TPL onte 2 - %.- We te he we verse tec } . ‘ a j : : by; te Ht) rag 4 oe a ’ » , j LJ ¥ ry af vu RO: secal Py .% < en , | Ps Sr rAawa NATURALIST BEING VOL. PO or THE Pete IN A CoN OF THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS CLUB. (Organized March, 1879. Incorporated March, 1884.) As a> OTTAWA : PAYNTER & Co., PRINTERS, 48 RIDEAU STREET. =, --— —_ — =" ~~ °° °&~ ~§ , 1893. Patron : HIS EXCELLENCY THE LORD STANLEY OF PRESTON GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA. President: DR. GEORGE M. Dawson. Vice-Presidents : 1st, FRANK T. SHUTT, | 2nD, Dr. R. W, Hes Secretary: DR. Henry M. Ami, Geological Survey Dept. Treasurer: A. G. Kincston, Dept. Public Works. Librarian; WiLutam Scort, Normal School. JAMES FLETCHER, W. H. Harrincton, W. F. FERRIER, Miss A. SHENICK, Miss G. HARMER, Miss A. M. LIVING. Standing Committees of Council : Publishing—A. G. Kincston, WILLIAM Scott, JAMES FLETCHER, W. H. HARRINGTON. Excursions—¥. T. SHutTT, Dr. Ami, A. G. Kincsron, Miss SHENICK, Miss HARMER, Miss LIVING. Soirées —F. T. SHuTT, Dr. Evts, Dr. Ami, W. F. FERRIER. Headers : Geology and Mineralogy—DR. Eis, Dr. Ami, W. F. FERRIER. Botany—k. B. WuytTE, J. Craic, R. H. Cow ey. Conchology—F. R. LATCHFORD, J. F. WHITEAVES, J. FLETCHER. Entomology—J. FLETCHER, W. H. Harrincton, T. J. MACLAUGHLIN. Ornithology—A. G. Kincston, W. A. D. LrEEs, Miss Botton. Zoology—F RANK T. SHUTT, PRor. Macoun, H. B. SMALL. Editorial Staff : Lditor—W. H. HARRINGTON. Sub-Editors :— Geology, Dr. Ami; Mineralogy, W. F. FERRIER ; Botany, Witu1amM Scott ; Conchology, ¥. R. LATCHFORD ; £x@o- mology, J. FLETCHER ; Ornithology, A. G. Kincston ; Zoology, Fo TY... Sworn, The Librarian will furnish the Publications of the Club at the following rates :— ()H TRANSACTIONS, — : Part 1, Not sold singly. eae 2. 2e cts. ; to members, 15 cts.| $1.00 for Vol. I. Committee : ; 3, 25 15 “. {To members, 7o ctx le ry 66 2 66 6 I 6c 66 : x ce (a4 ze ce oe ys - Be hte [ $1.00 for Vol. [I ae 2a « Sa {To members, 50 cts. b The Ottawa NATURALIST, $1.00 per annum. Monthly parts, 10 cents ; to members, 5 cents. Quarterly parts, 25 cents each; to members, 15 cents. Extras — Bituincs, W. R. Palzontology. An elementary lecture, Pp. #1, 5G: Ets, R. W. Asbestus ; its history, mode of occurrence and uses, pp. 24, 10¢, 3 LIST OF MEMBERS. Allan, Hon. Geo. W. (Toronto.) Allan, W. A. Aras, D.Sc f.G.S. £.GC.S.A. Anderson, ZLzeut.-Col. W. P., C. £., Bay, CLL. Anderson, Mrs. W. P. Archibald, Miss E. Armstrong, John R. aney, Prof, L: We M7. A., PAW D., F.R.S.C. (Fredericton, N. B.) Baldwin, Miss H. A. Ballantyne, Miss I. M. Ballantyne, J. Baptie, George, 17.4., M.D. Barlow, A. E., 474.4 Barlow, Scott. Bate, H. Gerald. Bate, H. N. Beddoe, Chas. H. Bell, E. B. | Bell, Robert, B..4fp.S¢., M@.D., L.L.D., lis. Ces E, GuS.A. Benne, Kev. C.J. S.,ALA., D.C.L., 7. i. S. C., (Port Hope, Ont.) Billings, W. R. Blanchet, W. H. Boardman, Wm. F. Bolton, Rev. C. E. (Paris, Ont.) Bolton, Miss Eliza. Borden, F. W., 44.D., M.P. (Canning, N.9S.) Boville, T. C., B.A. Bowen, Miss Alice (Quebec. ) Bowerman, ad Tie Be As Brewster, W (Cambridge, Mass., U. S.) Broadbent, Ralph L. Brodie, R. J., B.App.Sc. (Smith’s Falls Ont.) Brown, Mrs. R. D. Brumell, H. Peareth, /.G. S.A. Pppessy lef W., 27 D., Fe RS. C. (Montreal. ) Burland, J. H., B.App.Sc., &.G.S. Butterworth, Miss Maria E. Campbell, A. M. (Perth, Ont.) Campbell, Miss C. Campbell, R. H. Carer G. T. Casey, M. W. Chamberlin, Mrs. B. Chubbock, C. E. D. Sochrane, A. S., C. Z. Cornu, Felix, 17, D. (Montreal. ) Cousens, W. C., AZ.D. Cowley, R. H., B.A. Craig, Prof. J. A. (Madison, Wis. Craig, John. Craig, Wm. (Russell, Ont.) Coughlin, Mrs. M. A. Cowan, Miss M. E. Cowan, Mrs. R. W. Dawson, G. M., C.@. DSc., Assoc. R. Se M., Dawson, Miss M. Dawson, S. E. Z.D. Dawson, Miss W. Deeks, W. E., &.A. (North Williams- burg, Ont. ) Dimock, W. D., B.A. (Truro, N. S.) Dixon, F. A. Dowling, D. B., B.A.Se. Doyon, J. A. Dulau & Co., (Lendon.) Dwight, Jonathan J. (New York.) Eatois Daiwa ve Elkins, A. W., ville, Que.) Ells, Ry W:, 22.0 Gata Ells, Mrs. R. W. Empey, Miss M. Evans, Jno. D., C.Z. (Copper Cliff, Ont.) Ewart, D. Fedarb, F. J. Ferrier, W. F. B.A.Se. Fleming, Sandford, FR ORG: FARSI. Fletcher, Miss C. F. S. Fletcher, James, /.Z.S., #.2.S.C. Fletcher, Mrs. J. Fortescue, L. Fortescue, Mrs. L. Fraser, Basil H. C.Z. Fuller, Thos., &.C.A. Gallup, A. H. Gemmell, R. E. Gilmour, T. Giroux, N. J., C.Z., #.G.S.A. Glashan, J. C. C.£., P.L.S. (Lennox- C. Ti G.,: C., 25 Gobeil, A. Goodwillie, Rev. J, M., IZA. (Vernon, Ont.) Grant, Sir J. A, "A. CAGG.;. AD, FR. CS, Bat; BR SEC. EGS. Grist, Henry. Grist, Miss Mary L. Hardie, John. Hardie, Miss Jessie. Harmer, Miss G. (Hintonburgh, Ont.) Harmon, Miss A. Maria. Harrington, W. Hague. Harrington, Mrs. W. H. Harrison, Edward. Hay, George, Sr. Hay, W. H. Hayter, F., 6A. Herridge, Keo. W.-W as, A. oD. Hodgins, John. Hope, James. Howell, H. M., Q. C., (Winnipeg. ) Hughes, Chas. (Wakefield, Que.) Jenkins, S..J., 6.4. Johnson, E. V.., Cok. Johnson, J. F. E. Johnston, Robt. A. A. jones, C.J. Kearns,}..C. Peeter, Thos, C., C2. Reeley, 1. 7. Kingston, A. G. + MacLaughlin, T. J. McLean, J. D. MacLean, Miss. S. MeMinn, W. J. R., B.A, McNab, Chas. McNaughton, H. F. Macoun, Prof. John, F.R.S.C. Macoun, J. M. Mather, Miss J. Matheson, D. Matheson, W. M. Mearns, Capt. E. A. (Fort Snelling, Minn) Meneilly, W. J. Mills, Miss Margaret A. Moore, H. R. Nelson, F., B.A. Nicholls, William. Nicholls, Rupert W. O’Brien, S. E. Odell, W. S. Oxley, J. M., B.A., BORE Panet, Maurice. M. Ai, Pedi iBag Eafamme, /ev. |.CG, D.D., F. RyS.Cageaquet, hx. (Quebec. ) Lambart, Hon. O. H. Lambart, Hox. Mrs. O. H. Lambe, LL: M.72G6.5., F.G.S.A4, Latchiord, F.. Ro B.A. Law, John. Perley, Major Henry F., C.£. Perkins, Miss E. Poirier, Hon. P. S. (Shediac, N. B.) Pratt; (Oi E. Prevost, 1.°C.,. Moe Robert, J. A., B.A.Sc. (Montreal.) Lawson, Prof. G., LL. )D., Piggies Robertson, Prof, J, Ae iP dead Efe oh Halifax <3 Lee, Miss Katharine. Lees, Miss Jessie. Lees, Miss V. Lees, W. A. D. Robertson, N. Robins, R. N. (Sherbrooke, Que.) Rondeau, Rev. S., B.A. (Sudbury). Ross, Niles G. oss, AW, Ax, J.GlG, Lehmann, A. 4.S.A., (Baton Rouge, La., Rothwell, Miss Lina. Us5.3 LeSueur, W. D., &.A. LeSueur, Mrs. W. D. Library of Parliament. Lindsay, A. Living, Miss A. Marion. Lovick, Miss G. Lowe, John. MacCabe, Ji.Ay, 2225,u8. McConnell, R. G., B.A., 7.G.S.A. MacCraken, John I., B.A. McDougall, A. H. McDougall, P. A., 44.D. MacDougall, R. (Ormstown, Que.) McElhinney, M. P. McEvoy, Jas., B.A.Sc. MacFarlane, T.) #72... .27.0-.50e McGill, A., Bi Ai nes McInnes, Wm., &.4., 7.G.S.A. McLaughlin, S. McLaughlin, Mrs. S. Saint-Cyr, D. N. (Quebec). Saunders, Fredk. Saunders, Prof. W., F.L.S., F.R.S.C., F.C.S. Saunders, W. E., (London, Ont.) Scott, Duncan C. Scott, Fred. Scott, P., J.D. (Southampton, Ont.) Scott, W. Scott, W. B.A. Scorn, W. L., BA, Selwyn, A.R.C., C.M.G., LL.D. FROS., F.RS.C., Gi Senate, The. Senecal, C.O., C.£. Shenick, Miss A., B. Se. Shutt, F. T. M. A., 7 Simpson, Willibert. Small, 7. B. Small, H. Beaumont, M.D. Smith, Miss Eloise. Smith, Miss Ethel M. Steacy, Miss Isabel. Steckel, R., C.Z. 5 Walsh, A. R. Warwick, F. W., B.Sc., (Buckingham, Que.) Summerby,Wm. J., M.A. (Russell, Ont.) Watters, Henry. Surtees, Robert, C. £. Sutherland, Miss C. F. S. Sutherland, J. C. (Richmond, Que.) Sweetland, John, M.D. Symes, MissE. Symes, P. B., A.K.C. Taylor, Rev. G. W. (Victoria, B.C.) _ Thayne, E. Stewart. Thompson, T. W. Thorburn, John, W.A., LL.D. Topley, H. N. Topley, Mrs. H. N. Topley, Mrs. W. J. Treadwell, C. W., B.A., B.C.L. Twidale, A. P., (High Rock, Que.) Tyndall, Miss. A., (Cummings Bridge.) Watts, J. W. H., R.C.A. Weldon, Prof. R. C., M.P. (Halifax.) Weston, T. C. White, George R. White, Lieut.-Col. Wm. White, W. R. (Pembroke, Ont.) Whiteaves, J. F., F.G.8., F.R.8.C. F.G.S.A. Whyte, Miss Isabella. Whyte, J. G. Whyte, Miss Ethel. Whyte, Miss Marion. Whyte, R. B. Whyte, Mrs. R. B. Willimott, Charles W. . Willing, T. N. (Calgary, N. W. T.) Petrelli wb. b.A., .BSc., -.G.8. Wills, ].\Lamson, M.£.,.¥.CS. E.G. A. Wilson, W. J. Waghorne, Rev. A. C., (New Harbour, Wintle, E. D. (Montreal.) Nfld. ) Wait, F. G., B.A. Walker, T. L., 17.A. (Kingston, Ont.) Wood, Josiah, M./?., (Sackville, N. B ) Wright, W. R. Young, Rev. C. J., M.A., (Lansdowne, Wallace, J. W., M.D., (Buckingham, Que) Ont.) CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. HILL, ALBERT J., M.A., C.H., New Westminister, B.C. MERRIAM, Dr. C. Hart, Department of Agriculture, Washington, U.S. OrMEROD, Miss E. A., F. R. Met. Soc., Torrington House. Holywell Hill, St. Albans, England. SMITH, PROF. JOHN B., Rutger’s College, New Brunswick, N,. J. CONSTITUTION. OF THE OTTAWA FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 1. Mame and Olject.—This Club shall be called the Ottawa Field- Naturalists’ Club, and its object shall be the study of the Natural History of this Locality. 2. Officers.—The Officers of the Club shall consist of a President, first and second Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Libra- rian, who, together with six other members of the Club, of whom three shall be ladies, shall form a Council, all of whom shall be elected annually, and shall be eligible for re-election, and who shall have the management of all the business of the Club. Inthe event of any vacancy occurring in the Council during the year, the same may be filled by the election of a successor at any of its regular meetings. 3. Auditors.—There shall be two Auditors, elected annually, to examine the Treasurer’s accounts for the following year, and report thereon at the next annual meeting. 4. Presidentand Vice-Presidents.—The President shall direct all the business of the Club, and preside at all meetings of the Club and Council ; his duties, in the event of his absence, devolving on the Vice-Presidents in their order. 5. Secretary.—The Secretary shall give previous notice to each member of the Club of every meeting of the Club, and to each member of the Council of every meeting of the Council ; shall make and keep a true record of the Proceedings of all Meetings of the Club and of the Council: have custody of the Constitution, By-laws, and Records of the Club, and conduct its general correspondence. 6. Zreasurer.—The Treasurer shall be charged with the collection and custody of the funds of the Club, and keep a regular account thereof, which shal] always be open to the inspection of the Council. een irestearcd cece a oe ca ae oe om ee fa Te ee a 7 He shall also submit at each annual meeting a statement showing the financial condition of the Club. 7. Librartan.—The Librarian shall have charge of all publications of the Club, and shall distribute the same under the direction of the Council. He shall also have the custody of all books and papers belonging to the Club, and shall supervise their circulation among the members. 8. Council.—The Council shall, as business may require, meet from time to time at the call of the President, or of any two officers; shall control all matters affecting the welfare of the Club, subject to this Constitution ; shall have full control of the funds of the Club, and shall report its proceedings to the members at the Annual Meeting. 9. Annual Meeting.—The Annual Meeting of the Club shall be held on the Third Tuesday in March, at which, in addition to other business, the Annual Report of the Council shall be read, and the Council and Auditors for the following year elected, by ballot after nomination, by a majority of the members present. 10. Special Meetings—A Special General Meeting of the Club may be called by the Council ; and shall be called on requisition of not less than ten members, specifying the business they wish brought before the meeting. The Council shall call the meeting within fourteen days from the receipt of the requisition, giving one week’s notice. No other business shall be transacted than that mentioned in the notice. 11. Conduct of Meetings.—The presence of ten members shall be required to constitute any general meeting of the Club, and of three members to constitute a meeting of the Council. All meetings shall be conducted under such by-laws and rules of procedure as may from time to time be adopted. 12. Proceedings.—Excursions in summer, and Evening Meetings and Classes of Instruction in winter, shall be held, and the Transactions of the Club shall be periodically published ; all arrangements for which shall be made by the Council. 13. Members.—Any lady or gentleman desiring to join the Club shall send a written application, signed by the applicant and endorsed 8 by the recommendation of two members, to the Secretary, and ‘if approved shall be elected at the next meeting of the Council. Members desiring to leave the Club must previously settle all dues and signify their intention in writing to the Secretary. 14. Corresponding Members.—The Council shall have the power of electing Corresponding Members, who shall be persons not residing in Ottawa or its immediate vicinity, but who may be desirous of promot_ ing the objects of the Club. Corresponding Members shall not be required to pay membership fees. | 15. Annual Fee-—The annual membership fee shall be one dollar, payable in advance, due on the third Tuesday in March, and no member in arrears shall be entitled to any of the privileges of the Club. New members to pay the fee for the current year upon election. The payment of the annual fee to entitle a member to receive a copy of the Transactions, as published, and to admission to the Club Soirées, without further charge. 16. Amendments.—This Constitution may not be changed or amended except bya special meeting of the Club called for that purpose, and by a two-third vote of the members present. 9 EDITORIAL. At the Annual Meeting, held on Tuesday, March 21st, Dr. Geo. Dawson was re-elected President of the Club. During the past year his connection with the important Behring Sea Arbitration caused him to be absent from Ottawa for much of the time, but as a satisfactory termination of this question may soon be expected, his presence with us this year will be more assured, and his interest in the success of the - Club is such that he will be able to materially promote its welfare. All the old officers were re-elected except three, who are replaced by Mi. W. F. Ferrier, Miss A. Shenick and Miss A. M. Living. The attention of members is requested to the announcement on a previous page, of the Standing Committees, Editorial Staff and Leaders, whom the Council has appointed for the carrying on of the various depart- ments of the Club's work. ‘The former Editor, Mr. Fletcher, has been forced through pressure of work, and the distance from the city of his office, to resign his post, but he has promised his assistance to the incomer, and the Council has granted further aid by the appointment of Sub-Editors for the several branches of the scientific work of the Club. ‘The start made in this direction during the past year, and the notes so published have proved acceptable to the members, but they should bear in mind that to make this section of the magazine really valuable and interesting, it will be necessary for each to make records and furnish notes to the sub-editors. ‘Ihe Council, in response to frequent enquiries, has authorized the re-printing of the Constitution, the only amendment to which, since its adoption at the Special Meet- ing, held March 28th, 1884, was made at the Annual Meeting in March, 1890, when the number of members in the Committee, of Council was enlarged from three to six, in order to specially provide for three ladies. Although the scope of the Club’s work has been gradually widened to receive the benefits of investigations made by its members wherever they may be located, the special work for which it was organ- ized must still merit the chief attention, and although much has been observed and recorded of the Natural History of Ottawa, there still remains vastly more to be done. The season for out-door work and study is here ; the snow and ice are melting, the birds are arriving, the 10 sap is commencing to revivify vegetation, the insects are crawling from their hibernating crevices ; a few days more and all nature will feel the rapid throbs of a new season of growth and development. Let us take every advantage of this finest season of the year, and leave cabinet and book-study to be true Field-Naturalists. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL, 1892-93. Zo the Members of the Ottawa Leld-Naturalists Club : In presenting this, the fourteenth Annual Report of the work of the Club, your Council has much pleasure in stating that continued interest exists, and a large amount of valuable work has been accom- plished. The growing interest which the public of Ottawa is taking in the excursions and soireés of the Club is very manifest, judging from the attendance on these occasions, as also from requests for admission to our membership. One of the first duties of your Council after election was to appoint the various standing committees and leaders in the various branches, to give aid and information to members, and keep records of the season’s work. ourteen Council meetings were held during the year at which the routine and executive work of the Club was carried on. Twenty-nine new members were elected during the past year, whilst a few of our membership have gone, some out of the city to other portions of the country, while others we mourn. Amongst the latter are the following :— ' Rev. ABBh PROVANCHER, of Cap Rouge, Quebec. This zealous and relentless student of Botany and Entomology was elected a Cor- responding member of our Club in 1886. For many years he edited and wrote extensively for “ Ze Waturaliste Canadien,” published in Quebec. The Abbé was the author of several interesting volumes on Natural History in the Province of Quebec. WiLtiamM PitrMaN Lett. For upwards of me years our late lamented City Clerk was an active member of the Club, and occupied the post of Leader in Zoology on several occasions. No one who had the pleasure to listen to Mr. Lett’s graphic descriptions of the life and habits of the higher mammalia of Ottawa will ever forget them. 11 His love for the chivalrous in the glowing scenes of a huntsman’s career, together with his narratives of personal encounters with the larger game of the district, are still and will long be fresh in the memories of even the youngest one in our midst. Mr. Lett has con- tributed several important and reliable papers on his favorite subject, which were published in the “‘ Transactions ” of the Club. W. H. C. Smitu, of the Geological Survey of Canada has also passed away from our sphere of activity. Prematurely, right in harness, engaged at his favourite work and study, Mr. Smith was taken away. He was to have given the Club an evening’s entertainment on the “Geology of the Rainy Lake region” in which he had a number of interesting observations to record. Besides being a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and Secretary of the Logan Club of Ottawa at the time of his death, Mr. Smith was a member of a number of societies and organizations, amongst which he was universally held in high repute. R. J. TANNER, late Principal of one of our educational insti- tutions, also passed away. His quiet and gentle unobtrusive nianner, as well as his courtesy and other personal qualities, had won for him a very large circle of friends. In -his capacity as teacher and student of nature, Mr. Tanner took a deep interest in the welfare of the Club, whilst the city has lost in him a useful and worthy citizen. The total membership of the Club to-day, amounts to two hundred and seventy-five. Four general excursions were held during the year and it can safely be said that never heretofore have these been more successful or better patronized. The opening of the Ottawa and Gatineau Valley Railway has done much to increase the interest and attendance at the excursions held, as the region traversed is beautiful and attractive to students of Botany, Geology, Entomology, &c. Five Soirées were held during the winter, at which the average . attendance was larger than in previous years. Additions to the Library are coming in steadily from exchanges a home and abrcad. 12 In his report, our energetic Librarian will give you a résumé of the duties devolving upon him and a list of the additions to our Library during the year. The Treasurer is able to show a balance on hand of $34.20 which is very creditable as we receive no outside help to enable us to publish the Orrawa Natura.ist or “Transactions” of the Club. A new departure has been deemed advisable in the publication of the NATURA- List, and Sub-editors were appointed to give notes of observations made in the different branches of the Club’s work. This method has met with general approval and satisfaction and added interest to the reading matter in the volume. The Naturatist has been published regularly every month, and as near the beginning of the month as possible. It is distributed to the members and exchange list free of charge, whilst a number of copies of the volumes of the Transactions were sold during the year, showing the esteem in which its pages are held by outsiders. In conclusion, the Council hopes that the new year which will soon begin for the Club will be one marked by increased activity in all branches of the Club’s work. All of which is respectfully submitted, Henry M. AmI, Ottawa, March atst, 1893. Secretary. 13 OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB. -TREASURER’S BALANCE SHEET FOR 1892~'93, RECE LP YS. Baraner.on. hand from last year... ... 6.5.4...» 4. $ $ 28 472 Subscriptions received— PpeeetnevOr-DECVIOUS. YEalS ... ies e ewes ses 52 00 Bemeerpnions Of rag2-93°... 2. idan av. 4c... 143 40 Dard Wiadvancéefor1893-94 «Meee ee 50 | esc eerie es pemieriraists sold by Librarian..............:..-- 25 30 Received for ‘“‘ Authors Extras” ............. a IQ 25 ft RA AGWCTEISEMMENtS «0/455 wnyejg ages Mey ees 2550 MemerOCeeds Of E:XCUMSIONS..... 1. . 2 cde wan tee. 36 24 $ 330 91 EXPENDITURE. Gostof Printing “Naturalist” Vov. VI.... 02.26. $222 03 er ORG AMEC Hy loys ios ee ig bs << oo a wg law "tegen an 249 16 SG erat see ee es See a we 12 86 SPePMPingihe Alain ee fl 1 go mre. eAsathor's; Mxtras ec)... a6. + re ynilners wee I7 59 fe auity to. janitor, NormalSchool.............. 5 00 Balance cost of binding periodicals of 1891....... 20 Appropriated for “ e Sega. OF) H IO 00 SmI ATI itd «Lis chNYEI)- eee kG 34 20 $ 330 91 A. G. KINGSTON, OTTAWA, 21st March, 1893. Treasurer. J. BALLANTYNE, Wm. A. D. LEEs. Auditors. 14 REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL BRANCH. To the Council of the Ottawa Field Naturalists Club: The leaders of the Entomological Branch have much pleasure in reporting that satisfactory work was done during the past season. This consisted largely in the exact identification of species in the least worked and more difficult orders. This study has resulted in the ad- dition of many species of beetles to the list of local species published in the Transactions of the Club for 1883-84. The advisability is therefore suggested of publishing at an early date a more complete record of the species found in this district. The occurrence of some of the rarer species has already beenrecorded in the OTTAWA NATURALIST under the head of Entomology, and it is proposed for the future to continue this method, instead of lengthening the Annual Reports. A complete list of the Hemiptera was published in our June number, and additions will be recorded from time to time as identified. In Lepidoptera a considerable amount of work has been done, particularly in the breeding of species. Some rare insects were ob- tained, of which mention may be made of Chzonobas jutta, a rare satyrid, concerning the breeding of which at Ottawa some doubt has arisen. This butterfly was taken in the Mer Bleu on the 23rd June. On the same date a specimen of the rare little moth Exyra Rowlandiana was found at rest inside one of the cup-like leaves of the pitcher plant, Saracenia purpurea. Prof. Riley kindly identified the specimen ; he stated that it is an uncommon insect. In the December number of the NATURALIST an account is published of some remarkable feather felting, resulting from the work of the carpet moth caterpillars which infested the contents of a pillow. A specimen of this felting is shown to-night. Some most interesting experiments have been carried out during the past year in transmitting by mail to England pupz of the Camberwell Beauty butterfly. This journey on two occasions had the effect of producing the remarkable and extremely rare variety known as Lintnerit, in varying degrees of definition. One particular specimen had all four wings different. A detailed account of this experiment will be published on a future occasion. 