, and again in 1898. Com- municated by Dr. T. J. W. Burgess. Lespedlza Virgimc.\ (L.) Britt. Tn thickets at Leamington, Ont, 1892. (John Macoiin.) New to Canada. Lespedez.\ frutescexs, Britt. I J. SiuveA, var. 1 nternifdiuf^. Gray. Man. Ed. vi, p 147. L. reticulata, Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. I, pp. i 19 and 511. Not r.irc in s iivjy woods and thickets from Niagara to Sarnia. Iv.^THYRUS MVKTIFOIIUS, Muhl L. palds'er \'ar. nivrf foUiis, Gr. ; Macoun, Cat. Can. Plants, vol. I, p. 122. In thickets at Brandon. Man. Herb. No. 12,528. 1896. {John Aficniv.) Western limit. Prunus .■wiu.m, I,, Along a creek bank west of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. (,/. ''(',(11 ii('ii u.) Escaped from cultivation, but not be- fore recorded as well naturalized. Poi!;vTii.L\ ni:mok >i.is, No-tkr ; ?\lic-ii% Cat C i ;. Phinl^, vol. i, p. 141. Discovered many years ago at Stc. .Ann's, Cape Breton Is- land, N.S., h)^ Dr. Lawson. f ollcctcd in 1898 b\' Prof. Macoun between Ste. .Ann's and Biddeck Bay, Cape Breton Island. RiHES FLORii'U.M, I.'Hf. ; Mi^cjiin, Ca^ Cm. PlintP, vnl. t, <). 163 Collections of recent years have, shown this . species, to be more widely distributed west of ^Manitoba than was supposed. 1 68 The Ottawa Naturalist. [December We have it from Old Wives Creek, Assa., and Medicine Hat, Assa. {John Macoun.) Maple Creek, Assa. {J. M. M<(cou7i.) and Ste. Anne, weht of Edmonton, Aha. ( W. Spreadborough) Sedum divergens, Wat. Mountains at Yellow Head Lake, Rocky Mountains, Alt. 6,000 ft. July 17th. 1898. {W. 01 ■rew are very abundant, and always in a position to indicate a hybrid origin. It is found most commonly in beds of vl. uv i-ur^i with plenty of ^. tomentosa near by, and is easily distinguished from A. v.va-ursi by its larger size, merely procumbent (not prostrate) habit, and paler foliage." (Pittonia, vol. II. p. 171.) Mr. Ander- son sends me the following note on the specimens collected by him : " Regarding the Arctostaphylos, Mr. Piper's description of \yo The Ottawa Naturalist. [December occurrence coincides exactly in every respect with mine, and from the fact of finding it surrounded by quantities of A tovien- , /l to-s'i and A. iivm-ursi, I was also lead to believe it might he a "^,''^J hybrid." This note was written in 1897 ; in 1898 Mr. Anderson collected and sent to the herbarium of the Geological .Sur\ey a fine series of specimens, which clearly show that A.mciid is a hybrid. ASCLEPI.^S TUBEROSA, L. Tarr Island, River St. Lawrence and below Rockprn-t, Leeds Co., Out. {R^v. (J. J. Youvg.) Eastern limit in Canada. Gentiana frigida, Hsenke. Above the tree line, alt. 5,000 ft., Nishing River, Lat, 62°, Yukon District. Aug. 22nd, 1898. (J. B. Tyrrell.) Not before recorded from Canada. This plant differs in several iniportant respects from Behring Sea specimens, agreeing more ne.irly with specimens from Colorado. Phlox Richardsonii, Hook. Mountains by Selkirk Trail, west of Aishihik Lake, Yukon District, Sept. 7th, 1898. (/ /I Tifirdl.) Onl\- known l)cfore from Arctic sea-coast. Phacklia Purshii, Buckley. Growing among clover at the Central P2xpcrimental F'arm, Ottawa, Ont. (IF???. 7\ M 'Coun.) Introduced from the United States. Not before recorded in Canada. Plagiobothrys echinatus, Greene, Piitonia, vol in, y. 262. Habit of P. tenelhAS and of the same size, rather more branching, the branches strict, densely spicate at summit; the usual pubescence augmented by sparse spreading and rarher his[)id hairs ; nutlets rather more than -)^ line long, whiti-h, dis- tinctly carinate on the back at least toward the apex, the tran- sverse rugosities few.slender and indistinct,merelv indicating the lines of numerous well elevated and sharp murications, the whole back thus appearing somewhat regularhv cchinate Cedar Hill, Vancouver Island, [6th May, 1887, (yjokn MacoUn.) 1.S9S] Contributions to Canadian Botany. 171 T.,INARI.\ MINOR, Desf. Along the G. T. Ry., near the Cove Bridge, west of London* Ont., June, 189^. (J. A. BalkwUi) Only one other Canadian record— St. John, N.B. CoLi.ixsrA VERNA, Nutt. ; Can. Rec. S'^., Jri", 1895. In woods between Putnam and Ingcrsoll, Ont., 1896. (J. Denmess.) Second Canadian record. MiMUI.US MOSCHATUS, Dougl By a brook on the farm of Mr. I'cter Cavanagh, Middle Settlement of Barney's River, Pictou Co., N.S. (MissMaruf Cai'anagli } Not before recorded from Nova Scotia. Though probably introduced or adventitious, the conditions under which it is growing make it appear possible that this species is indigenous in No\ a Scotia. It is at any rate well naturalized. Miss Cavanagh writes : ' I have seen it growing there for four or five years Previous to that time I had no opportunity of examining the brook. It grows luxuriantly and in great abun- dance in an elevated region along the ridge of the watershed between the rivers Hnwing north and south. The place is too cold for plum trees " Stachvs Germanica, I. Well established near Guelph, Ont. Collected in two wide!}' separ.ited localities near that town. 1897. (/. C. McCalla) New to Canada. Amarantus CHi.oRf stachvs, Wijld. North of Leamington, Essex Co., Ont., 1892. {J. Dearvrss.) Not before recorded in Canada. Chenopodium Vul\ \ria, I,. Plentiful around waste heaps and along roadsides at Gait, Ont. (William, Herriaft.) Probably introduced in foreign merchandise. New to Canada. ACALVPHA ViRGINICA, 1.. Among small stones and grass along roadsides at Clear- land, N.S. (Dr. C. A. Ha III U to II.) Not recorded east of Quebec- 172 The Ottawa Naturalist. [December Lakix Lyali.ii, Parlat. Mr. Walter D. Wilcox found this tree in 1898 on Mt. Hector, about 11 miles from Laggan, Rocky Mts. This station extends thelimit o( F. Luallii some 3 or 4 miles further north than it was known to occur. Mr. Wilcox was als j on the moun- tains at Glacier LaKe, head of Saskatchewan River, and at the source of the Athabasca, but did not see this larcli, .-o ib.at its northern limit may now be considered to be dcfinitul}- fi.xed. CaLAM WILKA LONGIFOLIA. (Hook) H.uk. Ammoph>l ' lonf/i ol a, Henth. and liook. ; Macoun, Gat. Can. Plants, vol iv, p. 208. Not rare on sand)' ground in the northern part cf Lamb- ton Co. and southern {)art of fiuron Co, Unt. (/ Dearness) Eastern limit in Canada. 1'"lymus elymoiuks, \Raf.) Sweczy. (Jne specimen collected by Prof. Macoun in 1897 on the side of a mountain at Crow Nest Pass, Rocky Mts. New to Canada. NOTES ON THE B^^LDS OE KING'S CO., NOVA SCOTIA. By Hakold Tufts, Esq., Wolfville, King's Co., N.S. Urinator imber {Gm///). Loon. Fairly common, breeding on the Gaspereau Lakes. They are often left behind the shad seines by the falling tide, and being unable to rise from the ground are then easily taken by the fishermen. When brought to bay in this position they make a good tight before yielding and are really quite dangerous to tackle unless a gun be used against them. Larus marinus {Linn ) Black-backed Gull. Common except in January and February. Two sets of eggs taken last May (1898) at the Gaspereau Lakes, are now in the museum at Ottawa There are many islands in the lakes, but only two or three of the smallest of these are used as nesting 1898] Notes on the Birds of KiN(is Co, X.S. 173 sites. One island, upon which were two nests, was not more than 15 )-ards long by lO wide, and at its highest point not niore than 4 feet above the suiface of the water. The birds left the nest when the canoe was several hundred yards distant, and set- tled in the water about 200 yards away, from which position they quietly watched the destruction of their nests, the only note of remonstrance being an occassional ' kuc," " kuc." Larus aigentatus smithsoni^nus {Corns.) Hkrring (Iui.l. Common except in mid-winter. Nests in large numbers at Cape Split. Larus Philadelphia {0/d) Bon.^pautk's Gli.i.. Occasionally seen during the latter part of September, during some heavy gale. Oceandroma leucorhoa {Viei//). I.kach's Im-:tki;i.. Occasionally observed in October in Minas Basin. Phalacrocorax carbo {Linn) Cok.morant. Observed occasionally in Minas Basin in spring and fall. Mergan.ser americanus {C-ns.) .\mfrican Mkuganskr. Not common. Most frequently seen in vvinter and spring. Merganser serrator {Linn.) Red Breasted Merganser. More common than the preceding species. Breeds here. Anas obscura {Gmel.) Black Duck. Very common throughout the year. They nest in all suit- able places in the county. Anas carolinensis {Gmel.) Grkkn-winged Teai. Fairly common during the fall mirgration. They are found mostly at the mouths of the streams emptying into Minas Basin. Towards evening they fly into the fresh water pools and slug- gish streams with sedgy borders. Anas discors {Linn.} Blue winged Teal. Less common than the preceding species. Dafila acuta {Linn.) Pintail. Transitory and uncommon. Observed about the mouth of the Cornwallis River in September and October. 174 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Decern > Aythya marila nearctica {Stejn ) Scaup Duck. Transitory and rare. Aythya affinis (5'r/.) Lesser .Scaup Duck. Rare fall migrant. Branta canadensis (Lnm) Canada Ooose. Often quite common during the spring migration from March till the middle of May. Are less common during the fall. Branta bernicla {Linn.) Brant. A rare migrant. Botaurus lentiginosus {Monta^:.) Bittern. Fairly common from May to October. They nest in June. Ardea herodias (Unn.) G«k.\t Blue Heron. Common from May till October. Last May a small herony was found in a birch grove near one of the Gaspereau Lakes. The nests, to the number of five within the space of an acre, were inacessible, owing to the great size and nature of the trees selected for (he nests. Nycticorax nycticorax naevius {BodJ.) Beack-crown' d Night Herov. Uncommon. Shot one immature specimen October 22nd, 1898. Porzan I caroli.ia [L'tn:.) Sora. Fairly common, but rarely seen owing to their retiring habits. Porzan I noveb^race.isis {Gm.'l) Yellow Rail. One specimen taken near the mouth of the Cornvvallis River, on Sept. [9th, 1895, is the only (me that has come under my observation. Crymophilus fulicarius (,Lin>i.) Red Phalarope. One taken in a small fresh water pond on the Grand Pre, October 17th, 1898, during a strong north gale'. GaUinula galeata {Ucht.) Florida Gallinule. One example was taken during the last week of September, 1898, on the Canard River. . 1898] Notes on the Birds of Kings Co., N.S. 175 Philohela minor {Gmel.) Woodcock. Common from May till November. Nests in suitable localities. Gallmago delicata {Ord.) Wilson's Snipe. Common from May till November. Several of these birds spend each winter about a series of sheltered springs which remain open during the entire year and keep the ground soft even in the most severe winter weather. Macorhamphus griseus it, R'azaii and F^muson Rivers and the N ofth- tvest Coast of Hudson Fiiv, 193 images. Appendix I. Chippc7veya>i names of places, 4 pages .\ppendix II. Vocabulary of tvords used by the tribe of inland Eskimos tnhabitiiii^ the banks of Kazan and Ferguson rivers, 9 pages. Appen- dix III. --/'/aw^- (excludve of alg« and fungi). 14 pages. An interesting his- torical sketch, the description of routes travelled in 1894, the physical geography geographical summary and resources of that hitherto almost unknown territory are presented and discussed in an able and interesting, as well as practical and systematic manner, so as to make the report a most useful and indispensable guide to anyone entering the region described. The cuts illustrating this report are most interesting, and include two showing txlensive herds of the Barren-Cj round Caribou on the shore of Carey Lake. Bell, Robert. — Report on the Geology of the Fiench River sheet, Ontario, 29 pages. Describes the Archaean rocks ot the sheet, the Huronian and Laurentian, the greenstones, arkose, clay slates and slate-conglomerates, the Huronian lime- stones ; also the Cambro-Silurian areas included within the sheet, besides a dissertation on the surface geology of the region, closing with a chapter on the Economic Minerals kown to date. A geological map accompanies the report. Low, A. P. — Report of a traverse of the northern part of the Labrador Peninsula from Richmond Gulf to Ungava Bay; o^t, pages. Describes the routes taken and the geographical as well as topographical features of the country, together with an interesting resuine of the various superficial deposits occurring in this region with special reference to the period of glaciation. Mr. Low's report is also accompanied by a map. Baily, L. W. — Report on the geology of South-west A^ova Scotia, 1 54 pages. Contains the following : {a) Physical features and surface deposits, (b) Cambrian System, granites, (c) Silurian, Devonian and associate rocks, (., of equal thickness from one end to the other, and distinctly though obtusely tri- gonous. Viola cuspidata, Greene, Pittonia, vol. Ill, p. 314. (Plate IV and Plate HI, Fig. 5.) Acaulescent, low, at time of petaliferous flowering 3 or 4 inches high ; leaves round-cordate, cucullate, crenate-serrate 1 86 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January veiny and rus^ose, short-hirsute as to the petioles and along the veins beneath, sometimes also on the upper face, and the mar- gins ciliolate ; sepals obtuse, ciliolate from the base to the middle ; corolla about 8 lines long and 9 in breadth, deep blue, the paired petals broad-obovate, abruptly acutish, the odd one nearly equalling those next to it, of oblong-obovate outline, fully expanding; the apex almost truncate but cuspidately pointed in the middle. Very abundant in woods and thickets along the bank of the Rideau River from Billings's Bridge to the C. P. Ry. bridge. Distributed from the herbarium of the Geological Survey as No. 18770. Specimens of this species have also been received from Mr. J. M. Dickson, Hamilton, Ont. Viola affinis, Le Conte. The specimens which are for the present doubtfully referred here were collected under over-hanging banks near the water's edge along the Rideau River above Billings's Bridge. The material collected was not sufficiently complete to allow of satisfactory determination of the species. Viola populifolia, Greene, Pittonia, vol. in, p. 337. Plate III, Fig. 4.) An acaule.scent blue-flowered woodland violet akin to V. cuspidata, but smaller, the petioles of the early leaves densely villous-hirsute, the blade from broad-cordate in the very earliest and smallest to deltoid or deltoid-reniform in those accompany- ing the petaliferous flowers, notably broader than long, both sur- faces but more conspicuously the lower, hirsute-pubescent, especially along the veins ; corollas large, rather light blue, all the petals broad and obtuse, the odd one like the others but a little longer ; sepals of the petaliferous flowers oblong, obtuse, hispidulous below especially the auricles ; apetalous flowers of summer and autumn very .short-peduncled and horizontal or partly buried, but the peduncles slender ; .sepals small, glabrous ; 1899] Report of the Botanical Section. 187 pods triquctrous-ovoid, finely dotted, 4 to 5 lines long; late foli- age nearly glabrous, but rather fleshy. Collected by Mr. J. M. Dickson near Port Flamboro, Ont., May, 1898, and grown by D\ Greene and the writer. The grow- ing plants are very easily distinguished from F. cuspidata to which it is closely related. Included in this paper in order to complete the enumeration of the Ontario species as far as they are known. Ottaw.T, Dec. 1898. REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL SECTION, 1898. In the Botanical Branch there has been more than u-sual activity during the past season. At all the sub-excursions, of which there have been more than in any previous year, of the Club's histor}', the followers of the botanical leaders have always been by far the must numerous. Accounts of these sub-excursions have an-eady appeared in THE Ottawa Naturalist, and need not be referred to here. An unusual advantage to the Club during the past season has b^en the large proportion of the meetings at which Prof. Macoun has been able to be present. Unfortunately Mr. Robert Whyte is still unable to take an active part in the field work of the Club ; but he has been well represented by Miss Marion Wh}te a member of the Council of the Club who has been a constant attendant at the excursions throughout the season. Several additions have been made to the local flora during the year. Since the completion of Prof. Macoun's " Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa" published in The OTTAWA Naturalist eight species of lichens and six of mosses have been added by him to the local list. In September and October Prof Macoun collected over 600 species of fungi in the vicinity of Ottawa. Of these, many were additions to the local flora, a few were new to America though found in Europe and several were new to science. Mr. Percy Saunders also made a special study of fungi »" \S^^}^L 1 88 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January during the autumn months adding several species to the local lists. A critical study of the acaulescent violets of the vicinity was made by Mr. J. M. Macoun, and six species were found to have been included in what has been generally known as Viola cucuUata. Of these, three are new to science, and two had not been before recorded from this region. What has been commonly known as Antcnnaria plan- taginifolia has also been separated into many species by specialists and three of these have been found in the vicinity of Ottawa. Several rare local species were again noted this }'ear by members of the Club. Some of these are now nearly extinct in this district and for that reason it is thought well to draw attention to them. Mention may be made of Aralia quinquefolia found at Beechwood and Claytonia Virginica near the outlet of Dow's Swamp. Two of the rarest plants in this vicinity were again seen — Listera australis at Mer Bleue and Aspidiuni spimilosum var. Braunii at Chelsea, Botrychium Lunaria a very rare fern was found by Mr. J. M. Macoun to be locally abundant on the railway embankment near StittsvlUe and is an addition to the local list. Our botanists do not sufificiently appreciate the usefulness and value of the National Herbarium housed in the Geological Survey Museum. This hcrbariun now contains between 80,000 and 90,000 sheets of specimens which are available for study and reference by any one who cares to utilize them. The Normal School collection of plants has been consider- ably enriched during the year by donations from members of the Club. Prof Macoun has presented 100 sheets of Cryptogams and smaller collections have been presented by Drs. Ami and Fletcher. Members of the botanical section are requested to send in to the leaders any specimens of which they have dupli- cates so that this collection may be as complete as possible in 1899] Bird Notes. i{>9 the species which, grow wild ncai' Ottawa and which thcrcfrirc are more Hkcly to be of value to the Normal School StU'Jcnts than species found in other parts of the Dominion. Another public institution to which reference may again be made is the Botanical Garden and Arboretum at the Central Experimental Farm where there are now growing 2000 species of trees and shrubs and 1200 species of herbaceous perennials. These collections are available for reference by students at all times. The leaders again call the attention of the botanists to the comparatively large proportion of the Ottawa district which has not yet been exhaustively examined and trust that during the coming season the activity shown this year will be continued. I'D. A. Campbell, Leaders:]]. M. Macoun, [r. B. Whyte. ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES.— W. T. Macoun, Editor. I. An Albino Eave Swallow.— By Geo. R. White, Esq., Ottawa. — On September 5th, 1898, I witnessed the flocking up, preparatory to migrating, of large numbers of the Cliff Swallow. The birds were arriving in flocks from all quarters of the com- pass, and by 9 o'clock a.m. there were over a thousand. With them were a few Barn and Bank Swallows with astray Chimney Swift. This large flock kept flying up and down over a large stretch, nearly a mile of marsh land, never remaining in one place more than ten minutes at a time. This performance was kept up all day, and next morning the place was deserted ; only a few odd birds were seen. While watching the movements of the swallows my attention was attracted by a white bird that kept with them. In the afternoon I was enabled after ihree hours' hard work to examine it, an Albino of the Cliff or Eave Swallow Petyoclielido7i Lunifrons. A short description of this specimen and of a full plumed male is as follows : The Albino — Bar across forehead, throat and upper tail coverts with a few odd feathers about head, pale rufous, re- I90 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January mainder of plumage pure white ; bill, black ; feet, pale brown; length, 5 inch ; extend, 12 inches. A male in full plumage would be as follows : Back and top of the head with a spot on the throat, deep lustrous steel blue, that of the crown and back separated by a greyish nuchal collar, frontlet, white or brownish white; shorter upper tail covert, rufous; chin, throat and sides of head, intense rufous, sometimes purplish Chestnut prolonged around the side of the nape ; under parts dull greyish brown with usually a rufous tinge and dusky shaft lines whitening on the belly ; the under tail coverts, grey, whitish edged and tinged with rufous ; wings and tail, blackish with slight gloss ; bill, black ; feet, brown ; tail, nearly square ; length, 5 inches ; extent, 12 inches. One of the earliest notes on this notable swallow is by J. R. Foster, dated 1772. Audubon states he first observed Cliff Swallows in 1 8 1 5. Sir John Franklin found them on his journey from Cumberland House to Fort Enterprise in 1821. Dr. Richardson states that the first appearance of this species at Fort Chippewyan was on June 25th, 1825. Mr. G. A. Boardman states that they were found at St. Stephen, New Brunswick, in 1828. Dr. Brewer notes them at Coventry, Vt., in 1837 In 1 86 1 a large colony was found breeding on the cliffs of Anti- costi. The swallow tribe is so constantly under observation that it is a wonder more instances of albinism have not been noted. Albinos of the following species have been recorded : Cotyle riparia, in the year 1859 ; Slate-coloured Chimney Swift, in 1863 ; Cream-coloured Sand Martin, in 1867; Barn Swallow {Hinindo Horreorum), in 1870; and in Bull. Nutt. Club for 1876, mention is made of albinos of the Purple Martin and Tree Swallow. II. White-Throated Sparrow {Zonotrichia albicolHs). — On the Sth of December, 1898, while at Russell, Ont., Mr. Lees observed a specimen of this bird- It seemed in good spirits notwithstanding the lateness of the season. 1899] • Small— Life Beneath the Waters. 191 III. Robin {Merula Migratorid). — While snow-shoeing in the vicinity ot Billings's Bridge on the 2nd of January, Mr. C. H. Young saw a robin flitting about near a running stream. Having identified the bird he continued his way ; but on the following day in order to convince sceptical members of the Club he shot it. It proved to be a young male bird in fair condition. One of the legs, however, had a swelling at the first joint and was quite stiff, which may have detained him here when his fellows went south. BERMUDA : LIFE BENEATH THE WATERS.* There is probably no part of the globe in which a greater variety or more excellent quality of fish abounds, than in the waters bordering the shores of Bermuda. It is asserted that as many as 168 varieties have been observed there, most conspicu- ous amongst which for its beauty is the " Angel Fish," o\ a cerulean blue, peculiar shape, and at the same time esteemed as a table delicacy, tho' to a naturalist the idea of eating so beauti- ful a creature would be akin to cooking a Bird of Paradise. The " Yellow Tail" is pale azure on the back and pearly white be- low, with broad bands of yellow along each side. The " Spotted Snapper " also carries these yellow bands, but its bod}' is white, fins rosy pink with an oval patch of black on each flank, whilst another variety has yellow fins and scarlet spots. The " Red Snapper," " Bream," " Grunt," " Rockfish," " Mullet," " Porgie," " Gruper," " Sennet," " Hogfish," " Amberfish," besides many others, are daily to be seen as the fishing-boats come in, and are well worthy of notice. The large Aquarium on the Battery in New York City pos- sesses numerous specimens of Bermuda fish, and there is every reason to hope that before long a Biological station may be established on the Bermudas similar to the mstitution now in operation at Wood's Hole Massachusetts, the joint action of which embracing as it would either side of the waters of the •Extract from H. B. Small's " In the Bermudas." 192 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January Gulf Stream and the former getting the wash or outside eddy of the Sargossa Sea, could not fail to materially add to icthyo- logical research. Turtles, though not attaining the large proportions of those in more southern waters are taken of a fair marketable size, and always meet with a ready sale. They are kept in shallow wells or tanks close adjoining tidewater, so that the market may never be glutted with them. The " Green " and the " Hawksbill " are the two commonest species, although occasionally a rare visitant from further south is taken. On a calm day it is not an uncommon sight to observe the skimming flight, if such it can be called, of the graceful little " Flying Fish," whose silvery sides flash in the sunlight like polished metal, but when a shoal of them is followed and attacked by great unsightly grupers (weighing from 12 to 18 pounds), beneath whose thick red lips lies a row cf malicious looKing teeth, there is an activity manifested that excites an in- tense interest in the scene. Hundreds of flashing sparklets of silver flying or skimming hither and thither in all directions, with the swirl caused by their pursuers affords a scene better witnessed than described. I have sat b\' the hour on the rocks frowning along the North Shore on a perfectly calm day watch- ing such a scene, to which the alternaie emerald and opaline tints of the water add an enchantment, til! the eye never wearies of the spectacle. Life under the waters is remarkably active and brilliant along those shores, with coral, sea-fans, sea-rods, sea anemones of all kinds and hues, and large masses of " brain-coral " teeming with life. Castle Harbour and Harrington Sound are the most favourable places for observation. Sea-weeds also of every hue, black, green, red, bronze, pink, yellow, sway gently back and forth, or in the deeper water silently grow in these veritable sea gardens. The Pearl Oyster and Scallop are abundant, and several species of Cytherea or " clams " are available for the table. 1899] Small — Life Beneath the Waters. 193 These waters are also the paradise of the sea urchin {^Echinus) and the great black " Sea Cucumber." {Holothuria.) Crabs are abundant and of several kinds, but attain no size. I failed to find trace of Lobsters or Sea Crawfish. Along the shores, burrowing in the sand, and on the margins of fields near the shore there is a crab, that seems amphibious. It is a nuisance to the planter, as it burrows much like the mole. In instructions to the " Governor of the Bermuda planta- tions," dated 1665, sharks were claimed and to be considered a royalty. Although an occasional shark is caught they are no longer numerous inshore, preferring to have their habitat along the outer boundary reefs. An occasional whale is to be seen off the coast, but is now a rare visitant. Formerly whales were abundant and one of the earliest industries of Bermuda was the whale fishery. In a work published in London in 1613 by one Sylvanus Jourdan, being an account of the " Bermudas now called Sommer's Islands," he says, " there are plenty of whales which come so usually and ordinarily to the shore that we heard them oftentimes in the night abed and I have seen many of them near the shore in the daytime." Only two or three years ago a large whale was captured off the south shore, and was an object of interest for days, the " whale beef" being in great demand. The old trj-ing out furnace and melting house, rudely constructed on a height of land adjoining one of the bays in Warwick parish is still in existence, and could be made use of ag^in if required. In the early instructions to the Governor of the colony, allusion is made to the revenue to be derived from the whale fishery, and from the collection of Ambergris and Spermaceti, but what revenues were ever obtained therefrom do not appear in subse- quent records. In a sequel to Jourdan's first report, he says " there are whales in great store from February until June. * * ***** The Octopus finds a safe retreat in the crevices of the coral, and attains a large size. I saw a sj5ecimen whose tentacles were nearly three feet in length, washed up in a storm, 194 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January and its hideous glaring eye and formidable beak make it a most repulsive object. Owing to the heavy surf beating on broken coral, shells in a perfect state are rare on the shore, the specimens for collection being dredged from among the reefs. H. B. Small. THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. The Eleventh Winter Meeting of the Geological Society of America was held in New York City from December 28th to 30th, 1898. There was a large attendance of fellows, and more papers than could be conveniently read were presented. The Sessions were held in Shermerhorn Hall, Columbia University at Morningside Heights. An address of welcome by President Low of Columbia was followed by Reports of Council and declaration of vote for officers for 1899, which is as follows : — President: B. K. Emerson; Vice-President : G. M. Dawson; Secretary : H. L. Fairchild ; Treasurer : I. C. White ; Editor : J. Stanley Brown ; Librarian: H. P. Gushing, and Council o{ \.)\x&e. The necrology of the late Prof James Hall, well known to many members of theClub,by the retiring President, J. J. Steven- son, was a worthy tribute and memorial to so great an adminis- trator, geologist and palaeontologist. The Presidential address by Prof. J. J. Stevenson was both a useful and practical retrospect in the work of early geologists as well aa a hopeful look forward into the future of" Our Society." The following are some of the papers read and presented to the Society by Canadians. — A Remarkable Landslip on the Riviere Blanche, Portneuf County, Quebec. By Dr. GEORGE M. DAWSON, Ottawa, Ont. In this paper a brief account is given of the landslip that occurred on May 7th, last. It affected the thick deposit of Leda clay that floors this part of the St. Lawrence plain and serves to indicate that a clay of 1899] Geological Society of America. 195 this character may, under certain circumstances for a short time, behave almost as a liquid. This paper which proved most interesting, and instructive, was illustrated with lantern slides. The Iroquois Beach at Toronto and its Fossils. By PROF. A P. COLEMAN, Toronto, Canada, The Iroquois beach north of Lake Ontario, was long ago mapped in outline by Piof. J. W. Spencer, but many details in this shore line remained to be filled in. Near Toronto, two bays are tound, one near Carlton on the west, the other near York on the east, each had an area of several square miles and was cut off from the main lake by a gravel bar like the present Toronto island. Horns of caribou are common in the Carlton bar and teeth of the mammoth have been found in the bar near York. Fresh-water shells of four species, Campeloma d'-cisa the most common, are found in beach gravels of Iroquois age near Reservoir park, Toronto. These are the first fresh- water fossils found without doubt in the Iroquois beach deposits. As the main Pleistocene beaches from Agassiz to Iroquois contain fiesh- water shells, they must have been formed in lakes and not arms of the sea. The numerous marine shell-bearing deposits ot the east of Canada cease before Lake Ontario is reached. Outline of the Geology of Hudson's Bay and Strait. By Dr. ROBERT BELL, Ottawa, Ont. Dr. Bell described the Hudson Bay depression and contrasted the opposite sides of the same. The Archaean formations were described by him and he made general remarks on the nature of their distribution. The Laurtntian, Huionian and associated Ausinikis and Nipigon series. The Galena-Trenton formations as noticed on the Nelson and Churchill in Ungava and Frobisher Bay consisted of some 900 feet of horizontal strata. This was followed by notes on the Silurian of Mans- field Island and the Devonian areas of Southampton Island, the Severn Region, the Missinaibi or James's Bay areas. The highest mountains in Eastern America between 8,000 and 9,000 feet above sea level occur in the North-eastern portion of the Labrador Peninsula. In the interesting discussion which followed Dr. Bell's paper it was brought out that in Amherst College are deposited the collections of Trenton and other palaeozoic fossils from Frobisher Bay. The presence of a species of Triarthriis indicated the occurrence of the Utica formation. Prof C. Schuchert's collection of Trenton ff ssils from Baffinland was stated to be in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington and that Silurian strata are recorded by Kendall from the South shore of the Cumberland Coast in the American Journal of Science. 196 The Ottawa Naturallst. [January The Gold-Bearing Veins of Bag Bay, Western Ontario. By Mr. PETER McKELLAR, Fort William, Ontario, Canada. The object of this paper was to show the peculiarities of the gold- bearing veins in the granite; area of Bi^ Bay, Shoal Lake, west of the Lake of the Woods, Ontario. These veins are characterizea by the smallness of the quartz fissures compared with the quanti y of valuable ore they yield under development. This paper was presented and read by Dr. Bell. Glacial Plienomena in the Yukon Territory. By Mr. J. B. TYRRELL, Geological Survey Deptartment. In this paper the author describes the direction of the glaciation which he noticed darmg the summer of 1898, together with notes on the various glacial deposits met with on Bonanza, Stewart, Eldorado and other creeks in the Yukon District of Canada. Gold Mining in the Klondike District By Mr. J. B. TYRRELL. This paper was illustrated with lantern views from photographs taken by Mr. Tyrrell during the past summer. It gave a most instruc- tive view of the large amount and character of the gold placer mming carried on within Canadian tenitory in the Klondike. Amongst other papers interesting to Canadians were the follow- ing :— Pre-Cambrian Fossiliferous Formations. By the Hon. Cii.ides D. Walcott, Dire-tor of the U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. This paper opened with a description of the pre-Cambrian forma- tions which have yielled traces of life, including the announcement of the discovery of fossils indicating highly organised life in the pre- Cambrian belt terrane of Montana. One of the forms described has a strong resemblance and affinity to certain Silurian Eurypterids. The Faunas of the Upper Ordovician in the Lake Champlain Valley. By Theodore G. White, of Columbia University, New York City. In this paper Dr.White gave the results of a detailed study of the con secutive faunas contained in each stratum at numerous localities through- 1899] Geological Society of America. 197 out the length of the valley. A complete section is afforded from the base of the Black River formation through the Trenton and terminating in the Utica. Species hitherto reported only from Canadian localities are found associated witii those characteristic of the Trenton Falls type- province, showing the Champlain connection of Ordovician seas. Several zones characterized by restricted species are located, and also "conglomeratic zones." The fauna is very abundant and supplies a basis of comparison for similar detail study from other provinces. The occurrence of the Hudson River and Oneida groups in the region is questioned. The repeated statement of many geologists that the Utica of the Lake Champlain Valley is everywhere found lying uncomformably over the Trenton is no doubt based on accurate local observation. It must not be argued however that the Utica is thus related to the Trenton. Dr. T. Sterry Hunt us^d to insist that the Utica and Trenton were not conformable to each other and connected by passage beds. If such be the case in the Lake Champlain region, such a view cannot for a be held in a basia like the Ottawa Palaeozoic Basin. The occurrence, relative abundance or paucity of certain forms at different horizons in the Trenton of the Lake Champlain Valley showed considerable variation as compared with forms found by us in the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Valleys. "Structure of the lola Gas Field, Allen Co., Kansas." By Prof. EDWARD ORTON, Columbus, Ohio. The followmg is the abstract submitted by Prof. Orton, the most eminent authority on " Natural Gas." — Natural Gas is more widely distributed, geologically and geographically, and exists in larger quantity than any one would have claimed twenty or even ten years ago. Its productive horizons cover the entire palaeozoic column of the country. Cities supplied, at least partially, with natural gas for fuel and light are no longer uncommon. Two distinct divisions can be made of gas accumulations, viz. : That which is stored in im- pervious rocks as shales, most limestones, etc , and that which is found xn porous rocks. These divisions maybe provisionally styled Shale gas and Reservoir gas : each having characteristics of its own. Shale gas occurs in comparatively small wells. Its wells lack uniformity of rock pressure. It does not occupy definite horizons; it exists mde- pendently of petroleum in many cases, has staying properties — does not depend on the structural arrangement of the strata that contain it. Reservoir gas is found in great wells ; approaches uniformfty of rock pressure in each subdivision of territory, occupies definite horizons, is accompanied by oil, its wells generally come to a sudden end — is entirely controlled by the structure of the rocks in which it is accumu^ ^^l..'Z7^T\% 198 The Ottawa Naturalist, [January lated. Two structural phases of rocks are specially important in this connection, the a?itidine and the terrace. The time has come for the acknowledgment of structure in reservoir gas fields even in advance of measurements. The lola gas field is one of great promise. Its source IS in a sandstone of the Cherokee Shales, or near the bottom of the Coal Measures. It proves to be a terrace of well marked character. For seven miles the top of the gas rock has an elevation of 131 feet above tide, rising at no point more than 45 feet above this. At this summit, the largest well of the field is located. One feature brought out in this paper is the great value of natural gas as a fuel. Prof. Orion argues strongly in favour of legislation in order to compel, if possible, the use of natural gas only as a fuel for family or domestic purposes. He considers it-too valuable an element altogether to be employed in the baser uses for manufactures. The Mica Industry of the United States, New Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, and North Carolina. By Prof. VV. H. Holmes, presented his paper which gave a great deal of valuable information on the mode of occurrence of this important industry. The Newark System in New York and New Jersey— By Prof. Henry B. Kiimmel, of Chicago, described a series of strata which are contemporaneous and probably similar in origin to the so-called " New Red " and " Triassic Sandstone" of the Minas Basin, Cornwallis and Annapolis valleys, and elsewhere in the province of Nova Scotia and in Prince Edward Island. Even the intrusive and extrusive trap sheets so characteristic of the New York and New Jersey series in the Newark system also occur in Nova Scotia, especially in the North Mountain region of Kings and Annapolis Counties and in Cumberland and Colchester counties as well. The Archaean-Potsdam contact in the vicinity of Manitou, Colorado, By Prof. W. O. CROSBY, of Boston, was of special intesest to Cana- dians. The peneplain mentioned by Prof. Crosby, in early times may apply to the region he describes in Colorado, but not in Eastern Ontario or Western Quebec, in Canida, where the underlying rocks of Laurentian and Huronian age are deeply cut and furrowed to hundreds of feet prior to deposition of the i-'otsdam. The question may be asked : Are the so-called Potsdam rocks of Manitou truly equivalents of the Potsdam of New York State and Canada ? H. M. Ami. 1 899] 199 FIRST WINTER SOIREE. The first winter meeting of the Ottawa Ficld-Naturalists's Club was held in the Y.M.C.A. Lecture Hall, December 14th. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President, Prof John Macoun, delivered the Inaugural address. This addiess was almost wholly of a reminiscent nature. It was shown that from a very small beginning the Club had grown from year to year until it had become one of the most important institutions of its kind in Canada. Though the progress from year to year had not been great and it sometimes seemed that no progress was being made, one had only to compare what had been done in the early years of the Club's existence with what was being done now to realize that through its stimulating influence interest in natural science in all its branches had each year increased. The membership of the Club showed this. While the original members had continued their work with unabated energy, new members had been almost equally active. The publication of local lists and notes was in the opinion of Prof Macoun the most important work that had been done by the Club. By this means all that was worth preserving of each member's work had been put in an easily accessible form and was available for study and reference. In concluding his address. Prof Macoun emphasized the fact that the young men and women of to-day spent too much of their time in an unpro- fitable way, and made an earnest appeal to the members of the Club to do all in their, power to increase the interest that was already felt in its work. A paper was read on "Some Local Violets," by Mr. J. M. Macoun, and the report of the Botanical Branch by Mr. D. A. Campbell. These are published in this number of The Natukallst. Dr. Jas. Fletcher gave an interesting account of a monstrous specimen of Trilliuvi grandifloTiun with green blotched flowers and long petioles collected by Mrs. Chamber- lain at Lakefield and figured in The OTTAWA NATURALIST for June, 1896. The root upon which ihe figured flower was 200 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January grown has been cultivated at the Experimental Farm and has gradually reverted towards the typical form ; the only variation last year being a narrow green stripe down the middle of each petal. A photograph of this Trillium was exhibited by Dr. Fletcher, and specimens and photographs of monstrous Trillia from other parts of Ontario were shown by the Curator of the herbarium of the Geological Survey. NOTES, REVIEWS AND COMMENTS. Transactions of the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society, No. I. Press of E. J. Reynolds, 127 Sparks Street, Ottawa, 1898. This volume of 87 pages contains, besides a brief introductory and historical sketch of the society by the president, the following papers : The Name of Ottawa, by B. Suite, pp. 21-23 ; The Violinist, by Archibald Lampman, pp. 24-26 ; Place Names of Canada, by George Johnson, F.S.S., Dominion Statistician, pp. 27-62 ; The Fur-Seal of the North Pacific, by James Melville Macoun, Esq., Assistant Naturalist to the Geological Survey of Canada, pp. 63-74 ; " The Yukon and its Gold Resources'' by William Ogilvie, Esq., D.L.S., &c., &., pp. 75-78, together with a Meteorological Chart Record for 1887—88, 1895, 1896 and 1897 (Partim). " Utilisation of Moss Land," by Thomas MacFarlane, F.R.S.C. pp. 79-87. The above papers are all of interest and value. As in former years, the members of the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society who read papers in Ottawa or elsewhere are invited to publish them in The Ottawa Naturalist. 1899] Notes, Reviews and Comments. 201 BOOK REVIEW. Elementary Botany, by George F. Atkinson, Ph.B., Professor of Botany, Cornell University, 444 pages, illustrated; published by Henry Holt & Co., New York. Elementary Botany of to-day is vastly different from that of ten or fifteen years ago. This is largely due to the changed methods of presenting to the student the rudiments of botany. The old method introduced the pupil to the technicalities of systematic botany by way of the arbitrary rulings of the Manual. If he enjoyed puzzles of that kind he specialized in botany and the natural sciences and eventually obtained his reward by seeing the relationship of plants in a broad and comprehensive way ; but if these analogies had been first observed it is probable that the "analysis" of the flower would not have appeared so tire- some. This work presented to the public generally, but to teach- ers particularly, marks an important step in the new direction. This newer method is, in the words of the author, "to study first some of the life processes of plants, especially those which illus- trate the fundamental principles of nutrition, assimilation, growth and irritability. In studying each one of these topics, plants are chosen so far as possible from several of the great groups. Members of the lower as well as of the higher plants are em- ployed, in order to show that the process is fundamentally the same in all plants In this way the mind is centred on this process and the discovery of the pupil that it is funda- mentally the same in such widely different plants, arouses a keen interest not only in the plants themselves, but in the method which attends the discovery of this general principle." The volumn is divided into three parts. Part i is devoted to the life processes of the plant absorption, transpiration respiration, nutrition and the like. Part 2 discusses the morphology of the plant and the relationships of different families. Part 3, perhaps the most interesting section of the book, is devoted to Ecology or the study of plants in their mutual and environmental relationships. The author fitly points out 202 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January that "by a study of the hfe histories of plants and their habits of behavior under different conditions of environment, we shall broaden our concept of nature and cultivate our aBsthetic. observational and reasoning faculties." How much more im- portant this is to the student than to be possessed of a few stray and disconnected facts of natural history ! Ecolog^y means study in the field and is the kind of valuable nature study work so heartily and ably encouraged and fostered by The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club and the Natural History Society of Montreal Atkinson's Elementary Botain- will be of great value to High School Teachers and to Teachers in Collegiate Institutes. It inspires the student by presenting the attractive features first and trains his mind in logical methods of induction, which, as the author observes, is of vast importance in its mfluence upon the character of the pupil. The book is well printed, beautifully illustrated and substantially bound. J. C. Whiteaves, J. F. — Contributions to Canadian Paloeontology, Vol. 1, Part V. 7. On some additional or imperfectly understood fossils from the Hamilton formation of Ontario » with a revised list of the species therefrom," pp. 362-436. Plates XLVIH to L, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, 1898. This paUeontological report brings our literature and infor- mation on the Hamilton formation of Ontario up to date. So many radical changes have been deemed necessary in the classifi- cation and nomenclature of palaeontology of late that the revised " list" given by Mr. Whiteaves, pp. 412 — 418 of this, the 659th contribution or publication of the Geological Survey Departments will prove of great value to all working geologists and palaeon- tologists. A resume of the vaiious orders and families repre- sented in the Hamilton formation of C'anada include the following : — 1899] Notes, Reviews and Comments. 203 SpongijB Alcyonaria Zoantharia Rugosa . Zoanlharia Tabulata Hydroida Crinoidea Blastoidea Asteroidea Vermes Polyz )a Brachiopoda Pelecypoda Gasteropoda Pteropoda Cephalopoda .... Ostracoda Phyllopoda Trilobita Pisces Genera, Species. 2 (?) 4 2 2 1 1 18 7 16 3 4 9 II 6 6 I I 7 14 22 40 35 61 35 61 6 13 3 3 4 8 3 4 I I 3 4 3 (?) 3(?) 141 225 It will thus be seen that from the Hamilton formation of Ontario there are no less than 225 species already reported upon in Canada, showing how varied the life was in those earl)' seas. Comparing these results with those obtained in New York State across lakes Ontario and Erie, it can be readily seen that a great deal has already been done in Canada, also that future years will no doubt reveal a large amount of material as yet unrecorded in Canada. The remarkable similarity in the succession of life-zones in the Hamilton formation of Canada and New York State has been pointed out by Prof. H. S. Williams, now of Yale, and shows that no barrier existed in the Devonian times in the Ontario-New York Basin to prevent free migration of forms to and fro. An interesting point to ascertain at present in the province of Quebec is to what extent the various life-zones of the Devonian of that province correspond with those of Ontario or of New York State ; also the extent and distribution of the various geological formations of the province of Quebec in Devonian times, — H. M. A. * 204 The Ottawa Naturalist. January THE LATE PROF. H. ALLEYNE NICHOLSON. H. Alleyne Nicholson, M. D., D. Sc, F.R.S.E., F.G.S.,"etc., etc., Re.s^ius professor of Natural History of the University of Aberdeen, S(. Andrews, Scotland, died on January 19th, 1899 in his 55th year. He was born at Penrith, Scotland, September nth, 1844, and educated at Appleby Grammar School, later at Gottina:en and Edinburgh University. In 1869 he was appointed lecturer on Natural History in his own Alma Mater, Edinburgh, but two years later, 1871, accepted the offer made him by the Senate of the University of Toronto of the Chair of Natural History. During his stay in Canada from 1871 to 1874, he took a foremost part in advancing the study of Natural Science, including zoology and palaeontology. In 1873 R'"- Nicholson finished his first volume of the " Repott upon the Palae- ontology of the Province of Ontario,'^ 130 pp., 8 plates, Toronto 1874, which embraced descriptions and figures of the organic remains of the Devonian formations of Western Ontario. The more typical Devonian fossils which Dr. Nicholson had collected, by the liberality of the Legislature, were placed in the Museum of the " College of Technology" Toronto, in 1S73. The Second ^^ Report upon the Palaeontology of the i r ovine e of Ontario, ^^ printed by order of the Legislative Assembly, contains 96 pages of text]and 4 plates of figures illustrating new or rare species of Palaeozoic fossils from Ontario. These two volumes have been of great value to students of (ieology and Palaeontology in Canada ever since. From Toronto, he went to the Durham Univ- CoUeges of Physical Science, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and from 1877 to 1882 and again from 1890 to 1894 was lecturer on Geology at the British Museum, London, and subse- quently became regius professor of Natural History at the University of Aberdeen St Andrews. His "Manuals of Palaeontology and Zoology " for students, "Tabulate Corals," " Monograph of British Graptolites," Monograph of British Stromatoporoids" are among his best known and principal works of reference. Dr. Nicholson also wrote " Text-book of Geology " for Schools and Colleges, 266 pages. New York, 1872 ; and general papers on Geology, Palaeontology and mining in Ontario published in the fournals of the Geological Society of London, of the Canadian Institute, Toronto, Geological Magazine and other publications. He was one of the best known and hard working palaeontologists. He will be greatly missed by all of us here in Canada, who knew him and with whom he was carrying on cor- respondence and assisting in so many ways to elucidate points of structure in Canadian fossils. H. M. Ami. \ THE OTTAWA NATURALIST, VOL. XII. PLATE I. Fig. 1, VIOLA MACOUNII. Fig. 2. VIOLA VENUSTULA. (a.) Leaves and Fruit, (b ) Flower. (c.) Flower, (cl.) Fruit. THE OTTAWA NATURALIST, VOL. XH. PLATE II. THEd. HdLM, DEL. Fig. 3. VIOLA SEPTENTRIONALIS. Flower. Fruit. THE OTTAWA NATURALIST, VOL. XII. PLATE III. C*'JiSp< Nicholson. 