15 In the order Hymenoptera numerous additions have been made to collections, including some of great interest. A feature of the year has been the abundance of parasitic species. Mention may be made of two which did good service in destroying the eggs of two very in- jurious pests of the garden, viz., the imported current sawfly (Vematus ribest) and the zebra caterpillar of the cabbage and other plants (AMamestra picta). An extended notice of these will be found in the forthcoming report of the Experimental Farms. A list of our Phyto- phagus Hymenoptera is now ready for publication when space permits in the NATURALIST. Several collecting expeditions were made during the summer, the most interesting of which was a visit of two of the leaders to Sudbury, where in company with Mr. J. D. Evans, a member of the club and an energetic entomologist, they spent three days collecting. Although the weather for a portion of the time was not propitious, a large number of rare and interesting forms were secured. (Signed), W. H. HarRINGTON, J. FLETCHER, l Leaders. Jan. 19th, 1893. T. J. MAcLAUGHLIN, BOOK NOTICE. Report of Observations of Injurious Insects and Common Farm Pests, during the year 1892, with Methods of Prevention and Remedy. The Sixteenth Annual Report, on the pests injurious to the British farmer and gardener, by Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod (a corresponding ‘member of our Club), indicates that this talented iady is still indefa- tigably prosecuting the useful investigations which have made her famous in the field of economic entomology. The present report attains a length of 163 pages, and treats of a score or so of interesting subjects, of which a few only can be here indicated. The Sawfly, whose injuries to the apple were noted in the previous report, has been bred through its several stages and has proved to be Hoplocampa ( Teuthredo) testudinea, Klug. This Sawfly inserts its egg in the embryo apple, when the fruit is setting, and the larva, when hatched, feeds in the interior of the fruit and destroys it. Several European sawflies have already reached Canada, and inflicted a great deal of injury, and it is 16 sincerely to be hoped that the above pest may not also be introduced. Some insects well known to American agriculturalists are treated of in relation to various plants. Among these are the Asparagus Beetle, which has been to some extent injurious in the Atlantic States, but which has not yet reached Canada. We have, however, the Cabbage Aphis, Corn Aphis, Hessian Fly, Mangold Leaf-blister Maggot, Onion Fly and Diamond-back Moth of the ‘Turnip. Pea-weevils are men- tioned, but these are not the Aruchus pist which occurs here, but beetles which belong to the genus Sitones (true Curculionids,) and which attack the foliage. Several pages of the report are devoted to the serious attacks upon tomato of the Heterodera radicola, a small nematode worm (such are popularly known as eel-worms,) which causes the growth of knots, or galls, on the roots of this plant, and on others, such as the cucumber, potato, parsnip, etc. This pest appears to be especially injurious to the crops grown under glass, and has caused great loss to some of the extensive growers. Several insect enemies of the turnip and cabbage are noticed, and considerable space is given to a discussion of the disease known as Finger-and-toe, the cause of which is the Slime Fungus, Plasmodiophora brassice. This fungus is also injurious here, and has been treated by Mr. Fletcher in his reports, as the Club-root of the Cabbage. Miss Ormerod’s report is conveniently arranged under appropriate headings, and in connection with each in- festation the most suitable remedies are carefully considered. The mechanical part of the work is well in keeping with the contents, and, besides numerous wood-cuts of the various pests, there are four excel- lent photv-gravure plates, illustrating the root diseases to which refer-_ ence has been made. W, Pid. : ; 4 | f , oes 17 NOTES ON CANADIAN BRYOLOGY. By DR. N. C. KINDBERG, Linkoeping, Sweden. (Communicated by John Macoun. M.A., F.L.S., F.R.S.C.) ANDRA SPARSIFOLIA, Zett. Var. susL&vis, Kindb. (N. var.) Leaves generally smooth, rarely faintly papillose ; the perichetial ones subobtuse. Near Cape Beale, Vancouver Island, May gth,1892. (J. M. Macoun.) DICRANOWEISIA OBLIQUA, Kindb. (N. sp.) Differs from DJ. crispula, principally in the capsule being asymme- tric, curved, substrumose in a dry state; the perichetial leaves being acuminate, and the costa excurrent in all leaves. _ On stones along Asulcan Creek, near the Glacier Hotel, Selkirk Mountains, B.C. August 8th, 1890. (Macoun.) DICRANELLA POLARIS, Kindb. (N. sp.) Tufts dusky green, not shining, fuscescent below. Stems 1-3 mm. high, erect and simple, leaves rigid, patent-erect, nearly straight, from the ovate-oblong base narrowed to the subulate, indistinctly two or three toothed, acumen ; cells not papillose, the lower marginal narrow, the upper sub-oblong ; costa broad, often two-thirds of the lower part below, faintly marked, filling the whole acumen ; perichetial leaves larger, entire, broader at the base, with more numerous marginal cells. ‘Capsule asymmetric suboval, finally subclavate,{curved, smooth, short- necked, orange ; lid with a long, oblique beak ; peristome of 16 teeth, nearly entire, slightly cleft above, orange with paler tips ; annulus not distinct ; pedicel yellow, erect, 10-12 mm. long. Spores small, about 0,015 mm. Calyptra short, dimidiate. Differs from Dicranella cerviculata in the structure of the per- istome, the broader leaf costa, and the larger perichetial leaves ; also from D. heteromalla in the smaller size, the rigid leaves, the broader costa and the not striate capsule. St. Lawrence Island, Behring Sea, Aug. 15th, 1891. (J. M. Macoun.) 18 DICRANELLA CERVICULATULA, Kindb, (N. sp.) Agrees with D. cerviculat ain its dicecious inflorescence, the stru- mose capsule and the yellow pedicel; differs in the leaves being gradually acuminate, the cells short quadrate, only the inner at the base rectangular, the costa narrow, well-defined, and not filling the acumen, only in the perichetial leaves distinctly excurrent. The tufts are very dense and compact, dark green, the leaves not spreading, the pedicel is short about 7-8 mm., the stem 5 mm. On Digge’s Island, Hudson Strait, August, 1884. (R. Bell.) LEPTOTRICHUM (Ditrichum) ToMENTosuM, Kindb. (N. sp.) Tufts very compact and tomentose, 2-3 cm. high, the tips yellow- ish green, faintly glossy. Leaves small, entire, from the ovate-oblong base attenuate to the involute or canaliculate, scarcely longer or often shorter acumen, appressed in a dry state ; costa occupying the half of the leaf-base, and the whole acumen ; alar cells not distinct, the lower ones subrectangular, the upper shorter, suboval. Barren. Probably allied to Leptotrichum homomallum or Lepto. zonatum Lev. The leaves are broader than in Z. Zomomallum, and not so long- acuminate. It has also the habit of Campylopus, and some forms of Dicranella heteromalla. St. Paul’s Island, Behring Sea, July 3rd, 1892. (J. M. Macoun. ) RACOMITRIUM FASCICULARE, Brid. Var. HAPLOCLADON, Kindb. (N.var.) Branches attenuate, acute, simple, or nearly withoutjbranchlets. St. Paul’s Island, Behring Sea, July 6th. 1892. (J. M. Macoun.) MNIUM GLABRESCENS, Kindb. (N. sp ) Differs from JZ. punctatum in the stems being nearly glabrous, the leaves green, not nigrescent, faintly reflexed at the borders in a.dry state, the upper leaves narrower, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, the cells smaller, more rotundate, the costa red only in the middle, (as in JZ. stellare) pale at the borders, the inner perichetial leaves ovate-oblong subobtuse, the pedicel sometimes 5-6 cm. long. Sitka, and Port Etches, Alaska, 1891-92. (J. M. Macoun.) 19 Swamps, Queen Charlotte Islands, and Comox, Vancouver Island, 1878, 1885. (Dawson.) Near Victoria, and at Comox, Vancouver Island, 1875, 1887. (Macoun.) LresKEA Moseri, Kindb. (N. sp.) Stems creeping, irregularly branching or pinnate. Leaves small, green, not glossy, from a short ovate, at the borders recurved, base, nar- rowed to a longer and filiform acumen, entire, indistinctly papillose ; cells rotundate or quadrate ; costa percurrent or excurrent. Pereche- tial leaves narrowly ovate-oblong, obtusate, short-acuminate, serrate above, at least to the middle. Capsule erect, cylindric-lanceolate, with a small mouth ; peristome pale ; endostome as long as the teeth ; cilia none; lid conic, short-apiculate ; pedicel about 2 cm. long. Male flowers not found. Differs from Zeskea nervosa, principally in the leaves being longer-acuminate, and the perichetial ones subobtuse ; it differs also in the peristome. Tay Forks, York Co., N.B., 1890. (J. Moser.) ANOMODON PLATYPHYLLUS, Kindb. (N. sp.) A. obtusifolius, Can. Musc., No. 256; Macoun Cat., Pt. VI, 171. Stem irregularly divided or irregularly pinnate ; branches thick ; leaves large, pherifarious and crisped when dry, (as.in the Axomodon apiculatus and A. viticulosus), undulate and entire at the borders, very broad, nearly ovate-oblong or from a little broader, cordate and strongly papillose, base slightly narrowed to the lingulate at apex rounded acumen ; inner basal cells subhyaline, not well-defined. Perichetial leaves ‘strongly papillose and subdentate at the base, and contracted to a narrow, lingulate acumen. Capsule much smaller than in A. api- culatus, oval-oblong ; erdostome rudimentary ; lid short-conic, not rostellate ; pedicel yellow, less than 1 cm. long. Dicecious. Differs from all our other species in the broader leaves, from the nearly allied in the small capsule. Apparently all my specimens of A. odfusifolius are of this species. -(Macoun.) 20 PSEUDOLESKEA ATRICHA, Kindb. (N. sp.) P. atrovirens Var. atricha, Kindb., Macoun, Cat., Pt. VII, 180. Tufts brownish or olivaceous, with green tips, loosely cohering, without rhizoids. Leaves distinctly papillose, ovate-oblong, short- acuminate, serrulate at the acumen ; cells elongate, conflated, irregularly sinuous. Capsules not found. On rocks along the Eagle River, just below the little bridge at Griffin Lake, B.C., August 11th, 1889. (Macoun.) THUIDIUM (Elodium) PSEUDO-ABIETINUM, Kindb. (N. sp.) Stems imbricate, densely tufted, creeping, densely brown-tomen- tose, simply pinnate ; branches distant, short. Stem-leaves faintly pap- illose, broad-ovate, short-acuminate; cells generally elongate, the middle ones oval-oblong ; branch-leaves ovate-oval subobtuse, distinct- ly denticulate and papillose on both sides, opaque. Capsule curved, lid not found. Moncecious. Habit of Zhuzdium (Elodium) paludosum. In a swamp a little west of Britannia Station, and south of the Canadian Pacific Railway, six miles west of Ottawa, September 11th, 1890. (Macoun.) THUIDIUM ABIETINUM, *PACHYCLADON, Kindb. (N. subsp.) Differs in the branches being crowded, the stem leaves gradually long acuminate,: ovate-lanceolate, the apical cells narrow, the basal orange. Capsules not found. Resembling in habit Zhuedium Blan- dowtt. On rocks,summit of Tunnel Mountain, at Banff, Rocky Mountains, Alt. 5,500 feet, June 29th, 1891. (Macoun.) ISOTHECIUM MYOSUROIDES, *BREVINERVE, Kind. I. acuticuspis, Mitt. Differs in the stem leaves being nearly entire, long acuminate, with a short and sometimes forked or indistinct costa. Capsules not found. WDicecious. . New Harbor and Speedwell Bay, Newfoundland, Dec. 11th, 1890. (Rev. A. C. Waghorne.) ISOTHECIUM MYOSUROIDES, *HYLOCOMIOIDES, Kindb. (N. subsp.) iit —- 21 Branches subjulaceous, sometimes bipinnate. Leaves larger than in the type, short-acuminate, those of the branchlets subobtuse ; costa stout. | On old logs at Comox, Vancouver Island, April 30th, 1887. (Macoun.) EURHYNCHIUM SUBSCABRIDUM, Kindb. (N. sp.) E.. Sullivantit, Macoun Cat., Pt. VI, 206. Tufts pale green above, dirty yellow below. Stem creeping, pin- nate; branches subjulaceous, nearly crowded, long and attenuate, Leaves long-decurrent, not striate, very papillose on both sides, serru- late nearly all around ; borders reflexed below; cells sublinear or lan- - ceolate, those in the angles short and numerous; costa vanishing near the acumen. Stem-leaves ovate withasubfiliform point; branch-leaves ovate-oblong, generally long-acuminate. ~ Perichetial leaves ‘nearly entire, filiform pointed. Capsules not found. Dicecious or pseudo- moncecious. Allied to Z. Sullivantii, Canadian Musci., No. 296. This species was examined by James and Austin, and pronounced £. Sud/ivantit, but Lindberg, in 1871, named it differently. The specimens from Royston Park that were distributed as No. 296. See Macoun Cat. VI, page 206, for distribution. (Macoun.) EURHYNCHIUM SUBINTEGRIFOLIUM, Kindb. (N. sp.) Tufts green, not glossy, sparingly radiculose. Stem irregularly branching or subpinnate ; branches complanate. Leaves somewhat large, long-decurrent, faintly striate, distant and subdistichous, ovate- oblong, short apiculate, nearly entire, minutely denticulate near the apex, chlorophyllose; cells sublinear, the alar short and somewhat numerous, not large; costa thin, generally reaching to the acumen. Capsule arcuate or subobovate ; lid not found ; pedicel long and smooth. Probably dicecious. Habit of Lurhynchium (Rhynchostcgium) serrulatum ; allied to the European Lurhynchium (Rhynchostegium) megapolitanum. 22 On old logs in woods along the Columbia River, about one mile above Revelstoke, B.C., May 5th, 1890. (Macoun.) EURHYNCHIUM REVELSTOKENSE, Kindb. (N sp.) Tufts pale green. Stem pinnate, creeping ; branches complanate. Leaves distichous, plicate, pellucid, ovate-lanceolate, long-subulate, minutely denticulate, sometimes short-decurrent ; cells lanceolate, those in the angles short and large; costa thick, reaching to above the middle. Capsule arcuate ; pedicel short and smooth. Lid and male \ flowers not found. On old water-soaked logs in woods west side of the Columbia _ River, at Revelstoke, B.C., May 6th, 1890. (Macoun.) This species and the preceding were included in the references under B. serrulatum in Part VI. EURHYNCHIUM SERRULATUM, *ERICENSE, Kindb. (N. subsp.) Differs in the leaves being shorter, subovate, less distant, nearly crowded, also in the smaller, and short-pedicellate capsule. On earth in woods a little west of Leamington, Essex Co., Ont., Sept. 21st, 1890. (Macoun.) , EURHYNCHIUM SERRULATUM, *HISPIDIFOLIUM, Kindb. (N. subsp.) Differs in the branches being longer, the leaves very long, ovate- lanceolate, long-acuminate and sharply dentate, Capsules and flowers not found. : _On old logs, Hastings, Burrard Inlet, B.C., April 8th, 1889. (Macoun.) . EURHYNCHIUM PSEUDO-SERRULATUM, Kindb. (N. sp.) Rhynchostegium serrulatum Canadian Musci. No. 456. Tufts dark green, faintly glossy, radiculose at the base. Stem ir- regularly branching or subpinnate; branches complanate. Leaves distichous, striate, often larger than in £. serrulatum, chlorophyliose, ovate or ovate-oblong, minutely denticulate, not or indistinctly de- current ; cells lanceolate, the lower shorter and more dilated, princi- pally the alar ones ; costa thin, reaching above the middle. Stem 23 leaves filiform-pointed or short-acuminate ; branch-leaves with a short, subulate, sometimes twisted acumen. Capsule arcuate ; lid short-ros- tellate ; pedicel rough. Moncecious. Differs from £. serrulatum, principally in the striate, minutely denticulate leaves, the capsule not rostrate, and the rougi pedicel. _ On earth in woods at Beechwood, Ottawa; (Macoun.) At Tay _ Forks, York Co., N.B.; (J. Moser.) Western Cove, Harbor Deep, and ' Seal Cove, Newfoundland, 1891 ; (Rev. A. C. Waghorne.) RAPHIDOSTEGIUM PSEUDO-RECURVANS, Kindb. (N. sp.) Tufts olivaceous, not or faintly glossy. Leaves patent and in- curved-falcate when dry, ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate, gradually narrowed to the filiform point, minutely denticulate nearly all aro ; cells linear, the alar not large. Perichetial leaves long-subulate, denti- culate only at the long, linear point. Capsule obovate ; lid not found ; pedicel short. Probably dicecious. On the bases of trees west of Columbia river, and south of the Railway Bridge at Revelstcke, B.C., May 5th, 1890. (Macoun.) Hypnum (Drepanium) ALAsK#&, Kindb. (N. sp.) Stem regularly pinnate, creeping. Stem-leaves small, entire, not reflexed at the borders, ovate-lanceolate, equally attenuate to a subulli- form or finally hair-like acumen, shorter than the base ; alar cells in- flated, very distinct, sometimes yellow, the other cells hyaline. Dicecious. Differs from HZ. callichroum in the creeping stem, etc., from #. curvifolium also in the smaller leaves. It has the habit of HZ. hamu- ——— Losum. 24 THE AIR OF OUR HOUSES. BY FRANK T. SHUTT, M.A., F.I.S., F.C.S., IST VICE-PRESIDENT. Delivered December 15th, 1892. I have selected this subject, chiefly, for two reasons. First: although it is one of great importance, and has a vital interest for every one of us, widespread ignorance prevails regarding the grave danger to health from continuously breathing impure and vitiated air. Secondly: because it will form a fitting sequel to the lectures on Water and Food which I delivered on former occasions before this Club. e pursuance of the course I adopted in those addresses, I propose to discuss the subject from the hygienic, as well as from the chemical, standpoint. My endeavour will be to point out the composition of pure, normal air; the nature, sources, and amounts of impurities in vitiated air ; and the effects of these impurities upon the system, THE ATMOSPHERE. The atmosphere that surrounds our earth is composed, chiefly, of two elements—Oxygen and Nitrogen. These gases exist in the air, not as a chemical compound of the two, but in the free and uncombined con- dition. This can be easily and abundantly proved. I shall content myself, however, with telling you of a few of the reasons why air must be considered as a mechanical mixture of its con- stituents, and not acompound. The ratio, or proportion of the oxygen to the nitrogen in the air does not correspond tc the ratio existing between these elements in any of the oxides of nitrogen, which are true chemical compounds. Neither the relative nor absolute amounts of the oxygen and nitrogen remain always the same and constant ; and it is a s¢ze gua non that the ratio between the constituents of a chemical compound should be invariable. Again, water dissolves from air both oxygen and nitrogen, but owing to the greater solubihty of the former and the laws of gas absorption, the proportion between them in the dissolved air is not that existing between them in the atmosphere. For instance : pt ee S 25 Air dissolved Atmospheric in Water. Air. SS a BA pie A Fie. kha aie « 20.96 OO i Gi ps oath ost Sassi 79.04 100.00 100.00 | Such would not take place if the oxygen and nitrogen were chem- ically united. Let me briefly remind you of some of the salient properties of these elements, and the functions they perform in the atmosphere. OXYGEN. Oxygen is known as the ‘‘supporter of combustion,” since it is essential for combustion, whether such be accompanied by flame or not. Itis the active element. It is the life-giving or, rather, life-supporting element. Without it animal life could not exist. In one of our former lectures we saw the vigour with which it united with many of the elements, giving out both light and heat, and learnt how, that of the compounds similarly formed, the rocks and the soil were very largely composed. Hence, oxygen may be termed the world-building element. NITROGEN. Nitrogen is an inert, inactive gas, incapable of supporting life or combustion. Its function in the atmosphere, as far as respiration is - concerned, appears simply to be for the purpose of diluting the oxygen. For though oxygen is so necessary and essential for vitality, yet we could not live long in atmosphere of pure element. Such would shorten our lives to a very brief period, and we should hourly stand in jeopardy of an almost universal conflagration. > Roughly speaking, the air consists of one-fifth of oxygen, and four- fifths of nitrogen, by volume ; but since it has been shown to be a mix- ture, and not a compound, we should expect to find the relative amounts of these gases variable. And this is the case, within small limits. From many hundred analyses of air made in different parts of the world, the percentage of oxygen in pure, wholesome air varies trom _ 20.989 to 20.949 by volume. The extreme difference, then, amounts 26 to .o4 per cent. ‘The maximum amount of oxygen is to be found in the air on the sea shore and mountain sides. OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF AIR. We have said that air conists chiefly of oxygen and nitrogen, but wzormal air always contains small and variable quantities of vapor of water, carbonic acid, organic matter, and ammonia and ozone. Air vitiated by breathing, as we shall see, contains some of these constituents in excess,- while others of its con- stituents are diminished. In addition to the above it should be mentioned that in the vicinity of large smelting and chemical works, certain gases, e.g: Sulphuretted hydrogen, Hydrochloric acid, etc., may be present, and pollute and poison the air. Owing to the law of the diffusion of gases, and the prevalence of air currents, there is always present the /edency to preserve a constant composition of the atmos- phere, and thus it is that noxious gases cannot accumulate to a-dan- gerous degree, save under extremely artificial circumstances. THE MOISTURE OF THE AIR. Moisture or vapor of water, always present in the atmosphere, is the result of the evaporation of water from the ocean, lakes and rivers, as well as from the soil and vegetation. Its amount is directly depen- dant on the temperature. Hot aircan hold or absorb more moisture than cold air. When saturated air is cooled, moisture is deposited, of which the well known condensation on the outside of a glass of cold water in summer, is an illustration. Our breath is loaded with moisture, and hence the determination of the amount of moisture in the air of a room may sometimes serve as a guide to a correct diagnosis of its condition. Over the hygrometric state of the atmosphere, of course, we have no control, though to a certain extent, and especially in winter, we can regulate the amount of moisture in the air of our houses. EFFECT OF EXCESS OR DEFICIENCY OF MOISTURE, It might be well here to note that an excess or deficiency (above or below the normal amount) exerts a decided action upon the health. An excess of moisture is more prejudicial than a deficiency, since, in the first place, it tends to preserve the organic matter, which is one of the 27 _ chief impurities in vitiated air. It also seriously interrupts or interferes with the exhalation from the skin and lungs. When excessive moisture is associated with high temperature, we are cognizant of an oppressive and sultry feeling, and an enervation of mental and bodily vigour; with j low temperature it is conducive to a damp, penetrating chilliness, which _ seems to search us through and through. Coughs, colds and rheu. _ matic troubles are common when this state of atmosphere prevails, _ When the air is too dry, the mucous membrane of the mouth, pharynx and nostrils become parched, and the use of the voice impaired or _ impossible. A general irritability of the system is a common result of | : too dry an atmosphere. . CARBONIC ACID. | ! Carbonic acid gas, until quite lately, has been regarded not only as the chief impurity, but as the only impurity of vitiated air, and the _ one constituent that it is necessary to determine when examining an q air for hygienic purposes. Important as it is that carbonic acid should not be allowed to exceed a certain amount in an air we breathe, we now know also how detrimental organic matter is, and that we musi look upon 7/ as probably the much more dangerous to health of the ‘two. Carbonic acid is always present in the atmosphere. Over the ‘sea, On mountains and moors, and in localities far from contaminating 4 ources, it varies from .o3 to .o4 per cent. by volume. It is the result of the union of carbon (or charcoal) with oxygen. It is formed in the process of combustion, in the respiration of animals, and by decay or putrefaction of organic matter in the air. The chemistry, as far as the result is concerned, is precisely the same in all of these. The burning of wood, coal or other material rich in carbon and hydrogen, is accom- panied by the development of heat and light. This is what is com- Q only understood as combustion. ‘The products are carbonic acid gas, and water. By estimating their amounts, the chemist can tell how much carbon and hydrogen the burnt material contained. And again, knowing the weights of carbon and hydrogen in a substance, the heat that will be generated by their combustion can be calculated with ac- curacy, since in their union with oxygen they always produce for a k own weight a certain amount of heat. | 28 RESPIRATION, The process of respiration is really one of combustion, though un- accompanied by flame. Our food is rich in carbon and hydrogen. Starch and sugar, fats and albuminoids, of which our food consists, all contain large amounts of these elements. The blood which receives the digested food from the alimentary track is pumped from the right side of the heart into the lungs, where it is passed through countless small capillary tubes, with extremly thin membranous walls. It is here that it comes into close contact with the inspired air, the oxygen of which it absorbs in large quantities. From the lungs it is then passed through the left side of the heart, and forced into the general circulation of the body. During its circulation, the absorbed or dissolved oxygen burns up the food material in the blood, forming carbonic acid and water, ° which are discharged chiefly on the reflow of the blood to the lungs though small quantities escape by way of theskin. ‘The heat generated. in the combustion of this food in the body to carbonic acid and aqueous vapor, is precisely equal to the amount that would have been produced if the food material had been burnt in the air; and it is the heat so generated that maintains our body temperature. DECAY AND PUTREFACTION. Decay and putrefaction have been mentioned as the third source of carbonic acid gas in the atmosphere. These processes of the disin- tegration and dissipation of organic matter, are really of the nature of - slow combustion, usually brought about by the agency of microscopic plants, known as bacteria. Their products are much the same as those resulting from the combustion of fuel and of food. ; ORGANIC MATTER. Having now discussed the sources of the carbonic acid in the air, we must now speak of the organic matter, which is more especially present as the result of deficient ventilation. It has already been mentioned that the deleterious character of badly ventilated rooms is due rather to the organic matter than to the carbonic acid. It is therefore of great importance that we should learn — somewhat of its origin and effects upon health. Organic matter, and ; 29 ammonia in small quantities, are from much the same source as the carbonic acid. Qur breath contains comparatively large quantities. _ Air fouled by the gases produced by decay, by sewage emanations, by ‘contact with fifth of all kinds, is loaded with organic matter, largely in the form of noxious gases, which may contain disease germs, but which, at all events, is extremely detrimental to health. The unpleasant odour, and sometimes even taste. experienced on entering crowded and heated rooms, is due to organic matter in the atmosphere. The pleasurable sense of relief on going out into the fresh air from a room, is a sure indication that its air is seriously con- taminated with:organic matter. We should take care that we do not habituate ourselves to unpleasant odours of this kind. The constant _ smell of food in the house should be avoided, or rather prevented. _ Dust should not be allowed to accumulate in carpets ; worn clothing _ should be thoroughly aired before putting away, and above all, defec- q tive drainage should at once be made perfect AIR VITIATED BY RESPIRATION. Let us now briefly recapitulate those points, in which expired air differs from that of the atmosphere. # 1. Its oxygen is largely reduced. By respiration between 4.5% & and 5.0 %, of oxygen is removed for the combustion of the food material * in the blood. f 2. It contains a considerable amount of organic matter of a par- q ticularly deleterious character. From the lungsalone about 3 grains are thrown off daily, and to this must be added the variable amount from _ the exhalations of the skin. 3. The carbonic acid is largely increased. While fresh air contains about 4 volumes of carbonic acid per 10,00c, expired air contains _ between 400 and 450 volumes in the same quantity. This tremendous increase is easily understood when we remember that the individual breathes about 18 times per minute, and at each respiration produces ~ nearly 1¥% cubic inches of carbonic acid. This amounts to 34 cubic feet per hour, or at least 16 cubic feet in the 24 hours—a quantity ; equal to that produced by the burning of 7% oz. to 8 oz. of carbon. 