1875. Rep. Palasont. Prov. On- tario, p. J"]. " gig(^^(?)> Rominger. 1876. Geol. Surv. Michigan, Fossil Corals, p. 128, pi. xxxvil, fig. 4. " billingsi, Calvin. 1893. Amer. Geologist, vol. XII, p. Ill, pi. VI, figs. I and 2. Corallum composite, large, discoidal, more or less convex above, rather flat below, formed of slightly divergent, confluent, polygonal corallites, from about 2 to over 4 cent, in diameter, that increase by marginal calicinal gemmation from a central basal beginning ; attaining a breadth of over 40 cent, and a height of nearly 12 cent. Basal surface covered by a concentri- cally wrinkled epitheca. Corallites not bounded by a wall, their septa meeting and becoming confluent with those of the neigh- bouring corallites; opening on the upper surface in calyces having a broadly convex, exsert reflexed circular rim surrounding a deep, steep-sided pit measuring from about 8 to 10 mm. in diameter and 4 or 5 mm. deep. Septa well developed, numbering from about forty to sixty, of two alternating sizes, the larger reaching the centre and becoming somewhat twisted, or falling short of it, the smaller not extending beyond the sides of the central pit ; they are decorated on their sides by arched carinse curving upward and inward and appearing on their free edges in the central pit and reflexed calicinal margins as small transverse denticulations. Tabulae, forming a narrow axial area, at times well developed, flat at the centre, turned down at the edge, the primary septa passing over them to the centre as carinae, at 250 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March other times interfered with by the septal ends which cut into them and destroy their horizontal continuity giving them more the character of dissepiments than of tabuhie. Dissepiments filling the interseptal spaces and curving upward and outward in regular order, those in the peripheral region being gener- ally larger than those nearer the centre ; they are pierced at their junction with each other by oval or circular pore-openings forming a uniserial row midway between the septa. Locality and formation. — Corniferous formation of Ontario. Phillif'Sa.str^.a Verneuili, Milne-Edwards and Haime. Phillipsastrea Verneuili, Milne-Edwards and Haime. 185 1. Polyp. Foss. Terr. Palaioz., p. 447, pi. 10, fig. 5 " Verneuili, Billings. 1859. Canad. Journ., vol. IV, new series, p. 127, fig. 24. Phillipsastrcza Verneuili, Rominger. 1876. Geol. Surv. Michigan, Fossil Corals, p. 127, pi. xxxvill, fig. 2. Phillipsastrea affinis, Billings. 1874 Geol. Surv. Canada, Palaeoz. Fossils, vol. II, pt. I, p. II. Phillipsastrea Verneuili, Nicholson. 1875. Rep. Palasont. Prov. Ontario, p. 78. Corallum forming large discoidal masses over 30 cent, broad and 8 cent, thick or high, upper surface flat, lower surface irreg- ular, strongly marked by concentric foldings or wrinkles of growth and covered by an epitheca. Septa numbering from about thirty to forty-six Corallites varying in diameter from 10 to 16 mm. Central pit of the calices from 3 to 5 mm. in diameter. In no particular does this species differ from P. Billingsi except in the smaller size of its corallites and in a diminution in the number of the septa. In transverse sections and in weathered specimens it is observed that a single row of pore-openings occurs between each pair of septa, the pores piercing the dissepiments where they rest on each other, the distance apart of the pores in a single row thus depending on the size of the dissepiments. This pore structure which 1899J Lambe — Canadian Paleozoic Corals. 251 appears not to have been noticed previously in species of this genus and which is well shewn in some specimens of P. Billingsi in the collection is apparently somewhat analagous to that which is seen in some species of the genus Arachnophyllum. Locality and formation. — Corniferous formation of Ontario ; Indian Cove, Gasp^, in the Gasp^ limestone, No. 8 (Oriskany formation), collected by R. Bell in 1862 ; also three loose speci- mens from the Devonian area south of Hudson Bay, collected by R, Bell in 1877 at Long Portage, Missinaibi River to Moose Factory. Of the Long Portage specimens onfe has corallites of average size but the other two have corallites and calicinal pits that are considerably larger than those of specimens usually assigned to this species ard approach in size those of the smalle^ forms of P. Billingsi. Measurements taken from the two last mentioned specimens give the following results — diameter of calyces from 17 to 20 mm., diameter of central pits 6 or 7 mm. In all three specimens the septa number from about forty to forty-four and the pore-openings can be detected in natural transverse sections. Mr. Whiteaves records* the occurrence of this species in the Hamilton formation on the authority of Mr. Schuchert who collected a good specimen of it at Bartlett's Mills in 1895, Chonophyllum nymphale, Billings, sp. CyatJiophylluni nymphale, Billings. 1862. Geol. Surv. Canada, Palseoz. Fossils, vol. I, p. ill. Corallum simple, short, broadly expanded, cincave on the lower surface, convex above ; dimensions of the type and only specimen known, height at centre 4 cent., breadth about 9 cent. Basal surface apparently provided with an epitheca. Calyx shallow, convex at the centre, with broadly expanding reflexed margins exhibiting about eighty low, rounded septal ribs that increase in breadth outwardly. In a radial section a central area about I cent, in breadth, is disclosed ; it is made up of small slightly convex plates arching upward and inward so as to form *Geol. Surv. Canada, Contr. Canad. Palasont., vol. I, pt. v, p. 365. 252 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March an axial vesicular mass whose surface appears in the calyx as a rounded protuberance. Surrounding the central area is a broad vesicular zone in which can be detected the gradual growth up- ward of the corallum by the superposition of vesicular layers, 2 or 3 mm. in thickness, each layer terminating above in a thin covering of flexuous, continuous laminre representing the position of the surface of previous calyces. The convex plates compos- ing the vesicular layers are small, generally i mm. or less in length. The septa, starting at the confines of the centra! vescular area, radiate outward as thin vertical laminae and disappear in the peripheral region ; they are represented on the calicular surface by the gradually broadening superficial convex ribs that are connected with each other laterally. In tangential sections at the margin of the calicular expansions the cut edges of the septal ribs, here about 3 mm. in breadth, appear as horizontal con- tinuous parallel wavy lines. What appear to be septal carini© or possibly structures analogous to the supporting processes of the septal laminae as developed in some species of the genus are seen in the radial section of the corallum. Locality and formation. — Anse k la Vieille, Bale des Chaleurs, one specimen collected by Sir W. E. Logan in 1843 ; Lower Helderberg formation. Zaphrentis gigantea, Lesueur, sp. Caryophyllia gigantea, Lesueur. 1820. Mem. du Mus., t. VI, p. 296. Zaphrentis gigantea,y[\\x\Q-Y.di\N^x^s?iX\AW^\ri\t. 185 1. Polyp. Foss. Terr. Palaeoz., p. 340, pi. IV, figs, i, la-c. " gigantea, Billings. 1859. Canad. Journ., vol. iv, new series, p. 121, " gigantea, Nicholson, 1874. Rep. Palaeont.. Prov. Ontario, p. 22, pi. iii, figs, i, la. Eriphyle, Billings. 1875. Canad. Nat. and Geol., vol. VII, 2nd. series, p. 233. " Hecuba, Billings. 1875. Ibid, p. 234. * " gigantea, Rominger. 1876. Geol. Surv. Michigan, Fossil Corals, p. 145, pi, lii. 1898] La.mbe — Canadian' Palaeozoic Corals. 253 " Polypier cylindro-conique, tres-long-, a bourrelets d'accrois- sement larges et peu saillants ; fossette septale proportionnelle- ment un peu petite, situ^e tres-pres dc la muraille ; au moins 70 cloisons egales, minces, arrivant sur la partie superieure dcs planchcrs jusqu' a une petite distance du centre, ou elles sont l^gerement flexueuses ; un egal nombrc de cloisons rudimen- taires ; planchers tres-grands, envahissant les loges intercloison- naires, ou Ton ne voit pas de traverses vesiculeuses independantes, et lisses en dessous dans une grandc etendue. La longueur est frequemmeni de 40 a 50 centimetres ou mc-me plus, le diametre du calice de 7 ou 8" (Milne-Edwards and Haime). The description given by Rominger of this species is a thorough and accurate one and makes allowance for the varia- tions that exist in this species in common with most other species; it appears in the following words : — " Conico-cylindrical, horn- shaped polyparia, attaining in some specimens a size of two and a half feet in length, by a diameter of three inches. Some enlarge their diameter rapidly to a certain thickness, and then grow on in a uniformly cylindrical shape ; others are in the young state, slender, flexuose, and irregularly constricted stems, and grow gradually to larger diameters. The surface of the polyparia is covered by an epitheca with shallow annular wrinkles of growth and longitudinally ribbed by septal striae, which, however, are not in all specimens equally distinct. Calyces spacious, with erect walls, and acute, wedge-like margins ; bottom broad, mar- ginally depressed and flat in the centre. In one place of the circumference the diaphragms are more deeply depressed by a septal fovea. Radial lamellae stout, linear, alternately long and short, but appearing nearly equal on the margins of the calyces, where the sharp crested leaves of the inside expand into low rounded rugae. The extension of the radial crests toward the centre is subject to variations ; in some the central part of the diaphragms remains smooth, and the crests are confined to their peripheral circumference ; in others the crests reach as low carinae to the centre and become irregularly entangled in their convergence, but thc5e-e«vt4:^portions of the crests are merely I 254 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March superficial, and do not intersect the diaphragms to form con- tinuous vertical leaves. The number of lamellee in calyces of about two and a half inches diameter is 150 to 160, half of which are of the smaller size. Found in the upper Helderberg limestones of Michigan, Canada, Ohio, and in the Western States." Locality and formation. — At Rama's farm, Cayuga, and at other localities in Ontario ; Corniferous formation. Zaphrentis Minas, Dawson. Zaphrentis Minas, pars, Dawson. 1868. Acadian Geology, second edition, p. 286 (small specimens,) fig. 84a. Corallum simple, turbinate, small, slightly curved, about twice as long as broad, pointed below and obscurely marked transversely by low accretion ridges. Epitheca complete, with distinct longi- tudinal septal furrows and fine, close-set, transverse growth lines shewing on the surface. Calyx deep, with thin vertical walls and a moderately flat bottom, the depth equal to more than one-half the width. Tabulse rather irregular, crossing from side to side, with minor incomplete tabulae at times resting on the principal ones Septa, from about sixty-five to seventy-five in number, alternately long and short, the long ones passing to the centre, the remainder only about i mm. in length ; on the walls of the calyx the primaries are reduced to thin sharp edged ridges and the secondaries become almost obsolete, Fossette of moderate depth, extending outward to the wall on the flat or concave side of the coral. The figure accompanying the original description does not convey a correct idea of the depth and forin of the calyx ; the specimen from which the drawing was evidently made is 40 mm in length along the convex curve, about 23 mm. in maximum breadth near the top and the calyx, as seen in a longitudinal section of the corallum, is about 12 mm. deep. Locality and formation. — West River, Pictou, N.S., collected by Professor How ; lower Carboniferous formation. Two small specimens and the basal extremity of a third the property of the Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal. 1899] Lambe — Canadian Paleozoic Corals. 255 This species is very closely related to if not identical with Zaphrentis Enniskilleni, Milne-Edwards and Haime (Brit. Foss. Corals, p. 170, pi. XXXIV, fig. i) of the Carboniferous limestone of the north-west of Ireland. Zaphrentis mirabilis, Billings, sp. Amplexus mirabilis, Billings. 1875. Canad. Nat. and Geol., vol. VII, 2nd. series, p. 232. Zaphrentis i?ivenusta, Billings. 1875. Ibid, p. 233. " Egeria, Billings, pars. 1875. Ibid, p. 234 (the third specimen mentioned in the description). " subrecta, Billings. 1875 Ibid, p. 235. " Leda, Billings. M.S.S. Original description. — " Corallum sometimes abruptly curved in different directions, expanding to a width of from fifteen to twenty lines in a length of four or five inches from the base ; above which it becomes more nearly cylindrical. Surface with fine engirdling strise, in general four or five in the width of two lines, but in some places the same number occur in the width of one line. There are also numerous angular rings of growth, distant from two to fifteen lines from each other, with sub-concave spaces between. Septal costae rounded, distinctly defined by sharp striae between them, seven or eight in the width of three lines near the base, and four or five in the same near the calice. There are about forty large septa at the calice, where the diameter is about eighteen lines, with the same number of small ones between them. The larger have a depth of three or four lines and the smaller one line. All of the septa are more or less curved, sometimes very tortuous. The tabulae have not been observed." " The above description was drawn up from a specimen, eleven inches in length, measured along all the curves. It is fifteen lines in diameter at fiv3 inches from the base, and about eighteen lines at the cup. The septal costae are very distinctly defined at the base but become more flattened and obscure up- 256 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March wards. In external characters it resembles A exilis, but the much greater development of the septa distinguishes it there- from." This species is regarded as belonging to the genus Zaphrentis on account of its well developed septa : it appears to differ from Z. gigantea, Lesueur principally m being more slender, in having fewer septa and also in being typically more strongly annulated. In the type specimen a longitudinal section through the cup shews complete, slightly concave tabulse stretching across the visceral chamber from wall to wall and abruptly turned down at their edges. Z. invenusta, Z. Egeria, and Z. subrecta are believed to be identical with Z. uiirabilis.-Axxdi to the same species are assigned a number of specimens in the collection that possess the slender form and the comparatively few septa that are characteristic of the species. Using the type specimen as a basis Z. mirabilis may be described as follows — Corallum simple, long, cylindrical, slender, pointed at the base, generally curved or variously twisted, ending above in a moderately deep cup with thin vertical side walls and a flat or slightly undulating bottom ; reaching a length of 30 cent, or more and apparently not exceeding between four and five cent, in dia- meter. Septa of two sizes, alternating, the primaries somewhat flexuous, reaching generally rather mo e than half way to the centre, the secondaries somewhat variable in their length being in different specimens from less than one-third to about three- fourths as long as the primaries ; numbering in all from about sixty to one hundred. On the surface of the corallum the posi- tion of the outer ends of the septa is indicated by distinct, shallow, longitudinal furrows. Tabular complete, numerous, flat or undulating, turned down at their edges. A small septal fovea is generally discernable near the lateral margin to one side of the convex curve. Locality and formation, — Corniferous formation of Ontario. 1899] Lambe — Canadian Paleozoic Corals. 257 Cystiphyllum vesiculosum, Goldfuss, sp. Cyathophyllum vesiculosum, Goldfuss. 1826. Petref. Germ., vol. I, p. 58, pi. XVII, figs. 5a-e, and pi. xviii, figs. la-d. Cystiphyllum cylindricum, Hall. 1843. Geol. New York, pt. IV, p. 209, figs. I, 2. Non Lonsdale. " vesiculosum, Milne-Edwards and Haime. 185 1. Polyp. Foss. Terr. Palseoz., p, 462 ; and 1853, Brit, Foss. Corals, p. 243, pi. LVI, figs, i, la, ib. " Americanum, Milne-Edwards and Haime. 1851. Polyp. Foss. Terr. Palseoz., p. 464, pi. 13, figs. 4,4a. " Senecaense, Billings. 1859. Canad. Journ., vol. IV, new series, p. 137. " grande? ^\\\\x\^->. 1859. Ibid, p. 138. " Americanum, Billings. 1859. Ibid, p. 139. " Americaniim^^\c\\o\?>ox\. 1874. Rep. Palaeont. Prov. Ontario, p. '^^6, pi. VI, fig. 8 ; and C. vesiculo- sum, Nicholson, 1874, ibid, p. n, fig. 8. " superbum, Nicholson. 1875. Palseont. Prov. On- tario, p. 73, pi. I, fig. I. " Amer-icanum, Rominger. 1876. Geol. Surv. Michi- gan, Fossil Corals, p. 137, pi. L, upper row and right-hand half of lower row. Americamnn, Hall. 1876. Illustr. Devonian Fossils, pi. XXVIII, figs. 1-7. Corallum simple, varying from turbinate to conico-cylindri- cal, pointed at the base, straight or curved, flexuous or gcnicu- lated, sometimes long and slender, at other times comparatively short and thick. Annulated by growth expansions and con- strictions, in some specimens much more pronounced than in others, frequently contracted at the calicular end. Epitheca complete, thin, shewing minor rings of growth, the whole marked by fine transverse lines of which, in well preserved specimens, as many as twenty-four can be counted in a space of 2 mm : faint 258 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March longitudinal indications of linear septal markings are also not unfrequently developed. Calyx of variable depth, in short, tur- binate coralla comparatively shallow, often with broad margins, in more cylindrical forms generally somewhat deeper in pro- portion to the diameter and with steeper sides. Surface of calyx blistered and often marked radially by interrupted, more or less distinct, superficial septal ridges. Inner structure entirely vesi- culose, composed of convex blister-like plates resting on each other and directed obliquely outward and upward to the peri- phery ; at the centre of the visceral chamber the vesicles are more nearly horizontal and as a rule larger than the others. This species is very variable in shape and size, sometimes in the stout, short forms reaching a diameter of over 10 cent, with a length of about 27 cent, in the slender forms an equal length may be attained' with a thickness of only 3 or 4 cent. In his description of C. Senecaense Billings mentions a variation in length of from three inches to two feet with a diameter of three- quarters of an inch to one inch and a half The same authority in referring to the size of C. grande says " There are fragments of this species in the collection of the Geological Survey of Canada, five inches in diameter ; and one specimen, still lying in the rock, is known which is three feet long." Examples of twin corallites with a common epitheca are not uncommon. Locality and formation. — Abundant in the Corniferous and Hamilton formations of Ontario. 1 1 899] 259 NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF KING'S CO., NOVA SCOTIA.— Part III. By HarciLd Tufts, Esq., Wolfville, Kind's Co., N.S. Progne subis (Linn.), Purple Martin. One was seen at Windsor, Hants Co., August i8th, 1898, and as this was only at the distance of some four miles from the boundary of Kings Co., I feel justified in including it under the present list, as no doubt it has also appeared in this county. Petrochelidon lunifrons {Say), Cliff Swallow. Common summer resident. Chelidon erythrogaster {Bodd.), Barn Swallow. Common summer resident. This species is the last to arrive in spring, but is also the last to depart in the fall, speci- mens being seen as late as Sept. 28th, 1897, several weeks after the other species had gone south. Tachycineta bicolor ( Vieill), Tree Swallow. Common from the last of April to September, Clivicola riparia {Linn.), Bank Swallow. A^n abundant summer resident. Ampelis cedrorum ( Vieill.), Cedar Waxwing. Fairly common from June to September. One was taken here about the first of January, 1896. Lanius borealis ( Vieill.), Northern Shrike. Rather an uncommon migrant. Sometimes a winter resi- dent. Vireo olivaceus {Litm.), Red-eyed Vireo. A common summer resident. Vireo solitarius ( Wils.), Blue-headed Vireo. Fairly common from May 15th to October. Mniotilta varia (Linn.), Black and White Warbler. Fairly common summer resident. A nest containing four eggs was taken June 3rd, 1896 ; it was placed in a cavity at the 26o The Ottawa Naturalist. [March base of a rotten stump and was composed of fine grasses and bark fibres. Helminthophila ruficapilla ( fVt'/s.), Nashville Warbler. A rather uncommon summer resident. Compsothlypis americana (Linn.), Parula Warbler. A fairly common summer resident. Dendroica aestiva {G?tie^.). Yellow Warbler. A common summer resident. Dendroica coronata {Li>in.), Myrtle Warbler. They arrive here some seasons as early as April 20th, three weeks ahead of the other warblers. The nest is usually placed in a small spruce or fir, near the trunk and is lined with feathers so placed as to curl over the nest, thus protecting the contents during the birds' absence. A set of eggs from this locality is now in the Government Museum at Ottawa. Deridroica maculosa {Gmel.), Magnolta Warbler. A fairly common summer resident. A nest taken last June was placed in a small spruce bush a foot or two above the ground, and was composed of grasses and hairs. The four eggs which it contained are now in the Government Museum at Ottawa. Dendroica pensylvanica {Litm.), Chestnut-sided Warbler. A rather uncommon summer resident. Dendroica striata (Fors/.), Black-poll Warbler. Rather rare. Dendroica virens {Gmel.)^ Black-throated Green Warbler. An abundant summer resident. A set of eggs from this locality is now in the Government Museum at Ottawa. Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea Ridgtv., Yellow Palm Warbler. A rather uncommon migrant. Seiurus aurocapillus {Linn.), Oven bird. A fairly common summer resident. 1 899] Tufts — Birds of King's Co., N.S. 261 Seiurus noveboracensis {GmeL), Water Thrush. Fairly common summer resident. Geothlypis trichas {Linn.), Maryland Yellow-throat. A common summer resident. Sylvania pusilla (IVi/s.), Wilson's Wakbler. An uncommon summer resident. Sylvania canadensis {Lmn.), Canadlan Warbler. A rather uncommon summer resident. Setophaga ruticilla {Lmn.), American Redstart. An abundant summer resident. A set of eggs from this locality is now in the Government Museum at Ottawa. Anthus pensylvanicus (Lath.), Titlark. Abundant on the Grand Pre during the migrations. Galeoscoptes carolinensis {Linn.), Caibird. A fairly common summer resident. Troglodytes hyemalis ( F/^/7/), Winter Wren. Not very common. Certhia familiaris americana {Bonap.\, l!rowN Creeper. Resident in small numljers throughout the year. Sitta carolinensis (Lath.), Whitk-bueasikd Nuthatch. Resident except in mid-winter. Sitta canadensis Linn. Red-breasted Nuthatch. Resident throughout the jear. Parus atricapillus (Linn.), Chickadee. Abundant throughout the year. A set of eggs taken in Gaspereau is now in the Government Museum at Ottawa. Parus hudsonicus {Forst.), Hudsonian Chickadee Common throughout the year but especially in winter. A set of eggs from this locality is now in the Government Museum at Ottawa. Regulus satrapa {Licht.), Goldln-ckowned Kinglet. Common throughout the year. 262 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March Regulus calendula {Lifin.). Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Much less common than the preceding species. Turdus fuscescens {Steph\ Wilson's Thrush. A fairly common summer resident. Turdus ustulatus swainsonii {Cab.) Olive-backed thrush. Not very common. Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii [Cab.), Hermit Thrush. A fairly common summer resident. Merula migratoria {Linn.), Robin. Abundant from April ist to November, and a few are sometimes observed in winter. The f tllowing species were accidently omitted, or have been observed since. In their proper order they belong in the first paper, on the Water Birds. Urinator lumnie {Gunn.), Red-throated Loon. Transient visitant. Larus delawarensis Ord. Ring-billed Gull. Common in Minas Basin during the spring migration. Anas boschas {Linn.), Mallard. Rare migrant. Charitonetta albeola (Linn.), Bufflehead. Transient visitant. Observed in Minas Basin. Clangula hyemalis {Litin), Old Squaw. Transient visitant in Minas Basin. 1 1889] 263 ANALYSES OF ICE FROM THE OTTAWA DISTRICT. By R. F. RUTTAN, B.A., M.D., CM., Professor of Chemistry, McGill Medical College, Montreal, Que. The following notes obtained in the analyses of three samples of ice sent me from the Ottawa District marked respectively: I, II and III, may not be uninteresting to the readers of The Ottawa Naturalist and are herein sub- mitted as recorded at the Chemical Labratories, McGill College, Montreal, January 7th, 1893.. Sample i. — From the Gatineau River above Roman Catholic Church. Sample 2. — From Gilmour's Point, Ottawa River, Quebec side. Sample 3. — -Above Chaudiere Falls, Ottawa River, 500 feet from shore, Ontario side. Appended to this note will be found the tabulated results of the analyses. In general terms, I may say, that all three samples are perfectly wholesome and may be used with safety for domestic purposes. Not only did I make a chemical analysis but obtained what 1 consider more important from a sanitary point of view, a bacteriological analysis of the three samples. The bacteriolo- gical analysis entirely confirmed the chemical one. All three samples were practically free from bacteria of any kind. From sample No. 2 only one single Hvmg bacterium was detected in the experiments made. The relative purity of these samples as compared with Ottawa or St. Lawrence water may be appreciated when it is considered that the same number of samples would have yielded from either of these waters in the experiments made upwards of 1,000 bacteria in the three cubic centimetres used. The single bacterium in sample No. 2 may or may not in- dicate a less degree of purity in this particular sample. The single bacterium mig-ht easily be obtained from the atmosphere as a necessary error of experiment. With regard to the chemical analysis, the results are decidedly in favour of sample No. 3 over samples i and 2. Samples i and 2 contain a stratum of bubbley ice through the middle. The bubbles being long and spindle-shaped and would indicate that the ice was grown in shallower water than that from which No. 3 was obtained. This, of course, is not so favourable a condition for the formation of pure ice as where the volume of water is very large compared with the thickness of the ice formation. 264 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March None of the samples contained more than traces of solid substance held in suspension. Sample No. 2 however, alone gave indications of any dust particles. Sample No. 2 contains slightly more orp^anic matter than either of the others as shewn by the quantity of albuminoid ammonia obtained by distillation of the melted ice. On igniting the very minute residue left after evaporating the samples to dryness, samples No. i and No. 2 scintillated indicating thereby the fact that these samples contain minute particles of solids in suspension. No such phenomenon was observed in the case of No, 3. On the who'e I may repeat that although all three samples are perfectly safe for domestic use, sample No, 3 is on the whole to be preferred. Tabulated Results of AiN'alyses of Ice from near Ottawa, Ont. Results given in Parts PER Million. Total Solids Phenomena on ignition . Free ammonia Albuminoid ammonia Albuminoid ammonia after. . filtering through paj^er Oxygen consumed by organic . matter in 4 hour.s at 80" F. . . Designation of Sample. I Gatineau Point above R.C. Ch. Reference No. 121 :;. Chlorides Bacteria per cubic centimeter. Colour of melted ice Column of 2 feet (Loyibond's Scale) 9.6 Scintillates. 0.070. 0.085 0.066 0.246. Trace. None. 0.40 Blue. 0.45 Yellow. 0.00 Red, Designation of Sample, II Gilmour's Point Oitawa River. Reference No. 1216. 193 .Scintillates. o.oSo. 0.103. 0.085. 0.240. Trace. One in 3 c. c. o. 36 Blue. 0.50. Yellow. 0.00 Red. Designation of .Sample, III Above Chaudiere Falls, 500 feet from shore. Reference No. 1217. 12.3. No I lackening. 0.068. 0.065. 0.058. 0.000. Trace. None. 0.55 Bine. 0.65 Yellow. 0.00 Red. I 899] 265 REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL BRANCH OF THE OTTAWA FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB FOR 1898. As most, or in fact nearly all, of the results of the work of the Ornithological Branch have appeared in The Naturalisi during the past year, it is only necessary here to give a brief resume of what has been done. Birds arrived early last spring, the Honaed Lark, which was seen in 1897 for the first time on the 22nd of FebriJary, being noted in 1898 on the 17th. The Song Sparrow was seen on the iSih of March in 1887, and .n the nth in 1898. The Robin on the 12nd of March in 1897, and on the 15th in 1898. From these few dates it will be observed that the birds came about one week earlier this year than in 1897. All those who had opportunities for taking ihe dates of the arrivals ot birds kindly sent them to the ornithological editor and by consulting ti e lists which appeared in the April, May, June, July and August numbers ol The Naturalist it will be found that several members of the Club have continued to show an interest in ornithology and have done their part in bringing this branch of science before the public. In all, 123 species of birds were recorded this year, which is seven more than in 1887, when 116 species were noted. Two new birds were added this year having been taken by Mr F. A. Saunders. On the 17th of June he shot a specimen of the Short- billed Marsh Wren in the Mer Bleue, and on the 24th he saw the Grass- hopper Sparrow near Hull and again near the Experimental Farm on 26th and 27th, one specimen being shot on the 28th ; the Grasshopper Sparrow was not taken previously nearer than the St. Clair Flats. One albino bird and one semi-albino were taken this year. The first was an albion Cliff Swallow taken by Mr. Geo. R. White, a descrip- tion of which appears in The Naturalist for January 1899. The second was^a semi-albino Song Sparrow taken by Mr. C. H. Young on the 26th of March, 1898, a description of which appears in the May number for 1898. Notes have been briefly furnished during the year by persons liv- ing in different parts of Canada, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Wm. E. Saunders, London, Ont., Mr. Allan Brooks, Vernon, B.C., Mr. Harold Tufts, Wolfville, N.S , and Mr. L J. Boughner, Long Island, Lake Erie. An interesting observation this winter was made by Mr. C. H. Young, who noted a Robin on the 2nd of January. One of the legs of this bird wasstiflFand apjiarently useless, but it could fiy quite readily. No grossbeaks had been noted up to February 4th 1899. Birds have been very scarce this winter. W. T. Macoun, I A. G. Kingston, > Leaders. Gertrude Harmer, ) 266 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March •SECOND WINTER SOIREE, 1858-1899. The evening of Jan. loth, 1899, was wholly devoted to geology, Prof. Prince, the President, was in the chair and there was a fair attendance ot members. " Notes on an herbivorous Deinosaur from the Cretaceous of Western Canada." by Mr. Lawrence M. Latribe, was the first paper presented. In the course of his remarks the lecturer pointed out the methods pursued in obtaining the remains of these extinct giants from the stratified rocks of the Red Deer River district in Alberta. The general results obtained during the summers of 1897 and 1898 comprised portions of several skeletons, representing four species of deinosaurs, three herbivorous and one carnivorous. Jrachodon {Hadrosaurus) tnirabilis, Leidy, from the Canadian Cretaceous was then described, giving the more salient features of the great group of herbivorous-deinosaurs or reptiles to which it belongs. The paper was copiously illustrated by specimens and diagrams. A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Dr Ami, seconded Mr, Walter R. Billings, was unaminously tendered to Mr. Lambe for his excellent paper. Dr. Ells then asked that his paper be taken as read. It is entitled : "The Minerals of the Ottawa Valley." The paper is to be published lished shortly in The Otiaiva Naturalist. Specimens of Minerals from the Ottawa Valley were then exhibited and examined by members present. The " Report of the Geological Branch," for 1893 — 1899 by the Leaders, H. M. Ami, W. J. Wilson and R. W. Ells, was then submitted to the meeting and taken as read : it will also appear in a forthcoming number of the Naturalist. FOURTH WINTER SOIREE 1 898-1 899. The meeting was held on Tuesday, Feb. 7th, 1899, in the Y.M.C.A Hall, Prof. E. E. Prince, President of the Club in the chair. I " Some native herbaceous perennials worthy of culti- vation," was the theme upon which Mr. W. T. Macoun first spoke at some length. After exhibiting an extensive series of flowering perennials from various parts of Canada, giving notes on the results of experiments made in cultivation upon them at the Central Experimental Farm, Mr. Macoun referred to a number ol showy local species which he recom- mended members of the Club to grow and observe. Plants belonging to the genera Hepatica, Anemone, Sanguinaria, Thalictrum, Dicentra, Trillium, Lobelia, Lilium, Gentiana, Aster, Sohdago, Cypripedium, and many others worthy of cultivation. 1899] Soirees. 267 Discussion. — Prof. Macoun pointed out that it was imperative to give as nearly as possible the natural conditions of tnvironmeut to the plants on trial which the botanist found in nature. He also remarked that Anemone patens, exhibited by Mr. W. T. Macoun was found by himself(Prof. Macoun) in bloom on the 17th of April on the Peace River in N. lat. 56°. He had also collected the same plant in bloom as late as 28th October in the same district, which, added Prof. Macoun, is destined to be one of the most fertile and greatest wheat-producing regions of the Canadian NorthWest, Messrs. R. B. Whyte, Dr. Fletcher, Dr. Ami, Mr. Harrington, and several others took part in the discussion giving results of experiments with native species. 2 "On the burrowing habits of Cambarus— the Cray- fish," by H. M. Ami, was the next paper on the programme. While digging for the lemains of a mastodon in Norfolk County, Ontario, Dr. Ami had observed several holes traversing the peat, shell-marl and other Pleistocene deposits to a depth of some thirty inches. At the bottom of some of the holes were fuund living examples of the Cray-fish, which on closer examination proved to belong to the genus Cambarus, and a form which in all probability is new to science. The holes were evidently excavated deep enough by the Cray-fish to reach a water supply in order to maintain their existence, upon which the life of Cray-fish necessarily depends. Two live specimens were captured and one reached Ottawa alive in the fall of 1897. They were both healthy specimens and the abdofninal legs of one of these, (upon which naturalists who follow Hagen, the highest authority on the Astacidse, base their determination and identification of the species), which in some respects resembling those of Cambarus Bartonii, are nevertheless much stouter and shorter with the secondary booklet more prominent and inclined at a different angle than in C. Barfonh. More extended notes and results of observations on this form will be given later in The Naturalist. 