4. The amount of aqueous vapor is augmented, for, as we have 30 already seen, expired air is saturated, or nearly so, with moisture. The quantity thrown off from the lungs daily is subjeet to variation, but is usually between 9 and Io ounces. EFFECTS OF VITIATED AIR ON HEALTH. 2) St ee eye I have already pointed out that vitiated air, and more _ particularly air that has received largely the products of respiration, is extremely deleterious to health. But I would now emphasize the insidious character of these impurities, how they gradually undermine the health and how easy it is for us to habituate ourselves to a morbid condition of the air we breathe. Fainting fits, giddiness, nausea, and headache are recognized as the immediate results of breathing the air of badly ventilated halls and rooms, but it is not so widely known that indiges- tion, diarrhcea, and impaired and feeble condition of the system—a general lowering of the bodily and mental vigour are often caused by , the continuous breathing of vitiated air. Those who through careless-” ness, or apparent necessity of circumstances, live and work in a con- fined atmosphere, run a great risk, for apart from immediate evil results, _ they are not in a condition to resist attacks of zymotic diseases. Further, statistics clearly prove that the death rate of those living and working in an impure atmosphere (e.g. certain factories, mines, crowded — tenement houses, etc.), is much higher than amongst those whose more ~ fortunate lot allows them to live and work in a purer air. VENTILATION. For private dwellings no cheap and efficient system of artificial ventilation has as yet been invented. For public halls, schools, hos- pitals, and the like, however, there are now systems by which the air — may be kept perfectly wholesome without creating a draft, either in summer or winter, and at the proper degree of temperature and mois- ture. What we might call public ventilation should now become a — matter for legislation. Our public schools, halis of assembly, and all — confined spaces, where large numbers of people congregate, should all — be provided with the requisite means for constantly renewing the air. — As private individuals, we have to be thankful that the materials of — which our houses are constructed—and more especially brick and 5 plaster—are porous, allowing a constant interchange of the air within with that outside. We should take care to increase this _ 31 ‘interchange as much as possible by such means as ate available. q -Draughts from open doors and windows are certainly to be avoided, but they may be overcome by judiciously placed screens and numerous other devices for distributing the current of fresh air. One such that : answers admirably for the bedroom in winter is to raise the lower sash of the window, allowing it to rest on a piece of board some three inches high, and which fits snugly into the window frame. The air will now enter in a broad stream between the upper and lower sashes, and the sliding _ pane of the storm sash can be left open, as a rule, without fear of a draft. af might add here, that it is extremely important for the air of a bedroom to be pure and fresh, and the temperature of a room should be such as to allow the above, or some similar, method of ventilation to be practised throughout the winter. A grate fire is perhaps the very best means of assisting ventilation for private houses. If its _ function were only that of keeping the air of the room pure it could not . _ be too strongly recommended, for it compels fresh air to enter by doors and windows, and by its strong draught continuously renovates the _ atmosphere. Looked at as a source of heat, it may be considered extravagant, but is certainly the most healthful, as well as the most q pleasant and attractive of all our modes of heating. The windows 4 should be opened for ten minutes first thing in the morning, and the | ‘ whole air of the house renewed. Even on the coldest day, this will fi be found economical as regards fuel, as well as invigorating. TEMPERATURE OF THE HOUSE. L - One word may be said here regarding the temperature of our ~ houses in winter, since it is a matter closely related to ventilation. { It is more healthy to have the air of our bedrooms too cold than too hot, and the same remark refers, though not with equal force, to the rest of the house. I feel sure that many diseases of the lungs and throat are the result of going out of our over heated houses into the severe cold. The difference in temperature is enormous, and the system is if : in the worst possible condition to withstand the shock. And now that I am about to conclude my lecture and these sug- | q gestions, which if put into practice may mean better health for many of us, let me urge upon every householder the necessity of knowing that 32 the drains are properly trapped, and in good working order. No ex- pense should be spared, if health is a matter of importance, in preventing the possibility of sewer gas entering the house. Then again, cellars should be drained, dry and well ventilated. Refuse and garbage should not be allowed to accumulate in or about the house. Perhaps the best means ot disposing, in the city house, of vegetable refuse and general kitchen scraps is the cooking stove. From a sanitary standpoint it has not its equal. In the matter of ventilation, as in everything else, we should use our common sense. We all have some powers of observation, we can all study cause and effect, even if we do not understand fully the chemistry that underlies it all. Let us see to it as a people—both in town and country—that in this matter of fresh air we do not err in the future as we have done in the past. We have learnt the origin and detrimental effects of foul and vitiated air; let us not from carelessness or wilful neglect refuse to take necessary means to provide our houses with fresh pure air. :O: EXCURSION No. I. To LA PECHE. The Excursion Committee has made the necessary arrangements for the first excursion of the season. The date selected is Saturday, May 27th, and the locality to be visited is that known as La Péche, or Wakefield, a most picturesque and attractive resort. The party will leave the C. P. R. Union Station at 9.45 a.m.by the Gatineau Valley Railway.—Before returning the Leaders in the several sections of the Club’s work will make the usual brief addresses on the results of the — Outing. Bring your friends and any persons whom you know to be interested in Natural History. Tickets, Members -:.;.;ghem anys asthe ietenpheeees oy ve, eee ae 50° cents. “ Non-Membersiseis .(,,«:.:ehesaiys ms by ies o Go-+," | Children of; Members. ,4/¢s5< gy =<+ --r9e4is ae “1 ev ak . *..) Of Non-Members i.ci4., 1 = ookrsi- $e 20... t Tickets can be obtained at the Station. 33 MY AQUARIUM. BY H. B. SMALL. (Read March 2nd, 1893.) In a work that I published on ‘‘ The Fresh Water Fish of Canada,” I Broded on the title page, the following passage from W. Scrope, a _ writer in the early part of the century, where he says:—‘‘I like the society of fish, and as they cannot with any convenience to themselves visit me on dry land, it hecomes me in a point of courtesy to pay my respects to them in their native element.” Quaintly as he expressed it, it forshadowed the study of their habits. Now Nature opposes certain obvious obstacles to the pursuit of knowledge in the water, which renders it difficult for the ardent naturalist, however much he may be so disposed, to carry on his observations with the same facility as in the q _ case of birds and mammals. Still, by observation here and experi- ment there, watching through a sheet of plate glass, naturalists manage to piece together a considerable mass of curious and interesting informa- tion of an out of the way sort, about the domestic habits and manners of sundry members of the finny tribe. To the eye of the mere casual observer, every fish would seem at first sight to be a mere fish, and to differ but little from all the rest of his kind. But when one comes to look closer into their ways, one finds fish are in reality as various and as variable in their modes of life, as any other great group in the animal kingdom. Concealed under stones in babbling brooks, hiding in the grassy margin of purling streams, buried in the depths of silent ponds, roaming in the submerged forests of aquatic vegetation, is a multiplicity of animal life that may profitably be made a study, and to thoroughly explain which would require a lifetime. In 1850, Mr. Robert Warrington addressed to the Chemical Society of London, a series of observations on the fact announced by Ingraham in 1778, that plants immersed in water when exposed to the action of light, emit oxygen, and the consequent necessity of their presence for the preservation of animal life. He reported placing two small gold-fish in a glass, having first planted in sand and earth at the _ bottom, a small plant of valisneria, The latter, as the leaves decayed, / 34 fouled the water, and to remedy this he tried the introduction of a few snails, which, feeding on decaying matter, quickly restored purity and clearness to the water. In 1852, he experimented with sea-water and its occupants, with equal success. To Mr. Grosse, however, the well- known naturalist, may be attributed the popularity of the Aquarium which is certainly the purest of all househcld recreations. His first work on the subject, somewhere about the year 1855, was read with avidity, and although the London “Punch.” levelled its keenest wit and satire against the new mania, and pointed to all the mishaps which might befall housekeepers by the breaking of the Aquarium and the consequent deluging of carpets, the passion for aquaria grew, and in 1857 they may be said to have been formally established in England. In that year, one of the quarterly Reviews remarked that the making and stocking of these had created a new and important branch in com- mercial industry. In 1856, Barnum introduced into New York the first otf what he styled—‘‘Ocean and River Gardens,” and a few months afterwards they were for sale of all sorts and sizes, for private use. Before that, the glass globe for gold-fish was the only represent- ative of the new apparatus. In keeping an Aquarium, very little is wanted besides the tank itself. It is well to have an india-rubber tube or a syphon for drawing off the water when necessary ; a wooden forceps for removing any object, and a sponge stick for cleaning the glass, together with a small fine-meshed hand net for handling any of the inmates if need be. Some years ago, when residing in New York State, I was attached to one of the Military Colleges affihated with West Point ; and one of the first things that I did to engage the interests of the Cadets under my charge, was to turn their minds, during leisure hours, to the study of Natural History. 4 As I was at that time making collections of all kinds, I enlisted them in the work of procuring specimens, and I organized, on our Saturday holiday, field parties among the woods and mountains in the vicinity of the College, along the Hudson River. This was just at the time when Aquaria were in vogue, and I took advantage of the first visit that I paid to New York, to purchase an Aquarium for my own private use, which I kept in my quarters, open to the inspection of all ler tS Teme - 35 who wished to see it. This was over thirty years ago, and that [ still have the Aquarium in almost as good condition as when I purchased it, is, I think, sufficient evidence that it was well adapted for its pur- _ pose, It is a comparatively small one, being only fifteen by nine inches. I think I may say it has done its full share in the way of attracting attention to ‘“ Life below the water.” The first great difficulty I had to contend with was the multiplicity of objects that were brought to me for it by my cadets. You would be astonished if I were to give you all the varied sug- _. gestions that were made respecting what should constitute the floor of the tank, some recommending small pebbles, others, gravel or sand, till finally a compromise was effected to the satisfaction of all, by giving each of the proposed materials its own place. Experience afterwards showed that a little clean river sand is the safest ground work for all purposes. Then there was the natural inquisitiveness of boyhood to combat. Whilst the novelty was at its height, the inmates were subjected to all sorts of ordeals, such as poking up with a stick, to see if they were lively ; and a continual desire was evinced to handle them. Over- feeding was one of the most trying evils to contend against, for the superfluity of bread and meat supplied, in all good intent, for the use of _ the inmates, had a tendency to sour and discolor the water, and to create» _ when overdoses were administered, a fermentation by no means conducive to,vitality. However, for the sake of encouraging research and creating - amongst the cadets an interest in my Aquarium, I would~naturally put up with all these little inconveniences, removing as soon as _ possible _ when left to myself, all extraneous matters from the water, and by _ frequent use of the siphon withdrawing the disturbed contents to be replaced with fresh, healthy, spring water, In a very little time the Aquarium ceased to be a wonder and became an object of interest, and sO my point was gained. . | I well remember its first inmate, which was the larva of a Dragon-fly, the various stages of whose subaqueous life were of continual interest, and great was the astonishment one day, when only an empty case was | _ found attached to the stalk of the water weeds, its inmate having taken _ to itself wings and disappeared. ‘The locality afforded a splendid field ’ for collecting, as the Croton River emptied into the Hudson within a ) 36 mile or two of the College. Rockland Lake and Haverstraw Bay were on the opposite shore, whilst in the hills back of us were numerous ponds and streams abounding with life. Near the mouth of the Croton River lay the old Van Cortland Manor House, on the lawn of which was a fish-pond, constructed by some of the early Dutch occupants and well stocked with gold-fish. During a heavy freshet one spring, some years previous to the time I am talking of, the banks of this pond gave way, discharging its waters and its contents into the Croton River. As a consequence of this, the gold-fish took up their quarters in the Croton and Hudson Rivers, and it was no unusual thing when the fishermen were drawing their seines in this vicinity, for a number of gold-fish to be among the fish taken. ‘l'hese were generally thrown back, but anyone on hand at the time could always procure what he wanted and I, at various times, picked out such as I chose. These fish had also from time to time been taken by boys to various ponds in the hills, so that there is no lack of gold-fish in the waters of West Chester County. I may here mention, that further up the Hudson River a similar fish-pond years ago gave way, well stocked with the European Carp that had been brought from Holland. These have also taken to the Hudson River and are from tite to time netted there. Being of the same family, they have crossed with the gold-fish in breeding, and the result is that a mottled fish is frequently to be seen, some of which bear very little of the distinctive red that marks the gold-fish proper. I have seen the latter in the lagoons along the railway in that vicinity, eight or nine inches long, and although it may seem scarcely credible, I have seen them lying in shoals near the surface of the water ona bright sunny day, in such abundance that the surface appeared to assume where they were, a red tinge. The Hudson River is famous for its eels, and small specimens of these were occasionally brought to me. A scoop-net, drawn through the liquid mud in any of the tide-water pools along the river margin generally brought up more or less small eels, so that a good selection could be made of the size best adapted for observation. From the experience I gained with them, I would never recommend more than one small eel being placed in an aquarium, as two which I first i1atro- duced took up their respective quarters at either end of the tank, and ~ 37 _ were perpetually doing battle like knights of old, charging on each other most furiously, with the final result one morning of my finding both _ dead on the surface of the water, one of them having halt swallowed _ the other, but the latter in the operation choked his conqueror, with ' the result mentioned. A subsequent specimen of mine was in the habit of secreting himself between two stones, with part of his body only exposed, as if watching everything. ‘There is apparently much of the ‘a . . . - - 4° . ‘ ry - snake in their habits, and the same timidity exists in each. The least > ' - noise disturbs their equanimity and thunder seeme.| particularly to affect my specimen. Although he occasionally moved round in‘the daytime, night was the time for his activity, and the artificial light of a room seemed in no way to interfere with his apparent recognition of time. One eel at a time affords ainple opportunities for studying the habits of i that family. | | j One of the most interesting fish to watch, is the cat-fish, which I am seldom without, but it must be kept well fed, and even then the fins and tails of the other fish hear evidence of its attacks upon them It is astonishing what an amount of food a cat-fish will swallow. You can _ watch his stomach swelling out to such an extent that it presents the appearance of a fowl’s crop. when. fed to repletion... After he has thoroughly bloated himself out, he generally settles down, under or beside a stone, and lies there in a sort of comatose state for some time, closely _ resembling in this the serpent family. As soon as the effects of his meal have passed off, he becomes one of the most restless of the _ occupants of the aquarium, and swims backward and forward and up _ and down, incessantly, as if calling attention to his wants. I have not ‘the temperature is probably uniform, as compared with the natural temperature out of doors. , _ Sticklebacks I have had in abundance, but more than two at a time become a nuisance. It is a perpetual warfare all round, especially if th e males predominate. ‘They, together with sun-fish, are, probably the most pugnacious of all fish, showing hostility even to my finger when 38 held towards them under water, their fins and spines bristling up like the hairs on a bull-dog’s neck, when excited. They snap at everything, and it is impossible to keep any larvee in an aquarium any length of time if these fish are joint occupants. I have tread of sticklebacks building their nests and breeding among the weeds in an aquarium, but I never witnessed any operation of this kind myself, as I frequently changed my tenants for the sake of watching the habits of the different kinds of fish from time to time brought to me, with the exception of the gold-fish, which I have always retained. Bass, I find to be for the most part, nocturnal in their habits, lying comparatively still the greater part of the day. Like the sun-fish, they are very tenacious of the spot they select, which they occasionally sail quietly round and round as if guarding, and woe to the unwary fish who may venture to settle down in the quarters they have chosen. The small brook sucker, I have kept and watched with a great deal of. interest. They are useful scavengers, cleaning up, by suction, everything they come in contact with at the bottom, rolling it over their palate, swallowing whatever suits their taste, and thus disposing of a good deal of refuse matter which otherwise gives considerable trouble in getting rid of. These fish are, however, of what I might style, too delicate a constitution to be recommended as permanent occupants, Accustomed as they are to running water, and evidently given to roaming in streams, they seemed to suffer when pent up in a small space and except for temporary observation, I would not recommend their introduction into any private aquarium. Crayfish, in the same way, are very unsatis- factory occupants, and I never was able to keep one alive for any length of time. : ‘One of the most interesting fish that I ever had in my aquarium was a small gar-pike, which was caught in a scoop net at the foot of the jocks here in Ottawa and brought to me. ‘This fish lived for several weeks, and after his death I placed him in spirits, where he still exists, He was most unsociable, turning his back upon all other fish that approached him, accepting the apparent overtures of none. The only surviving remnant of the fossil bony-scaled Ganoids of the Devonian rocks and belonging to the Mesozoic period, his pedigree probably caused him to look down on the finny tribe of the present age as his i 39 inferiors. Hugh Miller, speaking of the living representatives of these fossil fish, says :—‘“ They seem to have been spared amid the wreck of genera and species to serve as a key by which to unlock the marvels of icthyology of those remote periods of geological history appropriated to’ the dynasty of fish.” I am inclined to think that my specimen scorned the ordinary food of the other fish, and died from inanition, as I never could induce him,.while I was watching, to approach while they were feeding, and if he did satisfy himself at all, it must have been under cover of darkness. However, as he did not appear emaciated at his death, he may have subsisted on animalculz in the fresh water from time to time supplied. The ordinary pike and dorée I never attempted to keep, and it is almost needless for me to say that brook trout will not live in any ordinary aquarium. The “Shiner” is also too delicate for general keeping and requires highly aerated water. I have had almost all kinds of small fry, known as “‘ minnows,” in - my aquarium, consisting of young chub, dace and minnows. They are very lively and become in a short time accustomed to their confined quarters, but from their delicate formation I would never recommend them as permanent inmates. There is one exception, however ; that is the barred, or black minnow, which is very hardy and a very amusing _ fish to watch. Sometimes motionless on the bottom, as if wrapped in deep meditation ; at other times balancing himself in the water, he keeps up a continual flapping of his ventral fins, working them like a fly-wheel, with apparently no other object than exercise. At other times, he darts about from side to side, and if more than one of these minnows are occupants they seem to exchange ideas, as the rest of his own species sail about conjointly with him. } Moving about, as I have done, from place to place, my Aquarium occupying the safest place in my baggage and being the first thing attended to after unpacking, I have had opportunities of stocking it from various waters, and when I went to reside for a short time at Buckingham