3. " Some Ottawa Fresh-water Polyzoa," by Mr. Walter S. Odell, was the title of the third paper of the evening. He described in general terms the group called Polyzoa, and mentioned the various forms found at Ottawa, giving descriptions by means of which they may be detected nnd recognized. Microscopic preparations of the state- blasts oi Fredricella, Pedinatella, and other genera of Ottawa Polyzoa, col- lected by Mr, Odell in the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa and Gatineau rivers, were then examined under a microscope. The " Report of the Ornithological Branch for 1898-9" was then presented by Mr. W. T. Macoun on behalf of the Leaders in Ornithology, himself, Mr. A. G. Kingston and Miss Harmer. This Report as well as the preceding paper by Mr. Odell, The Naturalist hopes to be able to publish at no distant date. H. M. Ami. 268 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March FIFTH WINTER SOIREE " The Archxology of Lake Deschenes" by T. W E. Sowter, of the Club, included descriptions of investigations on Lighthouse Island, the site of seven Algonquin villages. Kettles, knives, hatehets and spears of French manufacture have been unearthed and ^erve to illustrate an early phase of European influence in America. Huron Indians had lived there also. Mr. Sowter urged upon the members present to fol- low up investigations in this vtry promising field. ^"^ The extra-lifttital Insects found at Oftawa" hy Mr. W. H. Har- rington F.R.S.C. came next. He dwelt upon the alarming increase in the number and variety of the destructive insects imported in various ways from Europe. The parasites which prey upon these pests had not yet been found in Canada. This piper was illustrated by a choice series of mounted specimens which were greatly admired. " The report of the Entonwloi^^ical Brafuh, 1898-99," was then submitted by Dr. James Fletcher on behalf of the Leaders.— J. Fletcher, W. H. Harrington, W. Simpson. SIXTH WINTER SOIREE. ^^ Natural History in Art" by Professor James Mavor, M.A., of Toronto University was the attr.ictive title of a. most interesting paper. Prof. Mavor opened with a clear and concise definition of Art and traced Natural History forms such as flowers, animals, and anthropomorphic representations in the art productions of primitive races of the world. Egyptian, Mexican, Peruvian and Indian antiquities afforded numerous exaiiples of representatives of the lotus-flower, the crocodile and alliga- tor, the bear, the frog and other creatures in architecture, pottery and other arts. " The Life-history of the Salmon^'" by Professor E. E. Prince B.A., F.L.S., was then discussed. The speaker referred to the different species of salmon peculiar to Canada both in the Atlantic and Pacific slopes Copious slides skilfully prepared in colours or f^-om actual photographs served to illustrate a most interesting topic which we hope to give at a future date in the pages of The Ottawa Naturalist. VOTE OF THANKS.— At the last meeting of the Council of the O.F.N.C. a unaniraovs vote of thanks was passed to the Ottawa Electric Co. for their generosity and kindnes.s in installing the magnificent electric table lamps for microscopes and wires for projection microscope gratis. 1899] 269 NOTES, REVIEWS AND COMMENTS. Giant Ripple Marks. — At the New York meeting of the Geol. Society of America la.st December, Prof. G. K. Gilbert of the United States Geol. Survey drew the special attention of the fellows to a very interesting phenomenon which he had observed in the Medina Sand- stone. There were giant undulations in the strata which marked extra- ordinary ripple marks varying in width from 10 to nearly 30 feet. Having discussed the mechanical forces at work in the production of ordinary ripple marks, their orientation, the accompanying phenomenon of cross-bedding, he calculated the height of the waves required to form such giant ripple marks. These he described as waves which must have measured at least sixty feet in height. The occurrence of these in sandstone strata had been noticed, but not previously accounted for. This structure interferes very materially with the workability of many a sandstone quarry in the United States. During the summer of 1897 Dr. Ami noted the occurrence of similar structures in the upper Carboniferous or Permo-Carboniferous of Pictou Connty, Nova Scotia as exemplified in McKean's Quarry, east of Pictou town, in Macpherson's Quarry on the West River, and in the sandstones of the same age near Little fiarbour. They can be readily compared with the giant ripple marks as described from the Medina of Lockport by Prof. Gilbert. Fine Microscopical Material. — At the close of the Fourth Soiree of the Club, on behalf of Mr. George Bryce Scott, a most enthusiastic microscopist of Moncton, New Brunswick, Dr. Ami distri- buted a large quantity of fine microscopical material in the shape of foraminiferal mud or marl most promising indeed. The material was collected at the northern extremity of the Bay of Fundy in a heap of refuse material — probably used as ballast by some of the vessels which visit that portion of Canada in search of 'plaster' or gypsum so abundant around Hillsboro and vicinity. Any member of the Club or person interested in Foraminifera can obtain more of this material from the undersigned until the supply runs out. More than sixty distinct species of Foraminifera have been detected already. The exact locality whence this ballast came has not yet been ascertained, but the marine shells 2/0 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March Bnd associated fauna may help to throw Hght upon the district from which the material originally came. — H. M. Ami, Geol. Survey Dept., Ottawa. The Editor has received from Mr. C. C. James, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ontario, a copy of the 14th Annual Report of the Superintendent of Farmers' Institutes for Ontario. This Volume comprises many papers of special value to farmers. The topics dealt with embrace cultivation, soil fertility, manures, drainage, bee-keeping, poultry raising, and other lines of activity. 3,270 addresses have been delivered through the Province by representative gentlemen, amongst names furnished we note that of Mr. W. T. Macoun, of our Club. The result of experiments made in different European countries and in the United States, by which important additions are made to our knowled are also added. The Institute has a membership of 16,351 members. The Department is to be congratulated upon its work during 1898 in the Report just issued. Mr. C. VV. Nash, of Toronto, Ont., contributes an interesting paper "(9« the Birds of Ontario in Relation to Agriculture" which, is worthy of special mention. It author, gives much useful mformat'ion as to the habits and food of our birds showing how they aid the farmer by the destruction of vermin and insects. It is adorned by 32 excel- lent illustrations of Ontario birds, drawn from life by Mr. Nash. OBITUARY, Dr. G. J. Allman, M.D. F.R.S.. Emeritus Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh, whose death was so recently chronicled in nearly all the British Scientific Magazines was one of the most brilliant of zoologists and at the same time one of the most genial and kindly of men. Hydrotoa formed his chief field of labour and his magnificent Monograph on the "Tubularian Hydrozoa " published in 1872 will make his name famous for all ages in zoological circles. — H.M.A. NEW MEMBERS, O. F. N. C. Sir Henri Joly de Lotbiniere, K.C.M.G., Inland Rerenue Dept., Ottawa; R. W. Brock, Esq., B.A., F.G.S.A., Geol. Survey Dept., Ottawa; W. C. McCalla, Esq., Geneva St., St. Catharines, Ont.; Theo. Denis, Esq., B.A.Sc, Geol. Survey Dept., Ottawa ; A. B. Rowan-Legg, Esq., 403 Bay St.. Ottawa ; A. H.' Belliveau, Esq., Marine and Fisheriei Dept., Ottawa ; J. H. Grisdale, Esq., Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa ; R. Stuart Breckenridge, 104 Queen St., Ottawa ; Joseph Keel, Esq., B.A.Sc, Geol. Surv. Dept., Ottawa ; Clarence R. Church' M.D., CM., Elgin St, Ottawa ; Harold Tufts, E«q., Wolfrille, Nora Scotia. GENERAL INDEX TO THK OTTAWA NATURALIST, VOL. XII, 1898-'9. AND Tpansactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, Vol. XIV. Acervularia gracilis. Bill., Notes on 22 I Agriculture, notice of book on, by C. C. James 139 Albino Eave Swallow, by G. R. White 189 Alentian Islands and Behring Sea, An Ottawa naturalists' jour- ney westward, by H. Halkett 81 Allman, Dr. G. J. obituary notice of 270 American Public Jlealth Associat'n, papers read at meeting 158 Ami, H. M., synopsis of paper on boring for fresh water in granite, etc 89 Notes on papers read at meet- ing ol Geo. Soc. of America 194 Notes on Physiography and Geology of Kings Co., N.S. . 149 Note on lecture on burrowing habits of crayfish 267 Anastatica Hierochuntina, wood-cut of 66 Annual report of the Ottawa Field- Naturalists' Club 7 Analysis of ice from the Ottawa District, by R. F. Ruttan M.D 263 Arachtiophyllum dljffluens Millne- Edwards and Haime, note on 244 Arachitophyllum eximium, Bill., note on 245 Archsan conglomerates, note on origin of some, by A. E. Bailow (Plates vi-ix) 205 Athabasca River, the Cretaceous of, by J. B. Tyrrell 37 Atkinson, G. F., review of book by, on Elementary Botany . 201 Aylmer, note on excursion to 152 Baffin Land, collection of lepidoptera from, referred to 9 Barlow, A. E. , on rigin of some Archaean conglomerates, with Plates vi-ix 205 Barrandeoceras subcostulatum (nom. prov.), Whiteaves, descrip- tion of from Wolfe Island, O 121 Beaver Meadow, Hull, account of excursion to, .^pr. 23rd, '98. 48 Beech wood, excursion to, Apr. 30th, '98, plants noted 48 British Cnlumbia, notes of a natural- ist in, by .Allan Brooks 21 Bees, the honey, acclimatized 147 Behring .Sea and Alentian Islands, An Ottawa naturalists' jour- ney westward, by .\. Halkett 8l Bei.l, Dr. R., collection of Lepi- doptera from Baffin Land referred to 9 Note on paper, on geology of Hudson's Bay and Si rait ... . 195 Bembidium, reference to monograph on, by Ronald Haywood. ... 12 Beimudas, in the, by H. B. Small. 35 vegetation in, liy H. B. Small, Part I, Trees loi Part II, Flowering Shrubs. . 109 Part III, Plants and Flowers 153 life beneath the water, by H.B. Small 191 Bird Expedition, A Little, by F. A. Saunders 106 Bird Migration, 1898, notes on, by W. G. Kingston 41 Bird notes, for Februar)' and March 17 April and May, 1898 68 June, 1898 ...... 87 July, 1898 104 Birds, arrival of, at London, Ont., by W. E. Saunders 72 notes on appearance of several varieties during season 1897. 17 Kings Co., N.S., notes on, by Harold Tufts 172, 229, 259 Birds nests, no'es on, contributed by G. R. White .... 71 Black squirrel at Ottawa, note on. . 160 Book notices, -Agriculture, by C. C. James 139 The winter food of the Chicka- dee, by C. M. Weed 141 Borings in granite, etc., fresh water found 89 Botanical notes. Rocky Mountain and Cape Breton species col- lected 146 Botanical Section, report of, for '98 187 Botany, Canadian, contributians to by J. M. Macoun 161 elementary, review of book by G. F. Atkinson 201 BouGHNER, Leroy J., notes on the flora of Long Point Island, Lake Erie 105 Brephos infans, note on life-history of 12 55485 u Brooks Allan, notes of a natural- ist in British Columbia 21 Brummich's guillemot, passage of past Ottawa noted 16 Buffalo, the vanished, by Prof. E.E. Prince 73 Campbell, D. A., Report of Botani- cal Section for 1898 187 Cambarus, on the burrowing habits of by H. M. Ami, lecture on. 267 Casey, Capt. Thos. L., reference to paper on Coleoplera il Cephelopoda, descriptions of eigh- teen species, by J. F. Whit- eaves n6 Charron, a. T., on the water of the lUecilliwaet glacier 226 Chats Falls, note on excursion to. . 151 Chelsea, excursion to, May 28th, '98 60 note on excursion to 152 Chickadee, winter food of, notice of bulletin on by C. M. Weed. 141 Chonophyllum Canadense, Bill., notes on 222 Chonophyllum nymphale. Bill. , note on 257 Cliiiocampa disstria, reference to prevalence of near Ottawa. . 13 Clisiophyllum Blingsi, Dawson, on 247 Coccothrastus vespertina shot on Rideau Hall grounds. ... 15 other occurrenees 15 Coleman, A. P., note on paper, by on Iroquois Beach at T< ironto 195 Columnaria rugosa, Bill., no'es on, by L. M . I>ambe 217 Coleoptera, reference to paper on, by Capt. Thos. L. Casey, list of Canadiau species given . , . 11 Conglomerates, notes on origin of some Archaean, by A. E. Barlow, plates vi-ix 205 Contributions to Canadian Palaeon- tology by J. F. Whileaves, vol. I, part V, 7, review of. . 202 to Canadian Botany, by J. M. Macoun 161 Conversazione, Jan. 24th, '99, ac- count of 234 Cora's, on some species of Palaeo- zoic, by L. M. Lambe. 217, 237 Craig, John, Treasurer's statement for 1897-98 128 Cretaceous of Athabasca River, by J.B.Tyrrell 37 Cryptogamic Flora of Ottawa, by Prof. John Macoun (continued from Vol. XI) 25, 50, 93 Cray-fish, note on lecture on burrow- ing habits of 267 Cyathophyllum atticulatum, Wah- lenberg, notes on 219 Fletcher Dr. Jas., report of ento- mological branch for 1897. . . 9 Cyathophyllum Dawsoni, Lambe, description of 239 Cyathophyllum Spenceri, Lambe description of 238 Cyrtoceras Quebecense, Whiteaves, description of species from Pointe Levis 120 Cystiphyllum aggregatum, Bill., notes on description of 225 Cystiphyllum Niagarense, Hall, Cystiphyllum vsiculosum. Gold- fuss, note on 257 notes on 224 Dakota Period, rocks of Athabasca River belonging to 40 Danby, W. H., collections of in- Diphyphyllum caspitosum Hall, note on 240 Diphyphyllum multicaule Hall, note on description of 241 Diphyphyllum Simcoense, Bill., note of description of. 242 sects sent to Club 10 Dawson, G. M., note on paper by, on landslip in Portneuf Co., Que 194 Demonstrations of Animal Kingdom given by I'rof. E. E. Prince. 33 Departure of summer birds, by F A. Saunders and Geo. R. Whyte 138 Dewar, Dr., review of paper on Liquid Hydrogen 85 Dickey, Hon. R. B., notes on Resurrection Plants 63 Dow's Swamp, sub-excursion to, May 7th, 1898, account of. . 61 Dresser, J. A., review of report on marble, slate and granite in- dusiries of Vermont 236 Elementary Botany, by G. F.Atkin- son, review of book 20I Entomology, notes far April in Van- couver Island, by Rev. G.W. Taylor 57 Entomological Branch, report for 1897 .•••• 9 Evening Grossbeak, shot on Rideau Hall grounds 15 Excursion to (1) Chelsea, May 28th, 1898, general account of . . . . 60 (2) Chats Falls, note on 151 (3) Aylmer, note on 152 (4) Chelsea, note on 152 Expedition, A Little Bird, by F. A. Saunders ro6 Experimental Farm, Ottawa, List of Maples growing at, by W. T. Macoun 133 Faunas of Upper Ordovician in Lake Champlain Valley, notes on paper by T. C. White 196 Fins, change of function of in fishes, by Prof. E. E. Prince 129 Fishes fins, on change of function, by Prof. E. E. Prince 129 Ill Notes on song-sparrow, semi- albino variety 44 Resurrection plants, from notes by Hon. R. B. Dickey and Mr. H. E. Milner 63 Flora of Long Point Island Lake Erie, by Leroy J. Boughner. 105 of Ottawa, Cryptogamic by Prof. John Macoun, (con- tinued from Vol. XI) . . 25, 50, 93 Flowering shrubs of the Bermudas, by H. B. Small 109 Fresh water found by boring in|2;^";^ granite, synopsis of discovery by Baron Nordenskjold, by H. M. Ami 89 polyzoa, note on paper by W. S. Odell 267 Gas field of lola, Kansas, note on paper, by E. Orton on 197 Geological Society of America, note on papers read 194 Geological Survey, Annual Report for 1896 revi-'w 179 Glacial phenomena in Yukon Ter- ritory, by J. B. Tyrrell, note on paper by 196 Gold-bearing veins of Bag Bay, note on paper by Peter McKellar on 196 Gold Mining in Klondike District by J. B. Tyrrel, note on paper on 196 GoTiiphoceras exi>nium. Hall, note on specimens of 127 Gyroceras Nurna, Bill, note on speci- mens of 127 Halkett Andrew, report of O. F.N. Clubfo 1897- 1 898.... 7 an Ottawa Naturalist's journey westward, II, the Alentian Islands and Behring Sea .... 81 Hall Jas., Palaeontologist of New York state, Obituaoy notice of 114 Harmer Gertrude, report of Ornithological Branch for 1897-1898 15 Harrington W. H., report of En- tomological Branch ior 1897. 9 Haywood R iLand, relerence to Monogiaph on Carabidge (Bembidium) 12 Henstow's sparrow by W. E Saun- ders 177 H«miptera, note on specimens col- lected 14 Honey bees acclmatized, by P. H. Selwyn 147 Horn Dr. Geo. H., reference to death of 12 Horticultural Society, Ottawa an- nouncement of prizes, objects of meetings etc 24 Hudson Bay and Strait, outline of Geology of, note on paper by Dr. R. Bell 195 Hydrogen, liquid, review of paper on, by Dr. Dewar 85 Hymenoptera, .note on results of Ice, analysis of, from Ottawa Dis- trict 263 seasons study of 14 lUecilliwaet glacier, the water of by F. T. Shutt and A. T. Char- ron 226 lola gas-field, Kansas, note on paper by Edwasd Orton 197 Iroquois Beach at Toronto, by Prof. A. P. Coleman, note on paper on 195 James C. C. notice of book on Agriculture by 139 Kings Co. N.S. notes on the Phy- siography and Geology of, by H. M. Ami . 