I obtained one day, when fishing in a little trout stream, back of the village, a small specimen of the Bull-head, one of the very few that I have ever taken. He was carefully consigned to ny Aquarium but only lived a few days, owing probably, to his transfer from the clear, crystal waters of that running stream to the narrow compass of | 40 still water, to which he was unaccustomed He lay all the time ensconced between two small stones, hiding himself as closely as possible from observation, refusing food, and evidently sulking as wild animals do when first placed in confinement. The enormous size of his mouth as compared with his other dimensions, gave evidence of the capacity of these fish for disposing of a large meal at a time, but I never had the satisfaction of witnessing the operation of feeding, and I fancy from the retiring habits of the “bull-head” family, very little is really known about them. , | Now leaving fish, I must dwell for a minute or two, on the amphibious denizens of the Aquarium. The Water Newt, Eft, and Triton, familiarly known as Lizards, although as repulsive as snakes to some people, afford much interest and amusement. I must confess I have never been fond of them, as I have a great aversion, inborn I suppose, to both lizards and snakes, but I have had ‘Tritons in my Aquarium, as the cadets I spoke of, frequently brought them to me. The Triton is by no means shy, and is really grotesque in his move- ments, lying sometimes midway between the bottom and the surface, with all his legs spread out at right angles. At other times he suspends himself in the water, moving his feet up and down as a bather treads water, then darting frantically about with great rapidity. Occasionally he sits erect on the bottom of the aquarium, on his hind legs with his fore paws bent forward, like a dog begging. This position the Triton will keep for some time. He is also fond of resting on any portion of rock projecting out of the water, but if he can by any possibility climb to the edge of the aquarium, that is the last of him, as he is evidently of a roving disposition, and in search of the nearest road to liberty he is very apt to be crushed out of existence under foot. The Tadpoles that were brought to me in every stage of growth, were, as the auctioneer says: ‘‘’Too numerous to mention.” I occasion- ally, to please the bringer, kept one or two for a short time, or till such period as their tails dropped off, at which stage of theirjexistence, if I had not treated them myself to freedom, they would have gained it for themselves, as a frog in a state of maturity can only be kept in bounds by a fine wire grating laid over the aquarium, without which it is futile to keep them for observation. The tadpole, owing to the imperfection 41 of its gills has to frequently rise to the surface with a rapid zig-zag motion, something like an unsteady kite in the air. The process of change in these animals is very curious. The hind legs are the first to appear, and there is an interval, ranging from one to three weeks, before the fore legs push through the skin. Then the metamorphosis is rapid, the tail is absorbed and the final state of frog-hood is reached. Among the respective inmates of the Aquarium, which were brought to me, was a small Turtle, about the size of a silver dollar, for whose benefit a small fragment of rock, projecting a little above the surface of the water, was provided, on which this animal delighted to sun himself whenever there was a chance, but at the slamming of a door, or even at the vibration caused by walking scross the floor he would immediately slide off the rock, and swim violently about for a few minutes. He was not one of ‘the “snapping” order, but black, with red marks on the under part of his shell. Turtles seem to be very susceptible to sound, and, apart from noticing ordinary noises as above mentioned, he had a habit of constantly turning his head from side to side as if listening. He was very ravenous, the food I gave him consisting of earth worms, and small pieces of raw meat. These he would hold with his fore paws while he pulled at them and occasionally shook them, much in the same : way asaterrier doesarat. His end was like that of all pets. He contrived one night to creep out of the aquarium, got on the floor and was crushed by the heavy tread of a human foot: Another inmate, whose movements I watched with great interest, was a leech ; not one of the kind used by doctors, but that known as a ““horse-leech.” ‘he movements of this creature were very interesting. Fastening himself on the side of the glass, he would swing his body backwards and forwards, elongating and contracting it by turns, in every direction, as if looking out tor something, and when finally satisfied that there was nothing within reach, he would slide himself along the glass the length of his body when extended, and then again go through the same proceeding. I would not, however, recom- mend the introduction of leeches into ordinary aquaria, as the fish therein are sure to suffer from their attacks. These, however, seem to - be made under cover of darkness, for I never saw my leech attack any 42 of my fish, though the death of some of them while he was an inmate, I attr ibuted to his work. A very interesting class of occupants are the so-called F resh Water Snails, among which I have always preferred Planorbis, whose shell reminds one of the fossil ammonite, Paludina, or marsh agate shell, Limneza, and Physa. These are all and each a study in themselves.. Seen only in their native state they would seem to possess few points of attraction, but when under observation they are very different. The species of Physa and Limnza have a curious habit of floating on the surface with shell downwards, propelling themselves by a wavy motion of the wing-like apparatus that encircles their body. They all multiply rapidly, attaching their eggs by a transparent substance to the glass, .or to stems of plants, but the voracity of their co-occupants,— fish—seldom allows them to come to maturity, so that there is an alarming table of infant mortality amongst these shell-fish. The utility of these as agents in keeping down the green growth of conferve in an aquarium is great and the way in which they clean fhe glass is most interesting. The occupant of the shell puts forth his proboscis, turning it apparently inside out as we do a stocking, until the silky surface, which is the tongue, comes in contact with the glass. It then makes a sweep, like a mower’s scythe, taking up into a swath all the conferve on that spot. The proboscis enfolds this, and the tongue takes upon it all the vegetation which it has collected and disappears in the animal’s interior. A forward movement is then made and another portion of the glass is swept clean by the same process, so that the track of the snails upon the glass may be traced as distinctly as that of a mower, by his swath along a meadow. Although I have had what are known as “* fresh-water clams,” that is the Unios and the Anodons, as occupants, they are unsatisfactory, and if a person wishes to study their habits, I think they ought to have a receptacle for themselves. They require a muddy bottom in which to move, and their habits are so distinct and different from those of everything else that they would need icy Rese from other occupants. Water Beetles are another interesting branch of life under water, but the larger ones are too voracious to be kept any length of time. I introduced the large Horny-cased, Black Water-Beetles (species of 43 _ Dytiscus), into my aquarium several times, but I found that they were given to roam by night; rising to the surface they would unfold the gauzy wings encased under the horny covering and take flight from the water, and would be found next morning somewhere about the room if there was no outlet, or attention would be called to their escape, from their fying about the room like a small bat. I may state here that it is not unusual to find these insects on our sidewalks at the foot of an electric light pole, to which they seem attracted by the glare. There is another Beetle (a species of Acilius) with a bronze casing, which is an interesting object, from its rapid motion and apparent game of hide and seek from stone to stone. A few years ago,a specimen of Menobranchus, that curious batrachian with gills and breathing tubes protruding therefrom, was offered to me by a boy who had caught it whilst fishing in our Rideau Canal. Repul- sive looking as these creatures are, I would have liked to have studied his habits, but the reptile had been so bruised that it was too far gone to make use of, and I have never since had an opportunity of obtaining “one. These animals are numerous in the waters of the Ottawa, and are not unfrequently taken by persons bait-fishing. I have seen specimens in one or two windows in town here, but the pent up waters ofan aquarium seem scarcely healthy enough for them, as I noticed their place was very soon empty. - I believe that it remains an open question as to what senses are possessed by Fish, apart from that of sight. -There is every reason to believe that they possess the faculty of smell, for it is no uncommon thing when fishing to notice their manner of swimming round and about the bait that is used, bringing their heads in contact with it, even pushing it, which to my mind is evidence of their using their olfactory organs to help them thereby to ascertain the quality ofthe bait. Again, ‘many fishermen use oil of aniseed and other essences on their bait, which they affirm have the property of attracting fish, and I myself have many a time noticed a fish after dallying with the apparently tempting looking -bait and moving it with its snout, finally turn away as if in disgust. Sir Humphry Davy says he thinks the principal use of nostrils in fish is to assist the propulsion of water through their gills, but he thinks also there _ are some nerves in these organs which give a sense of the qualities of 44 the water or of substances dissclved in, or diffused through it, similiar to . our sense of smell. With regard to hearing, it is very difficult to arrive at any conclu- sion, for what may be attributed in them to the sense of hearing is, in most cases, if not all, attributable to vibration. A sudden slam of the door, a clap of thunder, or a stamping on the floor will start into violent movement a fish lying perfectly still. I remember as a boy, standing by a fish pond, belonging to my father, (at which, by the way, before the days of aquaria, I picked up a good deal of knowledge on the habits of fish,) watching a shoal of roach sunning themselves on the surface, A dark cloud was speedily approaching, from which suddenly burst out a bright flash of lightning without in the least disconcerting the fish, but the instant the thunder sounded, they dissappeared with a dive down- wards, scattering in all directions, and I am very much inclined to the Opinion that it is vibration or percussion alone that supplies to them what with us we attribute to hearing. Those who had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Powell’s recent lecture on ‘‘Sound ”, will remember that his explanation of hearing was, that it is toa great extent, based on sound vibrations conveyed through our organs of hearing, to the brain. The vision of Fish is peculiarly acute. This is known to all fisher- men, who, on a sunshiny day carefully avoid letting their shadow, or even the shadow of their rod fall upon the water. I have seen trout dart from cover to seize a bait floating midway down the stream and before they had reached it suddenly turn back, deterred from their object, either by a shadow cast on the water, or by a sight of a man on the bank. When a strange fish is put into an aquarium, he at first avoids showing himself in the open when an observer is by, but when he becomes accustomed to frequent visits he seems to have no objection to a stranger and swims about unconcernedly. Fish exhibit an inquisitive turn of mind. [f a new pebble is dropped into an aquarium they watch it from a distance, evidently with great curiosity. After a while they will swim around it at a respectable distance, till one of them, bolder than the others, makes a dash at ity _ immediately rejoining his fellows. ‘Then one or two will! swim round and round it, gradually approaching nearer to it, till finally they come in contact with it and, when satisfied that it is an object of no harm, | 45 ‘they then pass and repass it without any further apparent notice. Again when fresh plants are placed in an aquarium, they will Swim in and out of them in every direction as if to satisfy themselves that they are 7 really plants. Another curious thing that I have noticed is that, when _ fresh clean sand is deposited in one spot, they are very fond of balancing themselves over it in an almost perpendicular position, drawing in, by - suction, a mouthful of it, which they convey to another spot and there deposit it, carrying on this operation till quite a quantity of the sand has been removed. This apparently curious habit I attribute to their ] propensity for preparing in their natural condition, a fitting repository for their spawn. ; Whether Fish have taste or not, is I think past our comprehension _ but I am inclined to the idea that they have for we all know that when ~ one bait fails to attract, another will often prove attractive, and the only “reason one can naturally assign for that is that it is one more suited to their taste. | I should like to say something about the diseases to which Fish, _ pent up in acquaria seem subject, but although I have suffered from time to time by apparent epidemics, I am not able to pronounce any deductions from these losses. Only.this winter I record the loss, one _ after another, of some 12 or 14 minnows which I obtained in October last, and which remained thoroughly strong and lively till the early part q of January, when they commenced to sicken and die two or three a day - till the whole disappeared. The water was regularly changed and they _ were properly fed, but some evident epidemic had taken possession of _ the shoal, as happens among the human race. The symptoms were an apparent enlargement of the head, with protrusion of the gills, and loss of color.in the tail end of the body. The air bladder was evidently affected as they. first kept on the surface, then lost their power of bal- j ancing themselves and within twenty-four hours, died. Two small ‘ minnows which have occupied the aquarium since the previous winter” q ae and are still alive. : -T have noticed that in a majority of the deaths amongst my Goldfish, (a peculiar fungus-like growth covers the gills, sometimes both, sometimes | q only one gill. This seems to come on in the last stage as it does not ‘show when they first sicken. The ear\y symptoms are violent restless_ 46 ¢ ness, darting to and fro, even knocking their heads against the, glass as if delirious ; ther! loss of balance, the air bladder loses its power and the victim lies on its side with the tail bent downwards as if contracted by spasm, sometimes for two or three days. I have tried everything ; change into warm water ; change into very cold water, and I once tried the effects of bread crumbs soaked in wine (a remedy used in Germany to revive carp when transported for long distances) but all to no effect and I have now come to the conclusion that man cannot prescribe for the denizens of the water, the conditions of life being with them so utterly different from other animal life. The apparent attack of an -epidemic amongst fish, which is known to take place in their natural habitats, is only part of that law of nature which subjects life of every description to attacks upon it. Goldfish are naturally long lived and I have had specimens for ten years at a time, in perfect health. The limited space of an aquarium seems to dwarf their growth and size, as they certainly do not attain to their full proportions half as rapidly as in open waters. Catfish, when grown too large for their quarters, I have frequently taken to the nearest stream and they swim off as unconcerned as if always accustomed to liberty. An aquarium owner soon comes to regard its inmates like all other pets, and it may be said in their favour that they do not require anything like the attendance needed for other living pets. The loss of them is in certain cases more difficult to replace as you cannot always obtain, at the time, a specimen of the kind perhaps most wanted. There has been great discussion as to the best aspect in which to place an Aquarium, and opinions are varied, but the conclusion I have arrived at is, that a northern aspect is desirable, a southern aspect is worst, and the western nearly as bad, as the sunlight falling on it materially assists the green coating caused by the growth of confervz on the glass. The bottom, which ought to be, if possible, of slate, should be covered With small pebbles or fine gravel about an inch in depth, leaving a small patch for clean sand. Earth is not required, as water plants mostly grow floating. A few pretty stones or a little rock-work should be added with a part of the latter projecting above the water for the purposes already alluded to, especially if fish only are to be kept, as the latter delight in joitering in the friendly shade of a rock. Besides the pleasing appear- 47 : ance afforded by water plants, the purpose of vegetation is to decompose the carbonic acid gas thrown off by animals, the carbon being absorbed into the substance of plants, and the oxygen set free for animal life. Even a growth of confervz, unsightly as it is, is conducive to this. In a large Aquarium,a lily may be introduced, planted in a shell or small pot, hidden by weeds, but any plant that grows above the water is apt to aid any ‘creeping animal to effect his escape. The whorled millfoil is one of the best plants for general use as it prefers still water, and I have succeeded, by inserting it late in the fall, in keeping it through the winter in suffi- cient quantity to answer all purposes. ‘The goldfish and others of the Carp family, nibble at it, and it is probably as essential to their welfare as vegetables are to man. Valisneria is a clean, sightly plant and answers well as an air provider, besides being one of the few plants which afford a microscopic view of the circulation of the sap in the leaves. | There is a pleasure in connection with keeping an Aquarium, that to a lover of Nature, adds materially to the charm that attends the observation of its inmates,’ and that is the rambles made to collect various specimens of aquatic life. The keen lookout for water snails amongst the vegetable growth at the bottom or on the surface of some stagnant pool, and the eagerness to get the little scoop net over one, perhaps just out of reach, affords a pleasure, equal to, if not surpassing that felt by the sportsman beating the bush for game, or the fisherman eagerly watching his bait. The health-giving stroll along the bank of some tiny streamlet, on the lookout for minnows or larvae or any of the varied inmates of its waters, is far different fron: the monotonous con- stitutional, along the dusty highway, of the man who has never read a page out of Nature’s book of life. The most important principle, per- haps, in life, is to have a pursuit,a useful one if possible, and at all events an innocent one. ‘The scenes you enjoy, the contemplation to which they lead and the exercise attendant on specimen collecting are salutary to the body as they are to the mind. I always find a peculiar effect in such outings ; they carry me back to early times and feelings, and create afresh the hopes and happiness of youthful days. Could we all recover anything like that freshness of mind possessed in youth, which, like the dew of morning covered all objects, and in which they 48 were more beautiful than even in midday sunshine, what would we not give? Rambles with an object go far to bring back the spring of early life. In conclusion, I will quote the words of Sidney Hibbard, in an Article on the subject of this evening. He says :— ‘The Aquarium introduces us to new scenes, hitherto hidden from our view, and makes us acquainted with the economy of creatures of whose very existence, many of us, not altogether unlearned in the his- tory of the world, were previously ignorant. Their habits of feeding, moving, and burrowing, their battles, their change of form, the display of even a strange intelligence working its way by wonderful means to wonderful ends, impress the observer with the idea of the boundlessness, the variety, the adaptations and resources of a world brimming with life, in all manner of strange forms and developments. Here we see them equipped and armed for battle against each other, the strong destroying the weak, yet each contributing its part to the preservation of the whole, | just as in all other departments of Nature, the great balance of perfection is sustained by incessant and intestine war; the struggles of opposing elements and powers and beings, all working mysteriously in a manner independent of isolated circumstances, Nature, the prodigal mother, setting no value upon individuals, but regarding tribes and races as paramount, the whole seeming confusion tending to one end; the revo- lution of the mighty wheel on which the creatures are painted as signs and in which ages are but minutes in a revolution which itself is eternity. {n the midst of all, everlasting Wisdom watching, loving and sustaining; happy we to get some glimpses of His, method of working through the medium of the strange creatures which leave the mysterious deep to throw a new radiance on our homes.” ! | 49 “THE BIRDS OF MONTREAL.” We are pleased to notice the promised publication of a new work on local ornithology under the above title. The author, Mr. Ernest D. Wintle, is an Associate Member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, and has devoted ten years of special study to the bird life of his district, the results of which, with the records of previous observers, ought to furnish materials for a pretty full list as well as many interesting facts of life history. The author promises 251 species and sub-species. The work is to be descriptive and illustrated ; and, treating of a district whose bird-life is in most respects similar to that of Ottawa, will no doubt furnish a convenient and useful hand-book to the students of Ornithology among the members of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club. It is with pleasure we add that Mr. Wintle himself is one of: our members.— A. G. K. :0: EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. The Annual Report of the Government Experimental Farms, recently issued, is of special interest to us as the Central Farm is located at Ottawa and its officers are active members of the Field-Naturalists’ Club. The Reports consist in all of 289 pages. In the first 54 the Director, Prof. Saunders, concisely outlines the operations-of the various farms, and the numerous experiments with wheat and other crops. Prof. Robertson, as Agriculturist, follows with 30 pages (the space allotted to each of the officers,) on experiments in dairying, feeding stock, fodder-crops, etc. The Horticulturist, Mr. Craig, figures some new native plums and grapes, and discusses the treatment of the fungous diseases affecting various fruits. The Chemist, Mr Shutt, gives very valuable analyses of various fodders and fertilizers, also of well-waters submitted by farmers, and the results of experiments with fungicides. The Entomologist and Botanist, Mr. Fletcher, treats care- fully of the Hop-vine Borer, the Red Turnip Beetle, the Western Blister Beetle, the Birch Bucculatrix and of various parasites. He also treats _ of the Potatoe-rot and experiments for its prevention, and of Lawn and _ Fodder-Grasses. Mr. Gilbert, as Poultry Manager, details his experi- ments with various breeds, and the relative values of each. To the 50 foregoing very interesting and instructive reports are appended those of Messrs. Blair, Bedford, MacKay and Sharp, Superintendents of the respective Branch Farms at Nappan, N. S., Brandon, Man., Indian Head, Assa., and Agassiz, B. C.— ED. £0: SIR RICHARD OWEN. By the death of Sir Richard Owen, of the British Museum, not only has England lost one of its ablest scholars in the realms of science, but the world mourns a prince amongst naturalists. Of genial tempera- ment and generous heart, ever ready and willing to assist in the further- ance of science and scientific research, Sir Richard earned for himself a reputation and a name which place him for ever among the fathers of vertebrate palaeontology. On “ Fossil Mammalia” ‘‘ Fossil Reptilia,” ‘“‘ Dinosauria,’ ‘‘Cetacea” and numerous orders of vertebrata, he wrote works which will remain as monuments to his scholarly attainments and natural abilities. In the field of Canadian paleontological liter- ature he has left interesting memoirs. The earliest of these was an elaborate paper, beautifully illustrated with large folding lithographic plates, published in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London. This dealt with the tracks or trails of marine animals in the Potsdam Formation of Canada. ‘The specimens from Beauharnois and other localities which Sir William Logan placed in his hands were admirably described and now adorn the walls of the National Museum on Sussex street, with the names which Sir Richard gave them. These “foot prints” or ‘ichnites’ have been greatly admired and are much sought after by collectors and museums. His other papers were on the Reptiles of Eastern Canada. His descriptions are clear and the facts well defined and presented. Britain owes a great debt of gratitude to the departed naturalist and it is gratifying to see that at a meeting pre- sided over by H. R. H. the Prince of Wales it was agreed to erect to his memory a monument to be placed in the spacious Entrance Hall of the British Museum. His Royal Highness paid a personal and high tribute to his deceased friend, and Lord Kelvin, (Sir Wm. Thomson), Thomas Huxley, Sir Wm. Flower, and many others spoke at length on the loss which science had sustained. H. M. Ami. Ly Sn CONCHOLOGY. I am very much pleased to be able to record an addition to the list of Ottawa land shells : In May, 1890, while searching for specimens of Pupa Armifera. Say, near the railway bridge on the Hull side of the Ottawa River, I found a number of Pupz, which at the time I considered to belong to — some form of penxtodon. | A few weeks ago I sent some of the shells to Dr. Sterki, and he has returned them marked Pupa Holyingeri. Flolyingert and pentodon are very similar in size, color and arrangement of the “‘ teeth,” but differ in shape. PentoJon tapers rapidly, the apical whorls being much narrower _ than the later ones. Holyingert is cylindrical, being of an almost uniform width through out. Dr. Sterki tells me that he now considers that pextodon and its ally curvidens belong to the genus Pupa, and not to Vertigo, to which genus they were removed, I think on his authority, a few years ago.—Gro* W. Tay.Lor, Victoria, B.C. KO} te. ROYAL; SOCIETY OF .CANADA. The twelfth Annual Meeting of the above Society commenced on _ Tuesday, May 23rd. After routine business, the Reports from the ~ associated Societies were read by the Delegates present. The Ottawa _ Field-Naturalists’ Club was represented by Mr. Shutt. In the afternoon _ Dr. Kingsford read a paper 2” memoriam, on the late Sir Daniel Wilson, _ and one on the late Mr. Gisborne was read by Sir James Grant, after _ which there was a short but most enjoyable ‘“ At Home” given by Mr. _ Sanford Fleming, C.M.G. The Presidential Address by Dr. Bourinot, _ C.M.G., delivered in the Normal School at 8 p.m., was a masterly treat- ment of “ Our Intellectual Strength and Weakness,” and was listened to _ with the closest interest by all who were present. After the close of the | lecture, Dr. Bourinot had a most charming ‘“‘At Home” at his residence. _ On Wednesday, at the close of the morning session, the Fellows and . 52 Delegates accompanied the President to the office of the Governor General, and presented to His Excellency a Farewell Address, to which he made a very able and sympathetic reply. The several sections met, but as it was the Queen’s Birthday it was largely observed as a holiday. A sub-excursion of the O.F.N.C. was organized in the afternoon, for the benefit of Section 1V, and a very pleasant visit was made to the woods neat Hemlock Lake The excursion was brief, to enable the partici- pants to attend the delightful “ At Home ” given by Sir James and Lady Grant. On Thursday morning the sections completed the reading of papers and election of their officers, and in the afternoon the officers of the Society were elected as follows: Pres., Dr. Geo. Dawson, C.M.G.; Vice-Pres., Mr. Lemoine (Quebec); Sec., Dr. Bourinot, C.M G.; Treas., Dr. Selwyn, C.M.G. In Section IV, Geological and Biological Sciences, with which our interests are most closely allied, the officers are as follows: Pres., Prof. Macoun ; Vice-Pres., Mr. Fletcher; Sec., Prof, Penhallow (Montreal). Fourteen papers were presented in this section. The Presidential Address, by Mr. Whiteaves, dealt with the Cretaceous rocks, which are largely developed in the North-West Territories and British Columbia, and which have yielded many interesting fossils, and minerals (such as coal) of much value. Mr. Whiteaves also read a paper on some new fossils from the Trenton limestone of Manitoba. Three other papers were presented by members of our Club, viz.: “ The Geo- logy of the Proposed Tunnel under the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island,” Dr. Ells; “ Sponges from the Pacific Coast of Canada,” Mr. Lambe, and ‘‘ Canadian Uroceride,” Mr. Harrington, (present as Delegate from the Entomological Society of Ontario.) —ED. :O. EXCURSION No. II, TO ROCKLAND. It is proposed to hold the Second Excursion on June 17th, down the Ottawa to Rockland, Ont., a locality not yet visited by the Club, and which is highly recommended by the Excursion Committee. The Steamer Empress leaves the Queen’s Wharf at 7.20 a.m. The price of tickets will be twenty-five cents. 53 FOOD AND ALIMENTATION. L. COYTEUX PREVOST, M.D. Read January 19th, 1893. I most sincerely thank the officers of this Association for having inferred upon me the honour of reading a paper before the “ Field Yaturalist’s Club,” which possesses, among its members, names already lustrious. I am happy to have the opportunity of contribu’ ing, as far as my eeble means permit, to the achievement of its aim, which is intellectual rogress and advancement of science. The physician, gentlemen, has another role to play on earth besides elieving or curing the evils that afflict our poor humanity. © His duty, bove all, must be to ward off diseases, in pointing out their causes and 1e best means of avoiding them. These causes, alas! are manifold. They accompany man from the radle to the tomb; they surround him at his birth, escort him all his , being tor him a perpetual threatening. But the most common, nd oubtedly, are those which arise from some disorders of the digestive stem. It is by the digestive tube that life enters our body, and by the gi restive tube also that enters death. Berne jntestines and the stomach can be considered as true laboratories a the most deadly poisons.are incessantly produced. Nature, it is , has provided us with powerful means of defence, but, some day, e foes will swarm and overcome the barriers opposed to them by iysiological laws ; disease then is constituted with all its sufferings d dangers. _ These disorders, in the greatest majority of cases, are owing to jorance or contempt of the laws of hygiene. It is, therefore, our duty teach these laws and point out their importance. — In preparing this paper, gentlemen, I dreamt a moment of trying dazzle you with the depth of my science. I had almost made up my nd to enter into transcendent consideraticns upon the physiological chinery of,nutritive phenomena, penetrating the essence itself of the 54 composition of the tissues of human organism, endeavoring, in short, to create an imperishable monument worthy of being preserved in your archives, for the greatest glory of its author and the amazement of posterity. But - - - - I changed my mind; the scientist yielded to the hygienist’s more practical obligations. I generously sacrifice, there- fore, my ambitious and legitimate aspirations to simply try to be use- ful. I merely want to speak of alimentation, explaining, by the way, the phenomena of digestion and the rules which must preside to its normal working. At first, gentleman, “ odlesse oblige.” You have done me the honour of inviting me to lecture before you, I do not wish to remain in debt of courtesey: I invite you to dinner, here and now—But I must tell you that it is going to be a mere intellectual banquet, excellent means of avoiding indigestion and cramps in the stomach, you must confess. Therefore. let us sit down to table; here is the bill of fare, the simple lecture of which will make your teeth water : Bill of Fare. Oysters in shell. Sauterne. Chablis. SOUP : Pea with crumbs. Sherry, Madeira. FISH : ; / Fried Haddock. Fresh boiled Salmon. ENTREES : Chicken with truffles. Omelette with ham. Veal chops, tomato sauce. Chateau Lafitte. ROAST : Tenderloin steak. Roast beef. Mutton chops. Pork chops. Apple sauce. Ve. Clicquot. ~ RELEVES. Black Duck, Patridge on toast. Chambertin. VEGETABLES : Potatoes a la Lyonnaise. Sweet corn. FRUIT : Pears, apples, oranges, grapes. Cheese, milk, porridge. Bread, butter coffee. Chartreuse. 55 . _ Now, you must admire, gentlemen, the intelligence which presided at the confection of this truly royal bill of fare. It is the deed ofa _ thorough “ gourmet” and also of a friend who aims at your most per- fect gastronomic welfare and of a physician who attended to all the requirements of hygiene. “But,” some of you will say, “‘ your bill of fare contains indigestible ingredients : I never can taste such and such dish without experiencing the most violent indigestion.” Let us explain ourselves. There are no indigestible aliments, in the etymological sense of the word. All eatable substance is digested, more or less completely, if you like, and more or less rapidly, but it ends always by going through. The word “indigestible” is relative and if any one hears again in a rather disagreeable fashion, of what he has eaten, it is because this unfortunate individual is ill, or the privileged possessor of some peculiar idiosyncrasy which departs from the general rule. But as I consider you all as I wish you to be, that is, perfectly sound and devoid of all caprices as far as your material organization is concerned, I am convinced of having found for the composition of this repast, the most agreeable and most nutritive aliments. I said “‘ agreeable ” because we never do well but what we do with pleasure. In fact, let you sit down to table with an anxious and pre- occupied mind, the stomach will pout for your paying such a little attention to the fulfilment of its functions and will punish you with indigestion, for having diverted, for the benefit of the brain, the con- centration of energy which it has a right to claim when it is its turn. A meal may be a regular work, but that work must be recreative and one cannot exaggerate the importance of dining in good company, and, besides, food must be artistically prepared in order to be palatable and stimulate the appetite. This accounts for my calling forth all the secrecies of culinary art to impart to my bill of fare the “most irreproachable character. _ At last, you must remark that the dishes are numerous and varied in order to supply the tissues of organism with the whole scale of the elements they want, for their intimate rebuilding. In fact, all aliments do not possess the same nutritive value and the same digestibility and the most nutritious are not always those we digest the most easily. 56 The aim of alimentation is to supply ‘the animal economy with the principles it requires for the production of its energy, and with the primordial elements which directly or indirectly go to the repair or growth of tissues. The more an aliment contains of these elements in quality and quantity, the greater is its nutritive value. In the admirable paper read before you last year, your worthy vice-president has made you acquainted with the principles which con ‘stitute the chemical composition of our body. Here they are briefly enumerated : Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, sulphur, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, iron and fluorine. These elements are found in various combinations with one another and form nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous compounds, carbo-hydrates and salts. They enter into the composition of all the tissues of the body. Since food is destined to the rebuilding of those tissues, it is evident that the ideal aliment, the perfect type, would be the one into the composition of which would enter in the meantime, all the chemical elements I have enumerated. But that ideal does not exist. There are, for example, nutrients which contain a considerable proportion of ~ nitrogen, making them eminently proper to repair the tissues, but which, on the other hand, possess too small a quantity of carbo-hydrates to meet the wants required by respiration and the production of animal heat. Others, while they are rich in carbon and hydrogen, are very poor in azote. Hence, the necessity of a mixed alimentation to properly supply nutrition with all its requirements. Formerly, primordial foods were divided in two classes, namely : the plastic and the respiratory aliments. The plastic aliments were constituted by albuminous substances to which the name of quaternary was given, because they possessed a more or less great number of atoms of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen. They were found in almost all the tissues and fluids of the body, forming the base of muscular tissue, gelatine of the bones, fibrin of the blood, casein of the milk, albumen of the egg, gluten of the bread, etc., etc. Respiratory aliments, so called because they are used for respira_ tion and are consumed in the body, formed the base of fats, sugars and feculents. For this altogether theoretical division, we have nowadays substitute 6 57 another more in harmony with the modern teachings of physio- logical chemistry, and we divide the primordial elements of food in two great classes, namely, the organic and inorganic principles. In the latter class enter the salts and water, and the organic compounds are considered under two divisions: nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous. It is to the groups of organic substances that belong the albymin- oids, the chief flesh formers of our body. Still, in spite of their great nutritive value, these albuminoids, taken separately cannot alone sustain animal life and in order that they should acquire a real nutritive value, jt is necessary that they must be associated, not only to the other sub- stances of other classes of food, but even to the different kinds of albuminoids themselves. For instance, an animal fed on albumen or on gelatine alone, would very soon succumb, as it has been demon- strated by Papin, Magendie and Hammond’s experiments. Now, gentlemen, the food which contains the greatest quantity of nutritious substances is not always the one that is digested the most easily ; on the contrary, we shall see that certain very nutritious aliments are of aslow and painful digestion. We must acknowledge, besides that several causes bring modification to the precise rules that we might establish with regard to the digestibility of food ; it would be difficult nowadays to classify alimentary substances into light and heavy aliments. One of the chief objections to this, classification would be individual : predisposition. In fact many would easily digest foods which would infallibly produce indigestion in others. We must add to this: Habit, which permits the digestive tube to get accustomed to such and such aliment. But there is a point upon which physicians and physiologists agree ; it is the importance of the state of cohesion, and the looser is that cohesion the easier is the digestion. There exists, in thé same sub- stance, very wide differences, according to the different states in which that substance is presented, and nothing’ is more interesting than the ~ results given by Schiff upon the digestibility of a given quantity of albumen taken in solid and compact mass or else administered finely divided. Digestive value and nutritive value of food, are therefore two _ different things and we could say with Trousseau: “ That the most 1m “OS 58 digestible food is that which supplies the body with the greatest quantity of reparative elements, requiring in the meantime the less pee exertion from the digestive functions.” Now that we have made these few restrictions, perhaps it would not be without interest to examine the experiments made to determine the digestibility of food and the conclusions arrived at on the subject. Were the human body transparent, it would be an easy matter to - follow the phases which alimentary bole undergoes from the moment it is formed in the mouth until it has given up all its nutritive particles in the depth of the digestive tract. If the Creator, instead of kneading our body with clay, had made our tissues in crystal, anybody would, at aglance, determine the precise moment that the mouthful of bread, the piece of meat cease to be what they were, to become absorbable paste. But the opaque substance, of which our integuments are formed, hide to our view the phenomena that take place within ourselves, and we have to resort to certain crafts in order to uncover the mysterious operations of the digestive system. , For instance, Spallauzani would Tai Ne alimentary substances in tubes or hollowed balls which he would make his patients swallow. When these balls would be returned, either by vomiting or by a more indirect by-way, he would examine the modifications undergone by the substances contained inside. | But we may easily understand, that as these foreign bodies were rejected at indeterminate hours, it was difficult to obtain, by these experi- ments, anything like serious and reliable results. Gosse, of Geneva, was endowed with a peculiar privilege : he could vomit whenever he wanted to. He availed himself of this talent to study the degree of digestibility of foods. He observed that the substances which he would most easily digest, that is, within one or two hours, were: Fresh boiled eggs, milk, lamb, veal, fresh fish, gruel, potatoes. He would take four to six hours to digest: pork, hard eggs, oysters and pastry—other substances would remain very long in the stomach such as: rind of pork, orange peels, mushrooms. I must confess, gentlemen, that we cannot grant much credit to these experiments, deprived as they were of the accuracy exacted by a truly scientific method. But it is not so with regard to the knowledge 59 a supplied by the phenomena observed in individuals bearing gastric . fistula. Amongst these observations, there is one renowned above all, obstacles to its gratification. and cited everywhere, I mean the case of the Canadian, Alexis St. _ Martin, related by Dr. Beaumont. That celebrated patient received one day a shot wound in the pit of the stomach. Fortunately for the man and for science, the wound did not prove fatal, but the result was an opening which never closed and established a permanent communi- cation between the outside and the stomach. Dr. Beaumont, during several years, studied the functions of digestion on this robust Canadian. Fle would make him swallow all kinds of food, watching their exit ona _ level with the artificial opening and could then calculate the time taken by alimentary substances to undergo a complete digestion in the stomach. He made us know the results of his experiments in a rather curious table of which I will give you a brief abstract. He observed that the following foods were completely digested at the end of the periods mentioned : © eich 1e% apen 0 = a0 1 hour. Fried oysters: . geod rab ah 3 hrs. 15 m. 0 | 2 hours. Roast: heel saus4! fans eteereebie 3 hours. oS 2l4 hours. ., . Béelsteale is s02\n< awww mae 3 re Mele MMrKey... S..4..--5-- NES. 44 tie. “HOUG DECL. cA. «odin ets cpteie 5 oo. Wee, BUG ROOSE......5-5....-- 2% hours, -. Roast mutton 22. Ji sow 3 oes 3 hrs. 15 m. BIE DI ae ote 5) is Roast veal isi: nous te est 4 hours. PROS AMID, oe ae cca des ain. * Bottled Wfewhitee skis sete save Fresh eggs, boiled hard...... Cheng hie Roast dete o2 220s tices te ae Fresh eggs, boiled soft...... 3 — Roast: pote tes .6 2.2. 9 60 oe 5 hrs. 15 m. SPH COPS) TAW.. 6. le. 2 es CSE Ca aes kg cites 3 hrs. 20 m. mmeateves, fried)... . ii... ss aoe oS PPCCO0 oS’ see eee Be 3 hrs. 30 m. 0 eS a a 2 ‘A Boiled potatoes ............ 3 hrs. 30 m. MMIC ALOUL. is ivinie nic oa Bey, * Fried potatoes. 6:02 34944 2 hrs. 30m. ee a hrs. 55m. +; Bovled' cabbage. ¢..0k. a4" es 4 hours. BMATCY SOUP’. 6 sc eg ce eee 3% hours. The experiments of Dr. Beaumont on his Canadian were made as well by Ch. Richet on a man named Marcellin upon whom Surgeon Verneuil performed a gastric fistula. I do not wish to enter into the details of this case which I mention only on account of a curious fact that happened with that man, Marcellin, a fact showing how hard it is, - sometimes, to resist the impulse of a passion even in spite of the greatest 60 Marcellin, aged 17 years, swallowed by accident on the 4th Febru- ary, 1876, a solution of caustic potash. The most intense inflammation followed, and brought on the obliteration of cesophagus. He could therefore no more be fed in any manner whatever. Verneuil saved his life, in making in the pit of the stomach an opening through which they then introduced the solid and liquid foods necessary to his subsistence. This poor man at last died of consumption brought on, do you know by what cause? He was deprived of cesophagus, and conse- quently could not drink, but this did not prevent his becoming a drunk- ard: he would introduce, through his fistula, the alcoholic beverages which took him to his grave. But let us return to our bill of fare, gentlemen, I want to say a few words of the ingredients of which it is composed. To facilitate this description allow me to somewhat alter the order of their disposition. Let us divide them all, at first, in two classes : the solids and the liquids. Amongst the solids we shall examine meat and vegetables, sprinkling afterwards this dry subject with milk, broth and wine. But enough of words, time has come to act—Waiter—bring on the oysters. Oysters, gentlemen, contain carbon, nitrogen, salts and water and constitute a very useful aliment, easily digested, provided that they are eaten raw. Fried or in soup they are a great deal. more indigestible. William Roberts has tried to give the explanation of this fact. The small yellowish mass which is called the ‘‘eye” and which is the most palatable part of the oyster, is the liver—which is but an agglomeration of glycogruic substance. That liver during life contains, besides a digestive ferment, the hepatic diastasis. By the mere fact of mastication, these two substances are brought in contact, so that the glycogruic is immediately digested by its own diastasis. Raw oysters therefore digest themselves without any other interven- tion. This advantage is annulled by cooking, because the heat, even moderate, destroys the ferment associated with the glycogruic substance. According to Roberts, alcohol has the same inconveniences, so that we should not drink any wine while eating oysters and be satisfied with milk, which did not prevent my ordering Sauterne to sprinkle these delicious mollusks. It is the fashion, do you see. In France and in Canada amongst those who eat ‘a da Francaise” white wines are indispensable with oysters. (Continued on page 69.) 61 REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL BRANCH FOR THE YEAR 1892. To the Council of the Ottawa Field Naturalists Club: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,—The Leaders in Ornithology in present- ing their report for the year 1892 have to regret that in the section of the work under their oversight there has not been so much activity shown as in some former years. But four observers have reported, and the total number of species recorded reached only 118. None of these were new to the list but a number of previously doubtful records have been corroborated. The department of “ Editorial Notes” in the Naturalist has con- tained from month to month items in connection with bird-life deemed of sufficient interest for publication, and these need not be recounted here. In addition to these the following records are worthy of notice :— Field sparrow, Spizella pustila, 2nd July, about 4 miles south-east of King’s Mountain ; in full song and evidently breeding, though nest not found (F. A. Saunders). Tree sparrow, S. monitcola, 8th January, on the ‘“‘mine road” fio of Hull (F. A. Saunders). This species, common enough in the season of migration has never before been known to winter with us; indeed there is said to be but one previous record of its a»pearance during winter anywhere north of latitude 44° (Cvoke’s Bird Migration Miss. Valley). Wood thrush, Zurdus mustelinus, 26th May, near McKay’s Lake (A. G. Kingston), and 29th June on King’s Mountain (F. A. Saunders). Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Polioptila cerulea. Previous to this year there has been but one record of this little bird for this locality—about 12 years ago. ‘This year it is reported twice, once on 26th May by Mr. Kingston and again on t1oth July by Miss Gertrude Harmer. No specimen was secured, however, and at most the apie. of this resident of the Alleghanian district to our neighborhood must’ be regarded as merely casual. : Common tern, Sterva Airundo, 11th August near Brockville (Miss Harmer). ‘Though somewhat beyond our limits, the appearance of a flock of these birds at a point so far from the sea and the great lakes is worthy of note. . A. G. KINGSTON, JoHN Macoun, > Leaders. Wo. A. D. Les, | 62 i \ ORNITHOLOGY. EDITED BY A. G KINGSTON. Winter visitants.--The winter of 1892-3 was marked by a great scarcity of bird life in the neighbourhood of Ottawa. Irregular and uncertain though the movements of the winter birds always are, it is seldom that the winter season passes without the appearance of some one or more species in considerable numbers. Probably these visits depend more upon food supply than upon the mildness or severity of the temperature ; but in both of these respects our district showed itself last winter a very inhospitable quarter for the birds. The weather here, as throughout the whole of Ncrth America was marked by unusual and almost unbroken cold; and as the rowan-berry crop of 1892 had been a total failure, with tamarac cones and cedar seeds much below the average, the “‘ visible supply of breadstuffs ” for the feathered population must have been alarmingly short. Of Crossbills, Redpolls and Pine Siskins there have been no reports whatever. The Purple Finch which is usually fairly well represented throughout the winter in suitable localities did not put in an appearance until the 4th May, and the Goldfinch came seven days later, after having donned his summer plumage elsewhere. A few straggling Pine Grosbeaks, (one 25th January), and an occasional small flock of Snow- flakes (one 11th February) were the only representatives of these frequently abundant species. It is often asserted, however, by ornithologists that in their favorite study, at all seasons and in every locality, the diligent student is sure of some reward, and that there is much truth in this claim the following further records will slow : Robin.