149 Notes on birds of, by Harold Tufts 172, 229, 259 Kingston A. G., report of Ornitho- logical Branch for 1897-1898 15 Notes on Bird Migration by. . 41 Klondike District, note on paper by J. B. Tyrrell on gold mining in 196 KuMMEL H. B., note on paper by, on Newark System in N.Y. and N.J 198 Lambe, L. M., on first bat of the season 46 on the remains of Mammoth in tiie Museum of the Geol. Survey Dept 136 on some species of Palaeozoic corals 217, 237 Landslip on River Blanche, Que., note on paper by G. M. Dawson 194 Lark, late date for the Prairie Horned 177 Lectures, demonstrations of the Animal Kingdom, by Prof. E. E. Prince, notes on 33 Lehmann, Dr. A., reference to work of, lecture on sugar. . . 44 appointment secured by 158 Lepidoptera, collection from Baffin Land, Manitoba and Alberta, referred to 9 reference to work done in Can- ada on study of 12 Lewisia rediviva, notes on habitat . 67 Library, donations to 158 Liquid Hydrogen, review of paper by Dr. Dewar, by F. T. Shutt 85 List of new members 262 List of Canadian colcoptera published by Capt. Thos. L. Casey. .. 11 Officers of the Ottawa Field- Naturalists' Club 3 Members 4 IV List of species of maples growing at the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, by W. T. Macoun 133 Lithostrotion Macounii, Lambe, de- scription of 220 Litoceras versuttim. Bill., notes on specimen of, wrongly de- scribed as Litoceras I'Vhit- earvesi . . 122 Little bird expedition, by F. A. Saunders 106 Long Point Island, Lake Erie, notes Lonsdaleia Pictoense, Bill., notes on. 248 cm the flora of, by L. /. Boughner 105 Lyman, H. H., moths received from, and reared in Ottawa. 12 McG ill College, note on experiments on moulding marble under pressure 144 McKellar, p. , note on paper by, on golil bearing veins of Bag Bay 196 Mammoth remains in the Museum of the G. S. C, by L. M. Lambe. 136 Maples, list of species of growing at Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa' by W. T. Macoun. . 133 Marble, moulding of under pres- sure, note on experiments at McGill College 144 Macoun, Prof. John, the Crypto- gamic flora of Ottawa, (con- tinued from Vol. XI, 25, 50. 93 Macoun, J. M., Contributions to Canadian Botany by 161 report of Botanical Section for 1898 187 notes on Rooky Mountain and Cape Breton plants 146 notice of paper on violets by . . 151 on some Ottawa violets by, plates i-v 181 Macoun, W. T., report of Ornitho- logical Branch for 1897-9S. . 15 notes on birds nests 43 list of maples growing at Ex- perimental Farm, Ottawa . . 133 some native herbaceous per- ennials 266 Members of O. F. N. C. Club ... 6 list of new . 262 Mer Bleue, epidoptera captured at 13 Meteorological observations for Ot- tawa, 1897 91 Migration of birds, notes by A. G. Kingston, for 1898 41 MiLNER, H. E., notes on Resur- rection Plants 63 MuiRliEAD, G., Evening Grosbeak shut by, in Ottawa 15 Natino aulema Clarke, notes on specimens in Museum of G. S.C 116 Naturalist in British Columbia, notes of, by Allan Brooks 21 Nests, birds', notes contributed, by G. R. White 71 New Brunswick Natural History S RUNS EASY! Nothing to hold it back. Has neither faults of construction nor flaws of material. Goes " to the front " where it belongs. It's the '98 '\RED BIRD" Ketohum cSs Co. 104 B.^:]NrK: st. J. G. BUTTERWORTH & Co., All-Rail Scranton Coal, 86 SPARKS STREET. C. H. THORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. Importer of Artists' Materials and Artistic Interior Decorations. Mannfactui'er of AVhite Lend, Paints & Colors. Howe's Block, - - OTTAWA. TRY SATS & Ctl'S 33 C. Eng-lish Blended Black Tea. PITT A¥/ AY'S ^'-'^^o ^IsHPA? SPARKS STREET , 3 2 It 1 HENRY WATTERS, 195 Spaiks Sirett, OTT'^^.^V X) — «1 •—1 D a:) :^ >■ > 2 :« 3 JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full as-oit('r of Artists' Materials ami Artistic lutci-ior Decoiiitions. Manufacturer of White Lend, Paints & Colors. Howe's Biock, OTTAWA. C. H. THORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. TRY Enp-lish Blended Black Tea. C-i > w CO o W 9? o o 3 o o 5" TO f» 3 p. 0 = or 5* -I f- »-.■-») S" *< C Si- '< tfJ >c-. E O X 3 ?2 t73o O w CD WS o n> j,^ ^ p • 3 p. W o o ?r cr 5' p. » P ^ ^ PITT AW AY'S ''"^^ ^TsHFA^Ks STREET. in ' o c o ss a «> "3 H 0 0 D D > 3 HENRY WATTERS, dCluMuist and gruqnifit. 195' Sparks Street, JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full assort- ment of high-class Noveli- ties for the present season. 66 and 68 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. THE Russell House, OTTAWA. F. X. ST. JACQUES, Proprietor. Seedsmen and Florists, 29 Sparks St., Ottawa. S'.eds, Bulbs, Plants, Cut Flowers, Floral Designs. Catalogue on Application. G. i^. HOLBROOK, 113 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. Trouser Stretchers, 50c. per pair. N. HAY. 54 SPARKS STREET. SHELF AND GENEf^/\L H/\RDW/\HE. R. A. IV!cC0i?E\i1!GK, Prescripiion Druggist, 75 SPArjKS STREET, Phone 159. Ottawa. C. C. RAY. D. MURPHY. J. W. McRAE. C. C. RAY & CO., COAL DEALERS, OFFICE : 53 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Telephone 461. CD CO O rt- r^ CO •-S 23 o CD «r^ O •-S O CD ^« C/3 CO CD P3 J. & R. CRAIG, Tailors, 105 Sparks St., Ottawa. THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899, Ipatron : THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA. Iprcsisent : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. t)icc=]pi-csiacnts Prof. John Macoun,M.A.,F.L.S..F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami, M.A.,F.G.S. ailnarian : S. B. Sinclair, B.A. (Nonu.il Si.hijol.) Seci-ctavig : •Cicasurec: W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. Dr. Tames Fletcher. (Geologii;;il Survey Dept. I iCeiitral ExiieiiiiientiU Fnrm.l Committee : Frank T. Shutt, M.A., F.C.S., F.LC. I Miss M. Kee. W. T. Macoun. ! "" <;. liarmer. D. A. Campbell, B.A. I •' Mariun Whyte. StanSinq Coniinittccs of (louncil: Fublishing: H. M. Ami, D. A. Camphell, 1-". T. Shutt, J. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, Excursions : W. j. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. B. Sinclair, Miss Kee, ' Miss Ilarmer, Miss Whyte. Soirees : H. M. Ami, J. Fletcher, D. A. Campbell, W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. Xca&ers : GeoIo^V : H. M. Ami, W. [. Wilson, R. W. Ells. Botany: D. A. Campbell,"]. M. Macoun, R. B. Whyte. Entomology : ]. Fletcher, W. H. Harrineion, Willibert Simpson. Conclwlogy: F. R. Latchford, A. Ilalkett, S. E. O'Brien. Ornitliology : W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss liarmer. Zoology : Jolm Macoun, A. E. Attvvood, A. Halkett. "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." ESitor : Henry M. Ami, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S. Hssociate 3£Mtors : Dr. R. W. Ells, Geological Survey of Canada, — Department of Geology. Mk. W. J. Wilson, Geological Survey of Canada. — Department of Mihcralogy and LitJtology. Prof. John Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey of Canada. — Depart- ment of Botany. Mr, F. R. Latchford. — Department of Conchology. Mr. W. H. Harrington, Post Office Department. — Department o{ Entomology. Mr. W. T. Macoun, Central Experimental Farm. — Department of Ornitkoloiiy. Prof E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada. — Department of Biology and general Zoology. ''Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N. C. only $i.oo oer anniKB. SEPTEMBER, 1898. VOL. XII, No. 6. TH Published by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club CONTENTS. PAOy, I. Vegetation in the Bermudas (Pt. II— Flowering Shrubs), by H. B. Small, Esq. .... .... .... .... 109?. 2. Obituary— James Hall, Palaeontologist 3. On some Fossil Cephalopoda, by J. F. Whiteavcs, Esq. 4. Treasurer's Report 114. 128 $6»C4?X OTTAWA, CANADA. Printed at the Office of Paynter & Abbott, 48 RiDEAU Street. d at the Ottawa fost Office as J-da, "latter J" L. OI^ME Sz SOlsT, Pianos, Org-ans and Musical Instruments. 189 SPARKS ST. A. ROSENTHAL, Jev/eller and Optician, 87 SPARKS ST. WELCH, MARGETSON & GO'S Shirts, Colls rs and Cuffs. R. McGIFFIN, 49 SPARKS STREET. J. & T. BALLANTYNE, Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal. OFFICE, COF:. ELGIN & QUEEN STS. Telephones 586 and 579. PIENMY BROS., Tailors to His Excellency THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. A. J. STEPHENS, FIN P: SHOES. 187 SrAItKS ST. Boofs and Slioes Made to Measure. RUNS EASY Nothing to hold it back. Has neither faults of construction nor flaws of inaterial. Goes " to the front " where it helono-^. <■■> ■ it's the '98 ^^ RED BIRD" iKetoliuin cfe C©„ 1-04: B^^i'TKI ST. J. G. BUTTER WORTH & Co., All-Rail Scranton Coal. 86 SPARKS STREET. C. H. TKORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. U7"M. HOWE, Importer of Artists' Materials aud Artistic interior Dccoiations. Maiiufactin-er of ^\■llit(! Lead, Paints & Colors. Howg's Block. - - OTTAWA. TRY Eng:lish Blended Black Tea. PITTA WAY'S P"°™ STUDIO SPARKS STREET. -si O "fl r CO o O cd a? CO HENRY WATTERS, (Ckcmist and grucsgifit, 105 Sparks Street, JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full assort- ment of high-class Noveli- ties for the present season. 66 and 68 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. THE Russell House, OTTAWA. F. X. ST. JACQUES, Proprietor. Seedsmen and Florists, 29 Sparks St., Ottawa. Seeds, Bulbs, Plants, Cut F'ower^, Floral Designs. C'atnlo!:^ue on Application. R. A. M^^GORIVliCK, Prescription Druggist, 75 s?a;;ks street. Phone 159. Ottawa. 113 Sparks Street, OTTAV7A. Trouser Siretchers, 50o. per pair. N. HAY. 54 SPARKS STREET. SHELF AND GENEi^/\L HARDW/\I^E. C. C, RAY. D. MURPHY. J. W. McRAE. C. a RAY & CO., COAL DEALERS, OFFICE : 53 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Telephone 461. J. & R. CRAIG, Tailors, 105 Sparks St., Ottawa. THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899. Ipation : THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OK CANADA. Iprcsiecnt : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. Uicc=lpix0i6cnts Prof. Juhn Macoun, M.A.,F.L.S.,F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami, M.A.,F.G.S. 2.iln-3rian : S. B. Sinclair, B.A. (Nurinal School.) Secictai'ig : "Crcasuver: W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. Dr. James Fletcher. (Geological Survsy Dept. ) (Central Experimental Farm.) Committee : Frank T. Shutt,M.A., F.C.S., F.I.C. W. T. Macoun. D. A. Campbell, B.A. Miss M. Kee, " G. Ilarmer. " Marion Whyte. Stan^ina Committees of Council : Publishing : H. M. Ami, D. A. Campbell, F. T. Shutt, J. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, Excursions: W. J. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. B. Sinclair, Miss Kee, Miss Harmer, Miss Whyte. Soirees : H. M. Ami, J- Fletcher, D. A. Campbell, W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. leaders : Geology : H. M. Ami, W. J. Wilson, R. W. Ells. Botany : D. A. Campbell, J. M. Macoun, R. B. Whyte. Entomolo^^y : f . Fletcher, W. H. Harrington, Willibert Simpson. Conc/iolo^oy : F. R. Latchford, A. Halkett, S. E. O'Brien. Ornii/iology : W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss Harmer. Zoology : John Macoun, A. E. Attwood, A. Halkett. "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." 3E6itor : Henry M. Ami, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S. Bssociate £bitor9 : Dr. R. W, Eli.s, Geological Survey of Canada, — Department of Geology. Mr. W. J. Wilson, Geological Survey of Canada. — Department of Mineralogy and Lithology. Prof. John Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey of Canada.— Depart- ment of Botany. Mr. F. R. Latchford. — Department of Conchoiogy. M». W. H. Harrington, Post Office Department. — Department of Entomolooy. Mr. W. T. Macoun, Central Experimental Farm. — Department of Ornitholo'^y. Prof> E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada. — Department of Biology and general Zoology. "Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N.C. only $i.oo per annum. OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, 1898. VOL. XII, Nos. 7 and 8. THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Pubiished by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club CONTENTS. 1. Change of Function in Fishes' Fins, by Prof. E. E. Prince 2. List of Species of Maples growing- at the Central Ex- perimental Farm, Ottawa, by W. T, Macoun 3. On the Remains of Mammotn in the Museum of the Geological Survey Department, by L. M. Lambe 4. Departure of Summer Birds, by F. A. Saunders and Geo. R. White 5. Book Notices .... .... — 6. Notes and Reviev/s . . ... 7. Ornithology ... ... ... Botanical iNlotes . ... Honey Bees Acclimatised ... .... Note on the Physiography and Geology County, Neva Scotia, by H. M. Ami New Species ot Canadian Violets Excursions .... ... 13. Vegetation in the Bermudas (Pt. Ill — Plants by H. B Small 14. Notes and Comments ... ... 15. Soirees ... ... ... .... 8 9 10. II. 12. of King's and Flowers), OTTAWA, CANADA. I'KINIKD. AT THE Ol'KICE OF PAYNTEK^& AUBOTT, 48 RiDEAU Street. Paok. 129 133 136 138 139 143 145 146 147 149 151 151 153 158 160 red at the Ottawa yost OfHce as secoiut-dass matter CO CO CO 2«> U.52 co- UJ I- UJ o g CO < O J. I-- oriMS «Sc sou. Pianos, Org-ans and Musical Instruments. 189 SPARKS ST. A. ROSENTHAL, Jeweller and Optician. 87 SPARKS ST. WELCH, MARGETSON & GO'S Shirts, Collars and Cuffs. R. McGIFFIN, 49 SPARKS STREET. J. & T. BALLANTYNE, Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal. OFFICE, COR. ELGIN & QUEEN STS. Telephones 586 and 579. KENHY BROS., Tailors to His Excellency THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. A. J. STEPHENS, FINE SHOES. 187 SPARKS ST. Boofs and Shoes Made to Measure. RUNS EASY! Nothing to hold it back. Has neither faults of construction nor flaws of material. Goes " to the front " where it belongs. It's the '98 "RED BIRD" Setclman dk Co. 104 BA.ISri^ ST. J. G. BUTTERWORTH & Co., All-Rail Scranton Coal. 86 SPARKS STREET. C. H. THORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. Importer of Artists' Materials and Artistic Interior Decorations. Manufacturer of White Lead, Paints & Colors. Howe'siBlock, - - OTTAWA. TRY 33 Oa English Blended Black Tea. PITT A WAY'S ''"^^ ^L"s?iS SPARKS STREET. HENRY WATTERS, dihemlst ami fruggist, 195 Sparks Street, OTT.A.'WJ?^.. JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full assort- ment of high-class Noveli- ties for the present season. 66 and 68 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. GRAHAM BROS. Seedsmen and Florists, 29 Sparks St., Ottawa. Seeds Bulbs, Plants, Cut Flowers, Floral Designs. Catalogue on Application. 113 Sparks Street, OTTAWA, Trouser Stretchers, 50c. per pair. N. HAY. 54 SPARKS STREET. SHELF AND CENEK/\L H/\RDW/\FIE. THE Russell House, OTTAWA. F. X. ST. JACQUES, Proprietor. R. A. MCCORMICK, Prescription Druggist, 75 SPARKS STREET, Phone 159. Ottawa. 0. 0. RAY. D. MURPHY. J. W. McRAE. C. 0. RAY & CO., COAL DEALERS, OFFICE : 53 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Telephone 461. J. &R. CRAIG, Tailors, 105 Sparks St., Ottawa. THE OTTAWA FIELD-MATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899. Ipatron : THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF ABERDEEN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA. Iprcs^^cnt : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. ^t)ice=Ipl•e3i^cntg Prof. JohnMacoun, M.A.,F.L.S.,F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami, M.A., F.G.S. librarian : S. B. Sinclair, B.A. (Xurmal School.) Secretary : Uveasurcr : W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. Dr. [ames Fletcher. (Geological Survey Dept. ) (Central' Experuneiit:U Farm.) (Eommittee : Frank T. Shutt, M.A., F.C.S., F.LC. W. T. Macoun. D. A. Campbell, B.A. ' Miss M. Kee. " G. Ilarmer. " Marion Whyte. Staniina Committees of Comicil : Publishing: H. M. Ami, D. A. Campbell, F. T. Shutt, J. Fletcher, \V. T. Macoun, Excursions: W.J. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. B. Sinclair, Miss Kee, Miss Harmer, Miss Whyte. Soirees : H. M. Ami, J. Fletcher, D. A. Campbell, W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. Xeabers : Geology: H. M. Ami, W. J. Wilson, R. W. Ells. Botany: D. A. Campbell, J. M. Macoun, K. B. Whyte. Entomology: J. Fletcher, W. H. Harrington, Willibert Simpson. Conc/iology : F. R. Latchford, A. Ilalkett, S. E. 0'Brie:i.. Ornithology: W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss Harmer. Zoology : John Macoun, A. E. Attwood, A. Halkett. "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." SiOitor : Henry M. Ami, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S. Hssociatc lEMtors : Dr. R. W. Ells, Geological Survey of Canada, — Departmeru y^'i Geology. Mr. W. J. Wilson, Geological Survey of Canada.— Department of Mineralogy and Lithology. Prof. Joiix Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey of Canada.— Depart- ment of Botany. Mr. F. R. Latchford.— Department of Conchology. Mr. VV. H. Harrington, Post Office Department.— Department oi Entomology. Mr. W.T. Macoun, Central Experimental Farm.— Department of Ornithology. Prof E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fislieries for Canada.— Department of Biology' and general Zoology. " Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N. C. only $1.00 per annum. THE DECEMBER, 1898. VOL. XII, No. 9. OTTAWA NATURALIST. Published by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club CONTENTS. Paob. 1. Contributions to Canadian Botany — XII, by James Melville Macoun, Assistant Naturalist, Geological Survey of Canada .... i6l 2. Notes on the Birds of King's County, Nova Scotia, by Harold Tufts, Esq., Wolfville, N.S 172 3. Ornithological Notes, by W. E. Saunders, Londoji, Ont., and W. T. Macoun, Esq., Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ont 177 4. Review of Annual Report, Volume IX, Geological Sur- vey of Canada, by the Editor 179 5. Programme of Winter Soirees, Ottawa Field-Natural- ists' Club 180 OTTAWA, CANADA. Printed at the Office of Paynter & Ahbott, 48 RiDEAU Street. itere-d at the Ottawa Post Office as seeon'i-r.'