—One seen 18th January on Wellington Street, by Prof, Macoun. Mr. Fletcher also reports one, a fine male, in Archville on 12th March, and another has been reported as appearing several times in New Edinburgh. It is possible that all these records refer to the same individual—perhaps a wounded bird that was unable to undertake the hardships of migration, and was yet so fortunate as to find food throughout the severe weather. . Prairie Horned Lark,—( O. alpestris praticola). On 27th February three or four were seen along the roads on the Experimental Farm. ‘ae 63 _ The next day several appeared, and during the milder weather of March they were abundant. - Blue Jay.—15th February. Canada Jay.—(Pertsoreus Canadensis). 15th February (A. G. K.) about 25 miles up the Gatineau. Chickadee.-—18th February. _ Crow.—As for this sable scavenger, he is always to be found where there is work for him to do; and the enterprising local réporter who at any time during the long winter is in want of material for an ‘item headed ‘“ Harbingers of spring” has only to visit the neighbour- hood of one of the slaughter-houses beyond the Rideau river, in order to be favored with a sight of, and if the weather is mild, perhaps evena “caw” from one or all of the proverbial black three. ffouse Sparrow.—It has been a matter of general remark that the “English Sparrow” population suffered heavily during the past winter. Apparently their numbers on the opening of spring did not exceed one third of what they had been when the first snow fell. It is worthy o¢ record that the first to disappear under the severe weather were the albino specimens referred to in these notes in October last. Not a single case of albinism has been noticed since 1st January. The first brood of young sparrows, however, is now (15 June) on the wing, and as each pair of old birds raises three or four families in a season there is no doubt that they will have replenished the earth ere October returns again. | Spring Migration.—This is not the place to publish a list of spring arrivals. Suffice it to say that although the opening of vegetation this year was unusually late, the birds do not seem to have delayed their movements much on that account. The Robins and Song Sparrows appeared in small numbers on the 24th March, then retired before a short spell of cold weather, and returned again in force on the 29th, when they were accompanied by the Blue-birds. The Bronzed Grackle ib: arrived on 2nd April and the Redwing Blackbird on the 3rd. Turning ~ to the Swallows, an unusually early appearance of the Tree Swallow (Lachycineta bicolor) was noted on ist April by Mr. W. A. D. Lees and _, several other observers. No other tree swallow was reported until 2end April. Purple Martin 2nd May ; Barn Swallow 5th May. 64 EXCURSIONS Nos. I AND II. The first excursion for the present season was held on May 27th and proved very successful, there being three hundred members and their friends present. The point selected was the village of Wakefield, or La Péche, and the Gatineau river, at the height of its spring flood, afforded some fine views as the train skirted its rapids and falls. The morning was bright and clear but unfortunately before noon it clouded up and showers and light rains continued during the afternoon. In spite of the moisture, however, many. of the collectors continued their explorations and some good botanical collections were made. “Iwo prizes which had been offered by the Council were awarded to Miss Blaikie and Mr. McCurdy for their very creditable collections. The adjacent school-house gave shelter to many during the day, and probably had within its walls a more learned and scientific body than on any previous occasion. ‘The excursion cars also formed a rallying point, and iu them were delivered the usual interesting addresses by Dr. Ells and Messrs Ferrier, Craig and Cowley, the leaders of the Geological and Botanical sections. Ed, The second Excursion was held on Saturday, the 18th June, and those who attended spent a delightful day. After a pleasant sail down the Ottawa on the fine Str. Empress, the party on reaching Rockland was met by a steam launch, on which a short cruise was made among the adjacent islands and bays. Then the quarries were visited, trom which is being excavated the stone for the Soulanges canal, and which furnish a very fine, massive limestone. The geological exposures of this neighbourhood are exceedingly interesting, several formations being visible, and good series of fossils were obtained from the various strata, of which notes will appear later. ‘The members were then conveyed in carriages to Mr. Edwards’s splendid farm, and they were much in- terested in the fine stock exhibited. The neighbouring fields and woods were found to be most inviting ; strawberries were abundant, and various flowers in profusion. During the afternoon the mills were — inspected and the river banks examined. ‘The thanks of the Club are due to Mr. Edwards, M.P., for his kind invitation to visit his extensive — mills and farms, and for placing his launch and carriages at the service of the members. Also to Mr. Archie Stewart, who has the contract for i 65 ‘canal for which the stone is being taken out, and who very gener- I provided a bountiful supply of fruits and refreshments. Mr igus McLean kindly escorted the party, and Mr. Gardner, the Super- endent of the quarries, was most obliging in describing the operations. SUB-EXCURSIONS. _ The continued rains and unpleasant weather of the early spring ynths rendered it often impossible to hold the regular Saturday after- 0 outing, but members took advantage of any propitious days. A ty pleasant visit was made on May 2zoth, to the Beaver Meadow, Hull, a many interesting plants and insects were obtained. Among the re conspicuous plants which were in charming profusion, and of several fine nosegays were gathered, may be mentioned Trilliums, hite and red) Uvularia, Dicentra (Squirrell-corn, very abundant,) sntaria and Violets of several kinds. A nice addition to the Ottawa t of Coleoptera was made by Master T. MacLaughlin who captured ine male of Dicelus teter, Bon. Among the Carabidee captured may 9 be noted Calosoma frigidum, Kirby and Harpa/us vulpeculus, Say. The Mer Bleue, a favorite resort of our botanists, was visited on ne 3rd and the masses of bloom which decked the surface of the ig Swamp” gave it a most attractive appearance. Among the more plants growing around the borders or scattered among the pre- ing Cassandra calycwlata (Leather-leaf) mention may be made of yanthes trifoliata (Buck bean), Kalmia glauca (Sheep Laurel), Pirus utifolta (Choke-berry,) Axdromeda polifolia, with its lovely delicate soms, Vaccineum corymbosum (Swamp-Blueberry) and three species iophorum (Cotton Rushes) one of them(Zriophorum russeolum)being ‘to our local flora. Insects were not abundant but severa] r esting species were taken, including two examples of a previously ecorded butterfly, (Zhecla angustus.) ( ‘asselman which has always proved a rich collecting ground was led on June roth, by a strong botanical contingent among whom Prof. Fowler, “2.S.C., of Queen’s University, Kingston. As usual 1 party was well rewarded by the occurrence of many fine plants ding the following additions to the local lists :—Polygonatum nteum, Polygonum erectum and Phragmites communis. Some of the y went on three or four miles, where the land becomes swampy as 66 at the Mer Bleue and offers almost the same plants. Cypripedium parvifloram was abundant, but the flowers .were mostly faded, and Lonticera oblongifolia occurred in great profusion Those who remained at the river obtained among other fine plants Cypripedium acaule and Orchis spectabilis. Insects as on the previous Saturday seemed unusually scarce, but towards evening the Black-flies and Mosquitoes were sufficiently abundant. Some members, lovers of botany and the muses, made a trip to North Wakefield on the 18th June, for the purpose of visiting a swamp discovered last autumn to contain great numbers of the Showy Ladies- slipper (Cypripedium spectabile). The display of these lovely planfs was even more extensive than had been expected, and charmed and delighted the party, who returned laden with spoil. VALUABLE EXPERIMENTS. Mr. Frank T. Shutt, M.A., chief chemist of the Dominion experi- mental farms, read an interesting paper at the recent meeting of the Royal Society, descriptive of a preliminary series of experiments with the object of ameliorating certain alkaline soils in Manitoba and the North-west territories. He opened by drawing attention to the occur- rence of the “alkali patches” in many parts of these provinces. These’ patches or barren spots, which vary greatly in extent, always occupied low places or natural depressions in the soil. In dry weather they were covered with a white incrustation, but when moist the affected soil was usually black. Apart from the presence of the injurious chemical analysis had shown these alkali soils to possess all the elements of fertility. Complete analyses of the three samples of soils—supposed to be typical of these spots—were given. ‘They showed that in addition to comparatively small quantities of salts of soda, a considerable amount of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) was present. To get rid of the soda salts, thorough drainage was instanced as the most effective means. The soda salts were usually either carbonate or sulphate—the latter was not as injurious as the former. The use of an application of gypsum had proved efficacious to soils impregnated with carhonate— which was thereby converted into the less injurious form of sulphate. To ascertain the effect of magnesium sulphate on vegetation, Mr. Shutt 67 . ad carried out a series of pot experiments with corn, wheat and peas. The results showed clearly that this chemical proved most disastrous to vegetation. He therefore inferred that in many instances the sterile ‘character of the soil was due in part, and in some instances, perhaps, _ wholly to the presence of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts). Elaborate pot experiments were then instituted with wheat, pea® and corn, to find out if the addition of (a) carbonate of lime and (b) lime to a soil containing magnesium sulphate would render this substance non-injurious and allow the plants to come to maturity, While the carbonate of lime proved beneficial, lime proved much more j so. During the course of the experiments careful records were made at _ intervals of a week, and mathematical plottings of these were shown to the meeting. Photographs, also illustrating the growth of the plants in the treated and untreated soil, were exhibited. The chemistry under- lying the changes induced in the alkaline soils by these remedial agents was explained. The value of lime in improving soils impregnated with magnesium sulphate was fully established by the scientific data _ here brought forward.— Toronto Empire. (In our brief report of the proceedings of the Royal Society we were able only to refer to the papers read in section IV, and we there- fore reproduce with much pleasure this abstract of the paper presented _to Section ITI by our Delegate. Ed.) FLORA OTTAWAENSIS. By JAMES FLETCHER, /.2.S.C. The annotated list of the Flora of the Ottawa district which was begun three years ago in the Ottawa Naturaltsé and the completion of which was unavoidably delayed, first of all by illness of the writer and _ afterwards by press of official work, will be completed in this volume of the Waturalist. Members will please observe that the sheets issued some members not specially interested in Botany. ie 68 ENTOMOLOGY Edited by JAMES ELETCHER, F.R.S.C. Meloe niger, Kirby. The Black Oil-beetle makes its appearance in the first sunny days of spring, while the snow still lingers in shady corners, and may often be seen crawling on the city sidewalks, appar- ently having issued from the adjacent lawns. There are certain sec- tions of sidewalk upon which they may then be captured daily. This beetle is easily recognized by its abbreviated elytra and absence of wings ; its colour is a greenish black. W. H. H. Toxotus vittiger, Rand. A specimen of this pretty longicorn was beaten from Oak at Casselman, on June 26th, 1883, and on the 1oth of present June, Mr. Fletcher secured a dozen specimens flying about, or on the flowers of Osmorrhiza longistylis, in the same locality. W.H.H. Donacia pubescnes, Lec. This distinct species appears to be local, and to appear early in the season. In 1878, Mr. Fletcher took six examples near Billings Bridge, and it was not collected again until this June, when it was specially looked for in the same locality, and several specfmens were taken by sweeping bullrushes (Zyfa) and grasses along the banks of the Rideau river. D. jucunda and D. subtilis were abundant, and a few D. proxima, which is more abundant later in the season, and frequents the lily pads. W. H. H. Sphinx Kalmie. 1 have received from our Canadian veteran botanist, Mrs. C. P. Traill, of Lakefield, Ont., now in the 93rd year of her age, a fine specimen of the Lilac Sphinx, Sphinx Kalmia. Mrs. Traill also writes a long and interesting letter on the Holy Grass (Indian Sweet Hay,) Azevochloa borealis. ‘The bed of this grass on the Experimental Farm is now a mat of flowering stems, and well worthy of a visit from our botanists. J. F. EXCURSION No. III, TO BORTHWICK’S SPRINGS. A Saturday afternoon Excursion will be held on the 8th July, to Borthwick’s Springs, by special invitation of Mr. Borthwick. The Club vans will leave the Post Office at 2 p.m. sharp. The price of tickets has not been definitely fixed, but will probably be 25 cents. 64 FOOD AND ALIMENTATION. BY L. COTEUX PREVOST, M.D. (Continued from page 60.) Personally, { do not know whether these lovely drinks really have _ a pernicious influence upon the “eye” of oysters, but all I can say, is that everytime I perchance witnessed any indigestion brought on by this association of wines and oysters, it was thatthe quantity of liquids ingulfed had been totally out of proportion with the laws of sobriety, required by any reasonable stomach. Mussels (AZ)'¢r/us edulis) are not generally known in Canada, at least in restaurants. In France they delight those who are really fond of delicious eatables. But if ever your good fate takes you to Paris, beware of what they call there: ‘‘ Moules a la Mariniére.” If you should forget this wise advise you might pay dearly the satisfaction of your legitimate curiosity. I say some of my friends twisted by the most excruciating colics, accompanied with Seale dw scwel ee je Nitrogenous substance insoluble in water (gluten) ......... 12.8 re sh ‘¢ soluble in water (albumen) ......... 1.8 aS Non-Nitrogenous substances (dextrin) ...... .....-.-.005. 7.2 “4 SATE... ... SS 3.88. eee TALC AOR Sie Pee we ee ok Ee ee Sie 16a) 58 (ae Patty Giibsramaces. 2 03005 4 dia eG, eve 08 ee PRLS Bide held nceid s Setelcetets & tech a St ete doe ee ee Potatoes for 100 parts contain 2 parts of nitrogenous substances and 21 of carbo-hydrates. Rice has 5 parts of albuminoids and 83 carbo- hydrates. Among the fats I shall mention butter, which contains 91 per cent. of fatty substances ; cheese, which contains 24 per cent. of fat, besides 33 per cent of nitrogenous substances. My intention is not to dwell at any length on fruits, wishing only to remind you that they introduce into our economy salts of sodium and potassium, useful to nutrition, and since I am speaking of salts, I wish to point out the importance of common salt, and of all mineral matters in alimentation. These substances are just as necessary as the reparative and respiratory aliments. Forster has given pigeons, mice and dogs a food very poor in mineral matters, and he has observed that. mice lived 21 to 30 days only, pigeons 13 to 29 days, and dogs 26 to 36 days. According to Barbier, man must take daily within 24 hours, 12 to 20 grammes of salts, either pure or mingled with food. When for one reason or another man cannot take the necessary quantity of salts, the same accident happens as with other animals, he falls into a state of weakness and languor, offering, after a while, all the symptoms of anemia, owing to the dimunition of albumen and blond corpuscles. With regard to the importance of salts in alimentation, I cannot resist the desire of saying a few words about “scurvy,” a disease I par- ticularly studied within the last few years. ‘This disease, which for- merly was the terror of navigators, exists nowhere, so to speak, except in Canada, where it pretty severely treats, almost every year, the rafts- men who spend the winter in the midst of our forests. You have all heard of that disease called “‘ blackleg”” by our “ voyageurs,” which 20 Pai on» 75 Or 25 years ago was a regular plague, as it would strike down 25 or 30 men in a shanty composed of 40 individuals. Nowadays, we meet almost every spring with a certain number of cases, but it has become a good deal less common, and shows a tendency to disappear. What is the cause of this consoling diminution? For- merly, our forests, so rich in wood, were poor in settlers. Food in- tended for the shantymen was exclusively bought in cities, and consisted of salt pork and beans. As clearings allowed settlers to establish them- selves, farms were created on almost every limit. On these farms, vegetables are being cultivated, especially potatoes, with which the shantymen can easily be supplied for their alimentation. Those who are to-day the victims of scurvy are those who winter in the remotest parts, away from established settlements. Do you know to what treat- ment we subject these unfortunate patients suffering from black-leg ? We actually stuff them with potatoes and other fresh vegetables, and in a few weeks they are perfectly cured. The general opinion to-day is that scurvy proceeds from the priva- tion of vegetables, and that these vegetables posess anti-scorbutic properties, owing to the salts of potassium they contain. Here it is curious enough to remark, that these salts of potassium exist in veget- ables in a special chemical state which causes all their efficacy. In fact, mutton contains by ounce 0.846 of salts of potash, and besides, you are aware that the pork destined to shantymen is generally salted with nitrate of potash. Still, in spite of this alimentation, scurvy soon appears. What can be the reason of this apparent contradiction ? Here it is: Salts of potash in food, as all the mineral salts, must be introduced on determinate chemical forms in order that these prin- _ ciples may be fixed in sufficient quantity by the functions of assimila- tion. Thus, phosphate, nitrate of potash, and chloride of potassium ‘traverse the whole system, and are expelled almost entire through the excretions and secretions of the body. ‘These salts are stable. On the _ contrary, in a combination of potassium with an organic acid, such as _ the citrates, nitrates and tartrates, the organic acid is decomposed, i giving up carbonic acid, and the economy finding itself in posession of a salt of little stability, nutrition takes up and utilizes its base. Fresh _ green vegetables contain potash combined with organic acids, which 76 are thus decomposed. Meats, on the contrary, contain phosphate or nitrate of potash, which are are stable salts. These facts explain why mutton, although containing a certain amount of potash, is unable to prevent scurvy, whereas lime-juice, for instance, with an equal quantity of this base, but in the state of super-citrate, acts as a true specific in the prevention of this disease. One word now, with ,your permission, about milk and wines ; because however succulent may be all the dishes we have spoken of so far, it Seems to me that the subject is rather dry, it wants liquids. Milk, like eggs, is what we call a complete food. It contains albumin- ous substances ; casein and lacto-protein and albumen; fatty matter the butter ; a sugared substance, lactose ; saline principles, phosphates, and chlorides, and lastly water. Its digestion is most rapid, it is the food most quickly absorbed, requiring in the mean time the least digestive work possible. We must add that it is the nitrogenous com- pound which contains the smallest quantity of toxic alkaloids. Its nutritive value is certain. Unique aliment of the child during the first months that follow its birth, milk supplies it with all the materials necessary for arapid growth. Even with adults, milk employed alone suffices for their alimentation, and we often observe that certain patients fed on strict milky diet obtain by it a sufficient nutrition. Lastly, it is an admirable therapeutic agent in some diseases of the stomach. In ulceration of that organ, for instance, milk given exclusive of all other food and even without any drugs whatever, acts in a truly specific manner I have, in the course of this paper repeatedly spoken of toxic alkaloids, products formed during digestion in the stomach. I think it proper to dwell a moment upon these curious phenomena which, although within the province of pathology, still have a proximate relation to alimentation and the functions of the digestive tube. You have all heard of microbes, and bacteria ; micro-organisms, the discovery of which has had such an influence upon medical doctrines in general and the theory of infectious diseases in particular. It is to Pasteur that we owe the wonderful discovery of the role played in our planet by a whole world of infinitely small beings which, everywhere invisible and present, constitute by the manifestation of their incessant activity, one of the greatest forces which govern matter and determine its transformations. In applying all the faculties of his © deeply investigating mind to the study of these infinitely small beings, _ much more powerful than the antediluvian monsters and often much _ more dangerous, M. Pasteur has succeeded in watching them at work in catching the play of their functions and 1n establishing their relations to the phenomena of fermentation of which they are necessary agents. These micro-organisms swarm by millions in the atmosphere. _ They lie everywhere ; our clothes, our furniture, our books, the walls, the hangings of our houses are covered with them. ‘The water we use for our ablutions, the water which purifies, as we fancy, the things it washes, the water we drink, how many microbes does it not contain and ~ nourish ? Miguel has demonstrated that a single glass of Seine water contained 300,000 microbes. Evidently, all these micro-organisms are not malefactors: many of them are, on the contrary, for us very useful auxiliaries, others are quite harmless or indifferent. But mixed with these indifferent germs, there exists around us an immense quantity of them which are formidable. Such are the germs of infectious and con- tagious diseases, especially during epidemics. These ferments, introduced with food into our stomach, feed thein- selves upon what we have prepared for our own nutrition; they are our - guests, our parasites, and live upon the portion of our aliments which | we do not consume, clients who eat the leavings of the table. A great _ number of them are immediately killed by the chlorhydric acid of the | gastric juice ; among those remaining some work for us, playing an E important role in the digestive transformation of alimentary substances, but more often they openly work against us. _ It has been thoroughly demonstrated by recent investigations, that the pathogruic microbes secrete, by the fact of decomposition produced _ by their vital action, special toxic substances, real nitrogenous bases similar to the alkaloids extracted from vegetables, such as quinine, ~ morphine, strychnine, which dissolved in the fluids of the organism _ produce a true poisoning. It is they which incessantly fabricate in the } digestive tube compound ammonia, such as indol, leucin, tyrosin, phenol, scatol. Carbonic acid and other gases are set free, such as for example, sulphurated hydrogen, and the products secreted by these yan ferments, after their penetration into the economy give rise to the mani- festations of a real poisoning. Such is the explanation of the strange phenomena offered by those who suffer of what is commonly called’ gastric embarrassment, indigestion, biliousness, flatulence, dyspepsia. To prevent this state of things we have a double means at our disposal : destroy the microbes by intestinal antisepsy and expel them from the alimentary canal by purgatives. Here we shall remark how much the interesting researches in putrid fermentations of the intestines justify the traditional medication of our forefathers, and the physicians rediculed by Moliére were not altogether wrong after all, when they gave so much importance to the reiterated expulsion of atrabiliary humours upon which depended most of the evils that afflicted their clients. But that is not all; there is something better than to cure an evil when it has been produced ; the ideal is to prevent it. Well, it is a known fact that animal food, such as meat and fish, is the aliment that con- tains the greatest quantity of germs: moreover, we may consider all albuminoid compounds as the most favorable soil for the origin and de- velopment of ferments ; consequently for the production of these toxic alkaloids. You may, perhaps think that these considerations upon such a wonderful subject as bacteriology, have altogether made me forget our bill of fare. Not at all, and you will see that the conclusion of what I have just said will naturally bring me back to the starting point of this long digression. In fact, if we ever should find ourselves in presence of these disorders commonly called flatulent dyspepsia our first duty may be the getting rid, by the free administration of purgatives, of the mor- bid products gathered in the stomach. But this is not everything; we must above all suppress from alimentation all albuminoid food, since it constitutes the materia prima of this excess of morbid fermentation. Still the patient must be fed. Here is where the usefulness of milk comes in, since that aliment is a complete food, as I have already said, since it is the nitrogenous nutrient which contains the smallest quantity of toxic germs. By the administration of this precious liquid — food, we shall have suspended all mechanical work from the suffering stomach, which will be then in the position of a broken arm laid at rest 79 a“ ina splint. Besides, the suppression of albuminoid food will prevent ‘the development of further fermentation and allow the digestive functions to be restored to their normal state. This is what we are _ doing every day, and we may say that we possess ina milky diet the most powerful and efficacious means of treating and curing that so “common disease called dyspepsia. As far as wines are concerned, you may see that I have given them _a large share in the drawing up of my bill of fare. And I believe that ' I showed proof of extensive artistic knowledge about the choice and distribution of their different kinds. White wines strike up the march ‘and sprinkle the soup and fish; Bordeaux wines accompany the solid joints ; Burgundy wines are associated with game, and Champagne with the dessert. All these wines are endowed with particular douguets . according to their variety, but the principle base of every one is alcohol, which enters into their composition in the proportion of 7 to 15 per cent. They contain also tannic acid and salts of potash, etc. Absorbed 4 in small quantities during meals, it is a known fact that they possess a salutary action in assisting the secretion of gastric and pancreatic _ juices. And they contribute to cheerfulness of mind and consequently : place the guests in excellent moral disposition, banishing from their brain all cares and preoccupation, which, you will confess, is worth j consideration. We know now, all the ingredients composing our alimentation. _ Here they are briefly enumerated :— ; ie —Albuminoids, especially derived from the animal kingdom and - the principal element of which is nitrogen united to carbon, hydrogen 4 and oxygen. 