.ass matter |r. R. W. Ells—" Minerals of the Ottawa Valley." \ Y.M.C A. Lecture Hall, M. Lambe — " Devonian Remains from Canada." > January lOth, 1899, Ihe Leaders — Report of the Geological Branch, ) 8 p.nj J. L.. ORIvin 5c S02T, Pianos, Org-ans and Musical Instruments. 189 SPARKS ST. A, ROSENTHAL, Jeweller and Optician. 87 SPARKS ST. WELCH, MARGETSON & GO'S Shirts, Collars and Cuffs. R. McGIFFIN, 49 SPARKS STREET. J. & T. BALLANTYNE, Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal. OFFICE, COR. ELGIN & QUEEN STS. Telephones 586 and 579. KENNY BROS., Tailors to His Excellency THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. A. J. STEPHENS, FINE SHOES- 1 87 SPAUKS ST. Boots and Shoes Made to Measure. RUNS EASY! Nothing to hold it back. Has neither faults of construction nor flaws of material. Goes " to the front " where it belongs. 's the '98 "RED B J) ^©tcliuzn (£; Co. 104= B.i\.l>TS: ST. J. G. BUTTERWORTH & Co., All-Rail Scranton Coal. 86 SPARKS STREET. C. H. THORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. Importer of Artists' Materials and Artistic Interior Decorations. Manufacturer of White Lead, Paints k, Colors. Howe's[Block, - - OTTAWA. TRY ^\ 2d sa. 33 C. English Blended Black Tea. PTT^'F A\A/A V'Q photo studio, IT 1 1 1 jr\ Y V Jn^ 10 58 SPARKS STREET. 0 o o s as C/2 HENRY WATTERS, C^hemist and irusgist, 195 Sparks Street, Seedsmen and Florists, 29 Sparks St., Ottawa. Seeds Bulb<=, Plants, Cut Flowers, Floral Designs. Catalogue on Application. G. M. HOLBROOK, 113 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. Trouser Stretchers, 50c. per pair. N. HAY. 54 SPARKS STREET. SHELF AND GENEI^/VI- H/^RDW/VRE. JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full assort- ment of high-class Noveli- ties for the present season. 66 and 68 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. THE Russell House, OTTAWA. F. X. ST. JACQUES, Proprietor. R. A. MCCORMICK, Prescription Druggist, 75 SPARKS STREET, Phone 159. Ottawa. 0. C. RAY. D. MURPHY. J. W. McRAE. 0. 0. RAY & CO., COAL DEALERS, OFFICE : 53 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Telephone 461. J. & R. CRAIG, Tailors, 105 Sparks St., Ottawa. THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899. patron : THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF MINTO, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA. lpi-esil»cnt : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. lDtce=lpresiBent8 Prof. John Macoun, M.A.,F.L.S.,F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami,M.A.,F.G.S. librarian : Secrctarij : W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. (Geological Survey Dept.) Frank T. Shutt,M.A., F.C.S. W. T. Macoun. D. A. Campbell, B.A. StanBtna dommittees of Council : Publishmg : H. M. Ami, D. A. Campbell, F. T. Shutt, J. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, Excursions: W. J. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. B. Sinclair, Miss Kee, Miss Harmer, Miss Whyte. Soiries : H. M. Ami, J. Fletcher, D. \A. Campbell, W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. 5tca^er3 : Geolooy : H. M. Ami, W. J. Wilson, R. W. Ells. Botany : D. A. Campbell, J. M. Macoun, R. B. Whyte. Entomology : ]. Fletcher, W. H. Harrington, Willibert Simpson. Conchology: F. R. Latchford, A. Halkett, S. E. O'Brien. Ornithology : W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss Harmer. Zoology : John Macoun, A. E. Attwood, A. Halkett. S. B. Sinclair, B.A. (>formal School.) Ureasurec : Dr. James Fletcher. (Central Experimental Farm,) Committee : F.LC. Miss M. Kee. " G. Harmer. " Marion Whyte. "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." EBitor : Henry M. Ami, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S. Hssociate JEBitors : Dr. R. W. Ells, Geological Survey of Canada, — Department of Geology. Mr. W. J. Wilson, Geological Survey of Canada. — Department of Mineralogy and Lithology. Prof. John Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey of Canada. — Depart- ment of Botany. Mr. F. R. Latchford. — Department of Conchology. Mr. W. H. Harrington, Post Office Department.— Department of Entomology. Mr. W. T. Macoun, Central Experimental Farm. — Department of Ornithology. Prof E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada.— Department of Biology and general Zoology. "Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N.C. only $i.oo per annum. JANUARY, 1899. vol- XII, No. 10. THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. Published by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club CONTENTS. Pash. 1. Notes on Some Ottawa Violets, by James Melville Macoun, Assistant Naturalist, Geological Survey of Canada .... l8l 2. Report of the Botanical Section, O.F.N. C, for 1898, by the Leaders .... .... .... .... .... .... 187 3. Ornithological Notes — i. An Albino Eave Swallow, by Geo. R. White, Ottawa ; 2. White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albi- collis) ; 3. Robin {Merula Migrator ia) ; Edited by W. T. Macoun 189 4 Bermuda : Life beneath the Waters, by H. B. Small, Ottawa 191 5. The Geological Society of America : New York Meet- ing, December, 1898, by the Editor 194 6. Notes, Reviews and Comments — Elementary Botany, by Geo. F. Atkinson, Ph. B. (J.C.) ; Contributions to Canadian Palseontoloey, Vol. i, Part V, No. 7. On Devonian Fossils from Ontario, by J. F. Whiteaves, (H.M.A.) .... .... .... 200 7. Obituary — The late Dr. H. A, Nicholson, of St. Andrew's Aber- deen, by H. M. Ami .... .... .... .... .... 204 RlfeE No. 4— O.F.N.C. Feb. 7th,' 1899, Y.M.C.A. Lecture Hall. :. Paper by W. T. Macoun, Esq., on "NATIVE HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS." W. S. Odell, Esq., on "FRESH-WATER POLYZOA." H. M. Ami, on " BURROWING HABITS OF THE CRAYFISH.' OTTAWA, CANADA. Printed at the Office ok Paynter & Abbott, 48 RiDEAU Street. CO CO CO as aO. £3: I- llJ o o 0) < o X Pianos, Org-ans and Musical Instruments. 189 SPARKS ST. A. ROSENTHAL, Jeweller and Optician. 87 SPARKS ST. WELCH, MARGETSON & GO'S Shirts, Collars and Cufifs. R. McGIFFIN, 49 SPARKS STREET. J. & T. BALLANTYNE, Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal. OFFICE, COR. ELGIN & QUEEN STS. Telephones 586 and 579. KENNY BROS., Tailors to His Excellency THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. A. J. STEPHENS, FINE SHOES. 187 SPARKS ST. Boo^s and Shoes Made to Measure. RUNS EASY! Nothing to hold it back. Has neither faults of construction nor flaws of material. Goes " to the front " where it belongs. It's the '98 ^^RED BIRD" EZetchuxn d^ Co. J. G BUTTERWORTH & Co., All-Rail Scranton Coal. 86 SPARKS STREET. C. H. THORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. Importer of Artists' Materials and Artistic Interior Decorations. Manufacturer of White Lead, Paints k Colors. " Howe's: Block, OTTAWA. TRY 33 C. English Blended Black Tea. PITTAWAY'S ^«°™ ^"^eFs^ISi-, SPARKS STREET. HENRY WATTERS, (Khcmist aiul druggist, 19s Sparks Street, JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full assort- ment of high-class Noveli- ties for the present season. 66 and 68 Sparks Street. OTTAWA. THE Russell House, OTTAWA. F. X. ST. JACQUES, Proprietor. GRAHAM BROS. Seedsmen and Florists, 29 Sparks St., Ottawa. Seeds Bulbs, Plants, Cut Flowers, Floral Designs. Catalogue on Application. G. M. HOLBROOK, 113 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. Trouser Stretchers, 50c. per pair. N. HAY. 54 SPARKS STREET. SHELF AND GENEI^/^L H;\RDW/\I^E. R. A. MCCORMICK, Prescription Druggist, 75 SPARKS STREET, Phone 159. Ottawa. 0. 0. RAY. 0. MURPHY. J. W. McRAE. 0. C. RAY & CO., COAL DEALERS, OFFICE : 53 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Telephone 461. J. & R. CRAIG, Tailors, 105 Sparks St., Ottawa. CD CD S3 HI) CD o O CD CO CD pa 3 IT" pa THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899. patron : THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF MINTO, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA. Ipl•C8(^cnt : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. 1Pice=lPrcsi5ent0 Prof. JohnMacoun, M.A.,F.L.S..F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami,M.A.,F,G.S. Xibrarian : S. B. Sinclair, B.A. Secrctaris : W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. (Geoloeical Survey Dept.) (Notmal School.) Ureasurer : Committee : Dr. James Fletcher. (Central Experimental Farm.) .LC. Miss iC (( M. Kee. G. Harmer. Marion Whyte. Frank T. Shutt, M.A., F.C.S. W. T. Macoun. D. A. Campbell, B.A. StanMnq Committees of Council : Fublishing: H. M. Ami, D. A. Campbell, F. T. Shutt, J. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, Excursions : W. J. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. B. Sinclair, Miss Kee, Miss Flarmer, Miss Whyte. Soirees: H. M. Ami, J. Fletcher, D. A. Campbell. W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. X.ea^er6 : Geolooy: H. M. Ami, W. J. Wilson, R. W. Ells. Botany : D. A. Campbell, J. M. Macoun, R. B. Whyte. Entomology : J. Fletcher, W. H. Harrineton, Willibert Simpson. Conchology : F. R. Latchford, A. Halkett, S. E. O'Brien. Ornithology: W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss Harmer. Zoology : John Macoun, A. E. Attwood, A. Halkett. "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." ]£6itor : Henry M. Ami, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S. associate fi^itors : Dr. R. W. Ells, Geological Survey of Canada, — Departmem of Geology. Mr. W. J. Wilson, Geological Survey of Canada. — Department of Mineralogy and Lithology. Prof. John Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey ol Canada. — Depart- ment of Botany. Mr. F. R. Latchford. — Department of Conchology. Mr. W. H. Harrington, Post Office Department. — Department o{ Entomology. Mr. W. T. Macoun, Central Experimental Farm. — Department of Ornithology. Prof E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada. — Department of Biology and general Zoology. "Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N. C. only $i.oo per annum. FEBRUARY, 1899. VOL. XII, No. II. THE OTTAWA ^p NATURALIST. Published by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club CONTENTS. PaAil 1. On the Origin of Some Archaean Conglomerates, by A. E. Barlow, M.A., Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa .... 205 2. On Some Species of Canadian Palaeozoic Corals, by Lawrence M. l-ambe, F.G.S., ot the Geological Survey of Canada 217 3. The Water of the Illecilliwaet Glacier, by F. T. Shutt, M.A., F.C.S., and A. T. Charron, B.A., ot the Central Experimental Farm, Oliawa .... .... .... .... .... 226 4. The Birds of King's County, Nova Scotia — Part II, by Harold Tulis, Esq., of Wolfville, Nova Scolia. ... .... 229 5. Conversazione of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists* Club 234 6. Notes, Reviews and Comments — Review of Report on the Marble, Slate and Granite industries of Vermont by Dr. G. H. Perkins, State Geologist, by J. A. Dre. .ser, M A., Richmond, Que. ; Geological Congress of Paris, 1900 ; A well deserved honour .... .... .... .... .... .... 236 Tuesday, M^rch 7.—(i) " Life-history of the Salmon," by Prof. E. E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. Z) Natural History in Art," by Prof. James Mavor, Toronto OniTcrsity. (Both papers illustrated ty lime-light views. ) Tuesday, March 14.— The Annual Meeting for the reception and adoption of Reports from he Council, election of Officers, etc. Meetings in Lecture Hall, Y.M.C.A. OTTAWA, CANADA. Printed (at the Officeof Paynter & Abbott, ' 48 RiDEAU Street. tiered at Ihe Ottawa Fost Office as $tey. Prof E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada. — Department of Biology and general Zoology. "Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N. C. only ?i.oo per annum. MARCH, 1899. VOU XII. No. 12. THE ^^^^ OTTAWA NATURALIST. Published by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club CONTENTS. Plot. 1. On Some Species of Canadian Palaeozoic Corals, by Lawrence M. Lambe, F.G.S., of the Geological Survey of Canada 237 2. The Birds of King's County, Nova Scotia— Part III, by Harold Tufts, Esq., of Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Concluded .... 259 3. Analyses of Ice from the Ottawa District, by R. F. Ruttan, B.A., M.D., CM., Professor of Chemistry, McGill Medical Col- lege, Montreal, Que .... .... .... .... 263 4. Report of the Ornithological Branch of the O.F.N. C for 1898, by the Leaders .... .... .... .... .... 265 5 Reports of Soirees — Second, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Soiree under the auspices of the O.F.N. C. .... .... .... 266 6. Notes, Reviews and Comments — Fourteenth Annual Re- port, Minister of Agriculture, Toronto, Ont., by C C. James, Esq.; " On the birds of Ontario in relation to Agriculture," by C. W. Walsh, Esq., Toronto; Giant Ripple Marks, note by H. M. Ami; Fine Microscopical Material — Foraminifera for distri- bution— collected by Mr. G. Boyce Scott, of Moncton, N.B.; Obituary Notice, Dr. G. J. Allman, F.R.S. 269 7. New Members, Li>-t of 270 8. Index of Volume XII, Ottawa Naturalist for 1898-99 i.-vi. ANNUAL MEETING. O.F.N.C, TUESDAY, MARCH 14th, 8 p.m Y.M.C.A. Hall. Election of Officers and Reading of Reports. OTTAWA, CANADA. J'kinted at the Office of Paynter & Abbott, 48 RiDEAU Street. tmttrtd aUthe Ottawa l\>*i Offlct a$ ttecmtl^oM ntatttr is CO CO '-'ui Sz HI ee lil o o 0 < o X Pianos, Org-ans and Musical Instruments. 189 SPARKS ST. A. ROSENTHAL, Jeweller and Optician. 87 SPARKS ST. WELCH, MARGETSON & GO'S Shirts, Collars and Cuffs. R. McGIFFIN, 49 SPARKS STREET. J. & T. BALLANTYNE, Best Grades of Hard and Soft Coal. OFFICE, COR. ELGIN & QUEEN SIS. Telephones 586 and 579. KKNNY BROS., Tailors to His Excellency THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. TTj. STEPHENS & SON, FINE SHOES. 187 SPAUKS ST. Boo^s and Shoes Made to Measure. RUNS EASY! Nothing to hold it back. " I-ias neither faults of construction nor flaws of material. Goes " to the front " where it belongs. It's the '98 "RED BIRD" 104 BA.nsr:Kz st. J. G BUTTERWORTH & Co., All-Rail Scranton Coal. 86 SPARKS STREET. C. H. THORBURN, Books and Stationery, FOUNTAIN PENS. Views of Ottawa. 80 Sparks St. Importer of Artists' Materials and Artistic Interior Decorations. Manufacturer of White Lead, Paints & Colors. Howe's Block, - - OTTAWA. TRY. 33 C. English Blended Black Tea. „,^ PHOTO STUDIO, ill 1 r\. V V r\. 10 58 SPARKS STREET. HENRY WATTERS, Chemist and iruggist, Corner Sparks and Bank Sts. OTTJL'W^^. JOHN MURPHY & CO., Every Department is now replete, with a full assort- ment of high-class Noveli- lies for the present season. 66 and 68 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. THE Russell House, OTTAWA. F. X. ST. JACQUES, Proprietor. GRAHAM BROS. Seedsmen and Florists, 29 Sparks St., Ottawa. Seeds Bulbs, Plants, Cut Flowers, Floral Designs. Catalogue on Application. G. M. HOLBROOK, 113 Sparks Street, OTTAWA. Trouser Stretchers, 50c. per pair. N. HAY. 54 SPARKS STREET. SHELF AND GENEI^/VL Hy^RDW/VI^E. R. A. MCCORMICK, Prescription Druggist, 75 SPARKS STREET, Phone 159. Ottawa. C. 0. RAY. D. MURPHY. J. W. McRAE. C. C. RAY & CO., COAL DEALERS, OFFICE : 53 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Telephone 461. J. & R. CRAIG, Tailors, 105 Sparks St., Ottawa. CD CD K/1 CD o CD O o *^ CD C/3 CD P 3 THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB, 1898-1899. patron : THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF MINTO, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OV CANADA. J^resi^ent : Prof. Edward E. Prince, B.A., F.L.S. Vice=()re0ident« Prof. John Macoun,M.A.,F.L.S.,F.R.S.C. Dr. H. M. Ami, M.A.,F.G.S. librarian : S. B, Sinclair, B.A. Secretar^e : W. J. Wilson, Ph. B. (GeoloRical Surrey Dept.) (Normal School.) trreasurer : Committer : Dr. James Fletcher. (Central Experimental Farm. ) .LC. Miss it M. Kee. G. Harmer. Marion Whyte. Frank T. Shutt, M.A., F.C.S. \V. T. Macoun. D. A. Campbell, B.A. Stanliinq Committees of Council : Publishing : H. M. Ami, D. A. Campbell, F. T. Shutt, J. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, Excursions: W.J. Wilson, Prof. Macoun, F. T. Shutt, S. H. Sinclair, Miss Kee, Miss Harmer, Miss Whyte. Soirees : H. M. Ami, J. Fletcher, D. A. Campbell. W. T. Macoun, Miss Harmer. Uea^er8 : Geology: H. M. Ami, W. J. Wilson, R. W. Ells. Botany : D. A. Campbell, J. M. Macoun, R. B. Whyte. Entoniolooy : ]. Fletcher, W. H. Harrineton, Willibert Simpson. Concliology: F. R. Latchford, A Halkett, S. E. O'Brien. Ornithology: W. T. Macoun, A. G. Kingston, Miss Harmer. Zoology : John Macoun, A. E. Attwood, A. Halkett. "THE OTTAWA NATURALIST." lEbitor : Henry M. Ami, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S. BsBOciate ]£^itors : Dr. R. W. Ells, Geological Survey of Canada, — Departmeni of Geology. Mr. W. J. Wilson, Geological .Survey of Canada. — Department of Mineralogy and Lithology. Prof. John Macoun, Dominion Botanist, Geological Survey of Canada. — Depart- ment of Botany. Mr. F. R. Latchford. — Department of Conchology. Mr. W. H. Harrington, Post Office Department. — Department oi Entomology. Mr. W. T. Macoun, Central Experimental Farm. — Department of Ornithology. Prof E. E. Prince, Commissioner of Fisheries for Canada. — Department of Biology and general Zoology. "Ottawa Naturalist" and Membership Fee to O.F.N. C. only $i.oo per annum.