3 2.—Ternary substances containing only carbon, oxygen and _ hydrogen without azote, they are represented by sugars and feculents. _ 3—Fats deprived of oxygen, being consequently composed of carbon alone and hydrogen. 4—Salts, which we meet in food supplied by both the animal and vegetable kingdoms. These are the materials destined to the nutrition of the body. Now, what is the want of the organism? The human body is a living machine having two different kinds of functions vrs. the functions 80 of relation, such as intellect, sensation, locomotion and voice and the organic or vegetative functions, as digestion, absorption, respiration, circulation, secretion, nutrition and calorification. These functions are what we call life. Life means movement, which again is but a transfor- - mation of forces contained in nature. ‘These forces are concealed in a latent state in food, and their transformation into movement takes place ~ within the body by means of the digestive functions. Feculents and sugars are consumed and provide animal heat, albuminoids and salts are fixed in our tissues and repair the wastes produced by use. Lastly fats, which have escaped oxidation are stored in the body and kept as a reserve for further and unforeseen wants of the organism, Among substances destined to repair the incessant loss of the animal economy, some are directly absorbed and carried at once into the circulatory torrent ; others deposited at the surface of the digestive organs, must undergo the influence of juices which are poured in and are modified so that they may be absorbed. This is the reason why food introduced into the mouth successively travels over the different parts of the digestive tract, being subjected by the way to various mechanical actions, but especially to the action of varied fluids. Let us take, if you please, the alimentary bole. Follow me, we | shall accompany it in its pilgrimmage into the depths of the digestive tube and see what will take place. Let us suppose this alimentary bole composed of albuminoids, feculent and fatty substances. Once introduced into the buccal cavity, it finds itself in presence of a special liquid called saliva. The latter contains a ferment named ptyaline, which, while deprived of all action upon fats and albuminoids, possesses the property cf converting feculent substances into dextrin, rendering them, therefore, assimilable. Hence, the necessity of thorough mastication of all starchy and sugared food, in order that these compounds shall be well impregnated with saliva. Hence again the dyspeptic disorders arising with people deprived of suitable teeth, as well as those who eat as if they were pursued, allowing no time for this important function to properly take place. Arrived in the stomach, the alimentary bole meets with another liquid, the gastrie juice, which, like saliva, contains a ferment called pepsin. ‘Yhe latter’s task is to digest albuminoid substances, which it 81 transforms into peptones, a product eminently assimilable. These _peptones still possess some of the chemical characters of albuminoids ; - they give, for instance, with nitric acid, a yellow precipitate of xantho- y proteic acid, but they have lost the property of coagulating under the ‘influence of heat or acids. Besides, when an albuminoid substance is injected into the veins of an animal, it is found again in the urine, but it is not so with peptones, which are absorbed into the economy, and _ of which no traces are found in urine, a proof that they have been _ thoroughly assimilated. So far, feculent and albuminoid compounds alone have undergone - the action of digestion, fats are intact. But when once it has been ex- ‘pelled from the stomach, the alimentary bole, softened, modified, reduced to the state of pulp, meets in the first parts of the smali intes- tines, another juice supplied by a gland called the pancreas. This fluid _ plays in digestion a considerable role. Its fermeny “the pancreatine,” possesses the property of completing the digestive action which began _ in the buccal and gastric cavities. It modifies not only feculent and — albuminvid compounds, which escape the action of saliva and the - gastric juice, but it possesses besides the exclusive power of digesting : fatty substances. Defresne, who made a careful study of the properties 4 of pancreatic juice, attributes to three distinct ferments the threefold "properties I have just mentioned ; Amylapsine would have the charge of converting starch into sugar ; Steapsene would favour the emulsion of q fats ; lastly, AZyapsine would dissolve albuminoids. After having undergone the action of pancreatic juice, the aliments _ start on their way through the small intestines. As they progress, their - consistency increases, while in the meantime their mass diminishes, - Owing to the greater part of them being absorbed by the chyliferous vessels. The excrementitious portion traverses the large intestine to be evacuated fer anum; the absorbed portions pass through the mesen- _ teric glands to the thoracic duct, and are, finally poured into the left _ subclavian vein, where they are mixed with the blood. They will here- after belong to that regenerating fluid, which enters every organ, through the circulation, distributing the nutritive principles to every - texture, and becoming the source of every secretion. Gentlemen, in my quality of physician and hygienist, I do not 82 want to terminate my lecture without pointing out a common error committed in our alimentation in general, an error just as prejudicial as possible to the health of those who render themselves guilty of it, and they are the greatest number. You undoubtedly know Count Tolstoi, that remarkable Russian writer, who within the last few years, has astonished the literary world by the originality of his characters and ‘the boldness of his theories in social economy. He seems to have imposed upon himself tne task of regenerating society, morally as well as physically, and lately he wrote peculiar articles which everywhere provoked a certain emotion. In fact this celebrated philosopher, falling upon the idols that man worships the most, emitted with his usual daring spirit the three following propo- sitions : 1.—Luxury is bad, 2—QOutr alimentation is too abundant. 3—We must replace our animal alimentation by a vegetable one. Naturally we have nothing to do with the first part of his thesis, but with regard to the second proposition, I subscribe to it with both hands. Yes, wé eat too much. Almost everybody eats more than his hunger commands, and how many in presence of a good dinner leave the table only when it is impossible for them to eat any more? ‘The old maxim should never be forgotten that “‘ we must eat to live but not live to eat.” And dco you know how little one need eat not merely to live but even to live comfortably, and to secure for the body the necessary materials for daily work? If we compared the quantity of food which suffices a poor peasant and the food necessary to the wealthy citizen, we would feel tempted to say that they were beings of different species. The fisherman is satisfied with a piece of bread and cheese and the tourist who accompanies him takes with him a whole kitchen paraphernalia. The Arabian who guides the excursionist through the desert requires for food but a little bread and a few dates and it is not without a certain expression of contempt, that he considers the baskets of pro- visions, the cans of preserved meats and other innumerable ingredients that the sportsman thinks necessary to take along with him under fear of starvation. Sheriff Sweetland, one night at a meeting of the Medico-chirurgical Society, caused no little amazement, in stating that the cost required for feeding a prisoner did not exceed 8 cents a day, that is 3 cents per meal. 83 ‘He added, that being one day in England, in the course of a conversa- tion with some officers of the London jails, these officers had found the sum exorbitant. They said that each prisoner in London did not cost q them, for food, more than 4 cents daily. “If we fed them, they added, at the rate of 8 cents, as you do in your country, our jails would soon become insufficient to receive the mass of those who would rush in solely to be fed in such a luxurious manner.” These examples suffice to demonstrate how few aliments are required to keep life and repair the wastes of the organism. Twenty . grammes of nitrogen and 300 grammes of carbon are all that is wanted ; or in other terms, physiologists have found that within 24 hours, 125 grammes of meat were sufficient for an adult, associated to 300 grammes of potatoes and 50 grammes of butter and cheese. The food which is taken in excess is not absorbed ; it then undergoes chemical changes in _ the alimentary canal andat last putrifies ; and quantitiés of gas such as carbon-dioxide, carburetted hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide are formed, asI said before, in explaining the fermentation produced during the digestive process. It is then, especially, that dyspepsia arises and that constipation and irritation, causing diarrhoea which does not always _ empty the bowels, are produced. Some of the putrid substances are absorbed, and then appear signs of evident poverty of the blood, a - febrile condition, torpor and heaviness, fetor of the breath and some- _ times, possibly, even jaundice. | When excess of albuminates continually passes into the system, if a especially a certain amount of exercise is not taken at the same time, _ there is a want of proportion between the absorbed oxygen and the { absorbed albuminoids which lead. to imperfect oxidation. Nitrogenous q substances, instead of being converted into soluble urea, remain in the state of insoluble uric acid; gouty affections have no other origin. _ Should excess of starchy food be taken, an excess of fat is produced _ which accumulates in the tissues, leading to obesity with all its incon- _ veniences. | . | In conclusion, what can we say of Tolstoi’s third proposition, that animal PE ceiarion oes be se by vegetable diet? You know 84 Here, we must make a destinction. It is evident that animal food is not absolutely necessary. Herbivores are beings like us, having the same physiological laws of nutrition, heat and respiration and still they do not starve although they consume no meat whatever. ‘The Hindoos, Arabians, Chinese and others are satisfied with rice, dates, flour, vegetables, and fruits. If, to these aliments they join milk, eggs, butter and cheese they then possess a perfectly Sufficient alimentation. Chemists and physiologists agree in saying that in bread, peas and beans, there is enough azote to supply nutrition of the body. Cheese of all uvthers is the alimentary substance which under the smallest volume contains the greatest quantity of nitrogen, ‘Therefore the question is decided; we can live and live comfortably without eating meat. But this proposition by no means involves the consequence that animal alimentation must be given up. It is understood, and accepted that a certain quantity of nitrogen is necessary to the repair of our tissues. Milk, cheese, eggs, flour, fruits and vegetables can fully supply this quantity of nitrogen, but that alimentation has the incon- venience of requiring a large alimentary mass and consequently necessitates a more laborious digestive work than if a small quantity of meat were added tu it. 1oo grammes of bread contain about 1 gramme of azote, | whereas 100 grammes of meat contain 3 grammes of it. Therefore as far as the nutrition in nitrogen is concerned. three times more bread than meat would be required to meet the wants of the organism. Besides, in supplying our system with the necessary quantity of azote, by the means of feculents and vegetables alone, we would be compelled to introduce into the stomach a disproportionate quantity of starchy food, with all the dangers of an excess of this kind of alimenta- tion. In short, no one group of aliments is capable of alone properly sustaining healthy life and a combination of all, or nearly all the different constituents of diet is required to accomplish the best results. It remains to me, now, but to thank you for your kind attention. I fear that I have perhaps abused your good will by the length of my paper. ‘The only excuse I have to offer is that I had unfortunately no time to make it shorter. As it is, all my ambition has been to interest you. If Ihave succeeded I declare myself happy and satisfied. al 85 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY IN 1890, FROM GREAT SLAVE LAKE TO BEECHY LAKE, ON THE | GREAT FISH RIVER. From the Journal of Mr. James McKinley, officer in charge at Fort Resolution, H. B. Co. -By D. B. DowLinec, B.A. Sc. The ‘ Barren Ground of Northern Canada,” is the title of a book recently issued by Mr. Warburton Pike. It contains a popular descrip- tion of his experience of travelling and hunting in the country north of Great Slave Lake, and on the Peace River. A few notes from the diary of his sometime fellow traveller, Mr. James McKinley, may be of interest, as supplementing in a somewhat more detailed way the descrip- tion there given of the country between Fort Resolution, on the Great Slave. Lake, and Beechy Lake, on the Great Fish River. A part of their route was through the hitherto unexplored region immediately north of the Great Slave Lake,—a very rugged tract, dotted with lakes, followed further north by a more.even though somewhat hilly country, almost barren, extending to Aylmer Lake. Of previous explorations in the region to the north-eastward of - Slave Lake brief mention will be made. The earliest we find was that of Samuel Hearne, commissioned by the Hudson Bay Company to undertake an overland expedition, to _ make explorations to the north west of the inland sea on which they had their posts, and also to search for a large river, on which a copper mine was said to exist. Leaving Prince of Wales Fort, on the Church- ill, he made two unsuccessful attempts to reach this river and copper ‘mine, but in the fall of 1770 he again started, and by the middle of July, 1771, had reached the Coppermine River. The map of his route, with the latitudes of points of interest, are inaccurate and untrustworthy, _ but it is quite certain that in the spring of 1771 he passed near, if not ~ over, Artillery and Clinton Golden Lakes. Returning in the fall of the same season, he arrived at some point on the north shore of Great Slave Lake, and crossed through a chain of islands to the south shore, where i he arrived about the beginning of 1772. , _ Other expeditions, including Franklin’s two, have since passed by __ the more western route. These seem to have passed to the west of the district under consideration. 86 Owing to the long absence of Capt. John Ross of the Victory, in the northern seas, a relief and exploring expedition was organized under the command of Capt. Back, who intended reaching the north coast of - America by descending the Great Fish River. This was supposed to flow in a north east direction, and reach the sea at no great distance from the longitude in which Parry’s ship, ‘‘ Fury,” had been abandoned in 1824. It was known that Ross would endeavour to reach this spot and take some of the store of provisions piled up on the beach. Capt. Back, therefore, in 1833 reached Slave Lake, and advanced by Artillery and Clinton Golden Lakes to Aylmer Lake, and made an examination of the head waters of the Fish River. He then returned to the wooded country to winter. At the eastern end of Slave Lake he built his winter quarters, and called the house Fort Reliance. On March 26th intelligence reached him of the return of Ross, so that the expedition now was for exploration only. Early in the spring a start was made, and during the summer he successfully descended the river to the sea, and by fall had returned to his former winter quarters, where he passed the winter of 1834-5, and then returned to England. ' One result of the explorations of Dr. Ross on the shores of the Gulf of Boothia in 1853-4, was the obtaining of relics of the Franklin expedition from the Esquimaux, with the information that some at least of the party had reached the mainland, near the mouth of the Fish _ River, though they probably all perished in that vicinity. England at that time was engaged in the war in the Crimea, and could not at once fit out a relief expedition, buf asked the Hudson Bay Co. to undertake and fit out an expedition to descend the Fish River, and search the coast in the vicinity of its mouth. This expedition was under the direction of Messrs. Anderson and Stuart, officers of the Company, who, in 1855, made the descent of the river, but were only partly successful in finding traces of the party, and returned to Fort Resolution the same season. The next traveller giving any account of this district is Mr. Pike, as already noticed above. During the season of 1889 Mr. Pike made a very interesting trip northward, to a large lake lying to the westward of Aylmer Lake, to a 87 Factor in charge of the Hudson Bay Co’s posts in the Athabasca Dis- trict. In this vicinity he spent some of the winter months, hunting the Barren-ground Caribou and Musk-ox ere he returned to Slave Lake. It Great Fish River. With a view to encourage trade with the Esquimaux who hunted in that district, Mr. Jas. McKinley, the clerk in charge of Fort Resolution, joined with Mr. Pike in forming a somewhat large party. The proposed route was evidently to retrace Mr. Pike’s steps northward to McKay Lake, thence coasting eastward to the outlet, and following the, Lockhart River to Aylmer Lake, from the north east corner portaging to the Great Fish River, but after reaching Lac du Mort on this route, a short distance north of Slave Lake, the direction was changed to a more direct course, across country to the Lockhart River. On the afternoon of May 7th, with dog trains and sleds or tobog gans, the party left the Hudson Bay Co’s establishment at Fort Resolu- tion, and travelled principally on the ice of the lake northward along the eastern shore. On the gth they crossed the lake to the group of islands called hy Capt. Back, Simpson’s Group. Turning more to the north east, their course for several days lay among the islands forming this chain, and on the 13th they probably reached the narrows, or with- ina short distance of that point. Here they met some Indians, and halted to engage them to accompany the party. Much objection was made owing to the scarcity of provisions, the Indians being in a starving condition and the travellers but lightly equipped. ‘This necessitated a delay to hunt, and finally on the 23rd they all started and travelled about ten miles. On the 23rd the travelling was slow, and they went probably the same distance. Of that part of the lake the description given in the journal is as follows: ‘ The lake on leaving camp widens , out, is studded with rocky islands, and the banks on each side are high and rocky, sparsely covered with stunted pine and birch.” The next _ day they travelled only about five miles on the lake to a small river, up _ which they turned, leaving the Great Slave Lake. ‘‘ We found on fol- lowing up the little stream a succession of falls, which were all frozen, with high banks of ice, These took us till evening to surmount, some _ t i was his intention to go much further north the ensuing summer via the 88 of the men packing and the rest helping the dogs. Climbed to the top of the hill and found a high, rolling, rocky country ; hardly any trees to be seen.” “May 25th.—Made a portage for four miles to a long, narrow lake. Then more rocky portages and small lakes till mid-day, when on account of the thaw we halted near a high cliff at a small, round lake. Started towards evening, and made a short portage into Lost Dog Lake. Made a couple of miles on this lake, and left by a low valley and gamped in ‘sight of Lac du Mort. Rocky ridges all around, here and there thinly strewn with small pines. If it were not for the lakes, which cut up the country, it would be impassable. They are generally more like a river than a lake. The portages are short, and continue to get lower the further we get away from the range of hills which skirts the north east shore of Slave Lake. The track is fairly straight. West of north is the general course. “May 26th.—By mid-day reached the north end of Lac du Mort, where we were obliged to camp. Made about eight miles. This lake is rather large, with long bays surrounded by smooth, rocky hills or banks nearly destitute of timber. This gives it much the appearance of a lake in the rolling prairie. ‘“‘ May 27th.—The party remained in same camp, hunting in the vicinity with apparently little success. Of the country seen, he says it consists of “ long ridges of either smooth rock or piles of loose stones, similar to the edge of the lake, between which are mossy valleys or narrow, lakes.” “ May 28th.—Travelled to the end of Lac du Mort and portaged to the next lake.” Here they thought they had found a cache of meat, and spent a couple of days trying to thaw it out, but it proved a disap- pointment, and they halted still longer, hunting the country over to find the deer. They travelled now only short distances—a mile or two— towards reported bands of deer. Of the country he says : “We have — now got past the last of the belt of hills which lie to the north of Lac du Mort. The country, looking ahead north, is a level or rather rolling field of snow as far as the eye can see. The snow is perceptibly deeper as we go north.” “In the immediate vicinity the rocky ridges are often 89 covered with loose boulders, while between, lakes occupy the low ground ; a fine grass thinly shows amongst the moss, rather like bunch grass ; wood now and then in sheltered places.” On the 3rd June they succeeded in getting among the caribou, and the journey was resumed. ‘June 3rd.—Made a small portage to Bear Head Lake. Travelled in the night on account of the heavy thaw. Camped about midnight. ‘June 4th.—Were obliged to pass the day in the same place on account of the heavy thaw. Since the caribou are apparently in more numbers to the east of the track we have been following, the Indians have_decided to break off and cross to Capt. Blanc’s route or Stewart and Anderson’s track. ‘The endless chain of lakes which intersect the barren, stony ridges, enables one to take any direction. ‘June 5th.—Shifted camp across the lake to get wood,having burnt up all around this camp. Snow drifting like mid-winter. Founda fine clump of pines in which to camp. The lake is about two miles and a half wide at this point. “June 6th.—Shifted camp a couple of miles to the end of Bear Head Lake. ‘This is a lake I should say of about ro or 12 miles in length, and of about two miles in width. Surrounding country still of rolling, broken ridges. The party remained in same camp till June gth. Some further notes of the surrounding country observed on their hunt- ing excursions are added. The ccuntry still the same as that to the west. Rolling ridges, broken rocks and loose stones, often of immense size balanced on a few smaller ones, are a very common feature. The ground is covered with several kinds of mosses, and a small plant bear- ing a small black berry. Cranberries are also to be found in the swamps, where there is also a short grass with a thin, round blade. Wood is getting scarce, and only to be found in sheltered spots. “June oth.—Off this morning and made probably 8 miles. Course, N. E., to strike Capt. Blanc’s track, first on two small lakes and then on a long ong in appearance like a river, at the end of this we camped. After dinner we all started off hunting. The country still of the same appearance, but not a single stick of wood did I see. Noticed mica in _ small quantities, of a poor quality. The rocks are of small sizes, being split up by the frost and other causes. FA 90 “Tune roth.—Heavy thaw, with water on the ice of the lakes. Made about 4 miles on small lakes, with short portages between. Wood is very scarce at this camp, and we can only find a few dry roots on spots where the snow is off the ground. The same bleak country. Red and gray granite rocks and ledges everywhere. “June rith.—Travelled about five miles in an easterly direction, on a long, narrow, winding lake. ‘The hills are a good deal higher to-day, with rougher abrupt bluffs and broken rocks. T.eaving the lake we ‘made a small portage, and camped below a bank of fine sand of a red colour, on the edge of another lake at the end of thelittle rocks. This is on Stewart and Anderson’s route, where they canoed it to the Great Fish River. The bank of sand on which we are now camped extends for a couple of miles, and is perhaps half a mile in width. It is quite a pleasant sight after the monotonous rocks. It is formed into ridges, mounds and hollows like its rocky neighborhood, and bears a few small stunted pines here and there.” Owing to the thaw the water from the melting snow had so ac- cumulated on the lakes, that the party were obliged to wait until the ice and snow had so loosened as to rise above this. The snowshoes were no longer needed, and consequently had been abandoned. Four days were lost on this account, and on June 15th a start was made again, but the travelling was very bad, only about 5 miles being the progress for the day.. The lake, from their account, would be about 15 miles in length, with many rocky islands and points. Good whitefish reported in it, though the party did not set any nets. June 17th.—“ Started in the morning and travelled 8 or 9 miles to the north eastern end of the lake, and made a portage of about a mile, camping half way on it on account of the scarcity of wood. Here there are only bushes of stunted pines ; the largest is not a yard in height. They are of a considerable size at the base, from which the branches spring ; the whole is bent and crooked in every imaginable position, and generally dry at the top. | | June.18.—Finished the portage, and travelled on a narrow lake about 5 miles, to where a little river joins it with the next lake in our route. ‘The ice in it we found had gone, so we had to make a portage of about a mile and a half over the hills. 91 “The whole of this section of the country is simply a bed of stones ; no gravel or earth of any kind, but the stones piled on each other with 7 great holes between. The country much the same in appearance, only less large bluffs of rock, and now and again large areas covered with loose stones. No bushes, except on the borders of lakes, and occa- sionally small patches of grass in the hollows. ‘June 19oth.—Left the men packing down to the lake and started ahead to see some clumps of large pines. The bay we first reach is a long inlet, running north and south about six miles. At its northern end it widens out, forming a large, apparently circular lake of about ten miles in diameter. The narrows being three or four miles wide, we there took the western shore and passed over a pretty fair level country, having more soil and stretches of grass, and sandy hills and ridges, and several patches of pines suitable for building purposes and firewood. On the whole it is the best country seen since leaving Slave Lake. Parties who took the east shore of the bay report the country unsually smooth and level. All around the lake there is plenty of firewood. A small river runs out to the south trom the north east end of the bay. Our party with the dog trains followed the east and south shores of the lake, and camped at the south east end, having made some sixteen or eighteen miles. Good travelling on the ice. Duration of sun light for the day, 2oh., 40”. June 2oth.—Left camp about mid-day and made a portage to the east of about two anda half miles into a long, narrow lake, running northwards. Went about two miles on this lake, and camped on a dry point. The country north of this appears level as far as one can see, and less covered with boulders and rock than that we have left behind. Small bushes of pines in clumps in the low ground. ‘The travelling on the ice is much improved, owing to the surface water having drained off. June 21st.—Taking the right side of the lake we found the country much more level than we had seen it. ‘It consists of long, smooth, sandy ridges, covered thinly with bunch grass, while ia the muskegs and on the .edges of the numerous small lakes much more grass is to be found, with small pine bushes in the sheltered spots. We must now be _ getting very near to the so called last woods.” 92 The party camped early after travelling about ten miles, as they had succeeded in killing sufficient deer to keep them busy the rest of the day cutting up and drying, and also a sufficient supply to give them a quiet Sunday in camp. a: “June 23rd.—While the men were fixing up the sled for a start we went ahead, crossing a point on the south east side, where we found a small stream entering the lake. Here the Indians were successful in catching several fine trout, which we roasted for dinner. The country we found rocky, and intersected with small lakes. The party with the dog sleds made about eight miles. . “June 24th.—Made about four miles to the end of the lake, which is probably about twenty miles in length, and from two to two and a half in breadth. Then portaged over a mile to the north east end of another small lake, which we crossed about three miles, and pitched our camp. Wood is getting very scarce. In winter the little that is here must be covered deep with snow. 3 ‘June 25th.— From here we have to make a portage of four miles * to a small lake on the course of the Lockhart River, which connects McKay Lake and Aylmer Lake. Found the river open between the lakes, and lots of water at the lake edge. Went about two miles on the north east bay of this lake to the outlet—the Lockhart River—and camped on the north bank. ‘The native soil of the Musk-ox. Here a portage has to be made of over a mile over a rocky hill. On the road we saw a couple of Musk-ox heads killed a couple of years ago by one of our men. The country near the mouth of the river is smooth and sandy, with a good deal of muskeg. On the north bank a range of hills runs north east, having the general aspect of rocky and rough land. Aylmer Lake, as seen from this point, bends away to the south east. The river that runs below this hill is probably about a mile in length from the intermediate small lake to Aylmer Lake. “June 26th.—From here we sent several men up the river to McKay Lake to bring back a large’ birch canoe, used by Mr. Pike last. year, the Indians taking our baggage on their sleds. Got on the rocky por- tage and had dinner, and then started off on Aylmer Lake, but found To be Continued. 93 EXCURSION No. 3. Taking advantage of the kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs William Borthwick, which had been standing for some time, the Club made its _ third excursion for the present season, on Saturday, 8th July, to Borth- wick’s Springs, in the Township of Gloucester, some seven miles east of Ottawa. Mr. Borthwick has entered upon the production of fruit as well as the sale of it, and large plantations of small fruits have been ~ made, with promise of great success. About thirty members attended. The trip was made in vans, starting from the Post Office at 2 p.m., and _ in spite of a violent thunderstorm which overtook them on the way, all _ reached the objective point without mishap shortly before four. Here _ they were hospitably received by Mr. and Mrs. Borthwick, and the _ weather soon clearing the party proceeded to inspect the spring. ‘This jies ina marshy tract at the foot of the hill on which the house stands, and close to one of the branches of Green’s Creek. A building has been placed over the spring, with appliances for barrelling and shipping _ the water, which is sold largely in and about Ottawa. It is of a rather _ pleasant saline taste, and is celebrated for its mildly aperient properties. An analysis made several years ago by Dr. J. Baker Edwards, of Z Montreal, is given below. The well known peat-bog, the Mer Bleue, ~ commences a short distance farther to the east, and it had been intend- ed to pay it a visit, but owing to the condition of the ground after the _ storm this had to be omitted. After a generous lunch, provided by the hostess, the Vice-President, Mr. F. T. Shutt, took the chair, and devoted ’ a few opening remarks to the subject of mineral springs, their geologi- cal origin and chemical constituents. He then introduced Messrs. R. _ B. Whyte and John Craig, who delivered addresses upon the botanical ;: specimens collected during the afternoon. Mr. Whyte drew attention toa number of beautiful flowers of easy cultivation, such as the Cone ~ flowers (Rudbeckia) and native orchids, charasteristic of that district, _ which should be found in every garden. The apt and striking way in _ which the distinguishing points between different species were described gave Mr. Whyte’s lecture additional interest. _. An addition was made to the local list of plants, in the shape of Ranunculus sceleratus, found by Mr. J. F. Whiteaves. 94 Mr. Craig spoke of the economic value of some of the grasses found in the vicinity, emphasizing the value of June grass for lawns, and the necessity of making a continual warfare on quack grass. A vote of thanks to the host and hostess was moved by Capt. McElhinney, and gracefully acknowledged by Mr. Borthwick. The return journey was then undertaken and Ottawa was reached about sundown. A. G. K. ANALYSIS OF THE WATER BY DR. EDWARDS. The specific gravity is 1.008. It is not aérated, nor is it alkaline. It contains (in 1000 parts) of saline and earthy chlorides, 11.9 grains, and of bromides and iodides, 0.4 grains. It contains, like some of -its congeners, a small portion of strontium, and both bromide and iodide of magnesium. Of total solid saline matter, it contains per Imperial gallon of 70,000 grains, which I estimate to be combined as follows : Chlorides, 833 grains per gallon, combined as Chioride ‘of Sodiim\). 2o.'<'.. SRR, Lie tse Sie oe 784.70 Chioride of Potassiauna 1)... -.. dukie hex ats dt oil ae 10.50 Chloride of. Strouttum....... . meus 2. . decd s see 1.40 Chioride of :Galcininy: 2.3... . QE. 4 Bale Oe 14.70 Chloride of Magnesium.2\...). . 86a... ..inss-10) ae eee 21.70 Bromide and’ Iodide ‘of Magnesitim .°.\)).., 2.5); «fs aee 2.80 Spiphate Of Strontigna........ . Seeds sates plik. 2.10 Sulphate @F Calcium. i... 3+. ene Series wee na 15.40 Sulphategf Magnesium... ...'. DW jatG.0A0.. 23 000. ee 19.60 Silica and Oxide of Iron, etc. 3%... s.. 6. "aks « 2s ee 4.90 Saline contents of one Imperial Gallon......... 877.80 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MANITOBA SOIL. ~ ‘ THE CAUSE OF ITS GREAT FERTILITY EXPLAINED. In the American Chemical Journal, Vol. XIV, No. 8, is a particu- larly interesting article by Mr. F. P. Dunnington, in which comparative analyses by Mr. T. C. Whitlock are given of examples of (1) Soil, fur- nished by Dr. George M. Dawson, F.R.S., etc., from the prairie lands of Red River, taken at Rosser, about 15 miles west of Winnipeg, and (2) Tschernozem or Black Earth of Russia, from the district of Bala- shoff, in the government of Saratoff. The specimens are described as — so similar in appearance that they cannot be distinguished by the eye. — ee ~~ 95 ANALYSIS. Manitoba. Russia. Sand 59.82 53-71 Silica, amorphous 5-45 12.80 ‘Ferric oxide 4.00 4.13 Alumina "4a ao 6.04 Titanic oxide .64 .63 Lime 61 S78 Magnesia 61 BE Sulphuric oxide -03 .06 Carbonic oxide r27 .02 Phosphoric oxide 13 16 Potash (with trace of Soda) I.QI 1.97 - Organic matter 12.49 .':\= ‘14i08 Containing humus (soluble in ammonia) ( .45) ( .44) af total nitrogen ( .44) Cy ary Water 6.86 5-04 99.76 100. 43 _ “With the exception of the amounts of carbonic acid, and of the propor- tion of the silica which is amorphous, the composition of these two specimens is almost identical. “The peculiarly large amounts of organic matter and nitrogen, as ; well as of the principal constituents of the ash of plants, lime, potash and phosphoric acid, are all to be noted and accord with the well known exceeding fertility of each of these soils. “The soil from Manitoba is described by Dr. Dawson as spread with great uniformity over the Red River Valley, a wide prairie on the first or lowest prairie level of the north western country. It hasa depth of say one to four feet, and consists of the superficially modified "parts of the sediments of a later glacial or post-glacial lake, which at _ greater depths are found in the form of well bedded silts....... The _ Surface is a dark mould, composed of the same material as the subsoil, but mingled with much vegetable matter....... The uniform fertility of this soil cannot be exaggerated. ©The Tschernozem or Black Earth of Russia has Jong been famous by reason of the heavy crops which it has, in many localities, annually produced for almost a century. Prof. Krassnof, in a paper (Proc. Geol. S. Amer. 1891, p. 68,) describes it as distributed over the steppes of the 96 south eastern portion of European Russia. He concludes that this black colour is due to an accumulation of vegetable matter from the herbaceous plants of the poorly drained steppes of the post-glacial deposits which overlie the loessoid clays, so difficultly permeable to water. At the close of this paper he draws attention to the close cor- respondence which exists between the climate of Russia and that of the prairie land of Minnesota, and suggests the probable similarity of the soils of these regions. ‘The above analyses make it to appear that the Tschernozem and the soil of the Red River prairies are similar in chemical composition ; they occur in the same latitude, with the same general relief and climate, and from the above quoted authorities are judged to have a similar geo- logical history ; may they not, therefore, be properly considered as of the one variety of soil, “‘ Black Earth.” BOOK NOTICES. ScuDpDER, S. H. A Brief Guide to the Commoner Butterflies of the United States and Canada. 12mo., 12+206 pp, Henry Holt & Co., New York. In our August, 1892, number we gave notice of a Butterfly book for boys which Mr. Scudder had in preparation. We took occasion then to point out the advantage of all young people having some hobby in natural history, and looked forward with pleasure to the early appear- ance of this work, which should, we thought, act as a first stepping stone from which young students might find an easy entry to one of the most attractive fields of study offered to us by Mother Nature. Such a book, which was much wanted, has now been prepared by Mr. Scudder in his characteristic manner, and has been published by Messrs. H. Holt & Co. as a neat duodecimo of convenient form, well printed and got up. This little work treats only of the commonest butterflies, such, in fact, as any energetic collector in the Northern States or Canada is pretty sure to take within a year or two. It is to be followed by a more com- plete Manual of the Butterflies of North America, north of Mexico, to be issued at an early date, and prepared in a similar style to Gray’s Manual of the plants of the Northern States. Mr. Scudder’s Brief — 97 Guide will, we believe, be the means of inducing many to take up the study of butterflies, who have been prevented from doing so for want, of a suitable and accurate book. The introductory chapters, treating gen- ~ erally of the nature, structure and habits of butterflies are very concise, covering the ground well, and with the concluding chapters where in- structions are given for the collection, preservation and rearing of insects, _ provide the beginner with all that is necessary to make him a good Bematuralist. . J. F. ; Scupper, 8S. H. The Life of a Butterfly. r2mo. pp. 186, 4 plates. Under the above title Mr. Scudder has written in untechnical lan- guage a charming little book, in which while recounting the life-history of the Milk-weed Butterfly, he compares it with other species and succeeds in condensing into a remarkably small space an account of the most interesting features in the lives of the whole tribe of butterflies. It has been prepared for the general reader, and the hope is : expressed that it ‘““may perhaps gain for butterflies the serious study of some who had before looked at them as merely pretty creatures,—types ot the frivolous,”—we feel sure that it will do this and much more besides. We recommend it heartily to all boys and girls of healthy mind, to naturalists and to thoughtful readers. J. F. ENTOMOLOGY. Edited by J. FLETCHER. | LHypomeolyx pineti Fabr. ‘This large pine-weevil has not been pre- q viously recorded from our district, but a dead specimen, in good condi- _ tion, was found at Casselman (June roth) in the leaf of a pitcher-plant. _ Among the contents of leaves examined Cytslus sericeus appeared very frequently. A small, pale crustacean was als@ not uncommon, and - seemed to thrive in its prison cell. W. H. H. q Adimonia rufosanguinea Say. At the Mer Bleue this pretty little Chrysomelid was very abundant upon Kalmia augustifolia, and occurred also occasionally on other plants Hitherto I had generally taken this species upon the wild cherry. W. H. H. ; Aphodius prodromus Brahm. This European beetle appears to be ‘extending its range westward. Dr. Horn, in his monograph of the ks b-family (1887,) recorded it from Maine and Montreal. Several 98 years ago I received a specimen from my brother in Campbellton, N.B., and soon after specimens from the late Mr. Caulfield, of Montreal. This year Mr. Fletcher tock several at the Experimental Farm at the end of May, and I captured one at Eastman’s Springs. W. H, H. Desmocerus palliatus Forst. On June r4th I took a pair of these beautiful longicorns upon an Elder bush, and on the 26th received one from Col. Chamberlin, which he had taken in his garden in New Edin- burgh. The larva lives in the stems of the Elder, and the beetles, | though not common, can usually be found by a careful examination of the shrubs in June. It is perhaps the handsomest of our Cerambycide, especially when alive and in the sun light. It is almost an inch long, of a deep steel-blue colour, and with a bright yellow band across the base of the elytra, from which it derives its name of the Cloaked Desmo- eetts...i.W: H. ;H. Ditylus ceruleus Rand. While at Casselman (June 1oth) two fine examples of this usually rare beetle were taken, almost accidentally. The first crawled up on a log where we were collecting Zritoma hume- valis in fungi, and the second came crawling up to us as we were lunch- ing. This beetle seems to inhabit swampy areas, as last June we cap_ tured specimens in a beaver-meadow at Sudbury, and another was taken about the same time at the St. Louis Dam by Mr. J. A. Guignard. The western species of this genus seem to be more abundant, as numerous specimens have been received from British Columbia. W. H. H. Ergates spiculatus Lec. A fine female of this beetle has been received from Kev. Father Dontenwill, O.M.I., now principal of St. Louis College, New Westminster, B.C., who a few years ago was a frequent attendant at our Monday afternoon lectures. £. spzculatus is the largest . beetle found in Canada, and belongs ro the Longicorns or wood-borers. The present specimen measures 236 inches from the front of the head to the end of the body, and # inch across the base of wing cases. J. F. Argynnts Trictarts Hiib, in the Ottawa District. I was much surprised and pleased at taking a few specimens of this rare butterfly in the AZer Bleue, on 13th and 14th June. Itisa northern species found in Labrador, at Hudson Bay and in the Rocky Mountains. ‘The size and general appearance when on the wing are similar to 4. AZyrina, but the - ~ 99 flight is stronger. It was no easy matter to run them down over the soft sphagnum swamp as they dodged amongst the stunted spruces, with the thermometer ranging between 80 and go degrees. J. F. Diplax costifera Uhl. Two specimens of this, rare dragonfly have been _ taken this summer by Master Stephen MacLaughlin, in Powell’s Grove. _ One specimen was taken here some years ago by Mr. T. J. MacLaugh- lin, but the exact locality was not then noted. ——— BOTANY. Edited by W. Scott, B.A. Aphyllon unyfiorum at London, Ont. Some fine specimens of this _ interesting Orobanch were found on June 2nd in Mount Pleasant Cem- etery, near London, Ont. They were growing in the grass, the large _ purple corollas having a very attractive appearance. This is the first record of the plant being found near London. Some more specimens - were found in the woods on June roth. The same plant has been col- ~ lected also by Mr. J. Dearness, of London, in the Township of MacGilli- vray, Ont. J. Atston Morrat, London, Ont. The Mayflower. Some beautiful specimens of Lpigaa repens have _ been received from Fort Coutonge by Miss McKellar, of the Richmond . Road. Members of the Club will always hear with interest and ‘satisfaction of new localities in our district for this floral treasure of the spring. R. H. Cow ey. . Erythrea’ Centaurium, Pers. (Centaury.) I found this elegant little member of the Gentian family growing in some numbers among grasses and flowering at the end of August at Roach’s Point, Lake Simcoe. Gray’s Manual (revised edition) gives as localities, “ Waste ground, shores of Lakes Ontario and Michigan.” ‘The only Canadian record mentioned in Macoun’s Catalogue is “‘ Sandy wastes on Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. Collected July, 1870, (A/%s. Almon.)” I therefore thought that this note might be of interest to the ‘readers of the Naturalist. C. J. S. BerHune, Port Hope, Ont. >. 100 GEOLOGY. EDITED BY. H..M. Amr LL, Dik. GistA. ET. On asmall collection of Fossils from the Trenton Limestones of Port Hope :—Port Hope 1s situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario, near the mouth of Jones’s Creek, a stream which is slowly cutting for itself a bed in the hard Trenton limestone. In former ages it was a stream of much greater dimensions, and evidences of raised beaches are seen along both sides of its valley. The higher ground is here occupied by clays, mostly glacial, and sub-aerial denudation has played a prominent part in making for the town its peculiar orographic site above the present level of the lake. On the occasion of my last visit I saw an outcrop of limestone, at the Rapids near the Bridge and foot of the main business street, from which a number of fossils were obtained, or noted. They were all typical or rather common Trenton forms, and are here recorded only because I have so far seen no list of fossil remains from this locality. The species are as follows :— 1. Crinoidal fragments. 2. Heterocrinus simplex v. Canadensis, Billings. 3. Stictopora acuta, Hall. “4. Prasopora Selwyni, Nicholson, (=P. lycoperdon, Rones.) 5. ? Diplotrypa Whiteavest, Nichoison. 6. Lingula sp. 7. Orthis testudinaria, Dalman. 8. Leptena sericea, Sowerby. 9. Strophomena alternata, Conrad. 10. Anazyga recurvt. rostra, Hall. 11. Vanuxemia Montrealensts, Billings. 12. Modio/opses sp. indt. 13. Trochonema umbilicatum, Hall. 14. Orthoceras sp. 15. Dalmanites callicephalus, Green. 16. Asaphus platycephalus, Stokes. 17. A. Canadensis, Chapman. 18. Calymene senaria, Conrad. It would thus appear that the light grey, somewhat bituminous and impure limestones of Port Hope belong to the Trenton and well up in that formation. With time to collect along Jones’s Creek, a careful observer should obtain much interesting material. H. M. A. THE NEXT EXCURSION Will probably be to Paugan Falls, on the Gatineau Valley Railway. Arrangements are being made for as early a date in September as possible. 101 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY -IN° 1890, FROM GREAT SLAVE LAKE TO BEACHY’ LAKE, ON THE GREAT FISH RIVER. From the Journal of Mr. James McKinley, officer in charge at Fort Resolution, H. B. Co. By D..B. Dow Line, B.A. Sc. (Continued from page 92.) the walking on the ice very bad. Collected all the small drift willows at the points passed, as there is no wood here. Made about five or six miles and camped on a low point a short distance from a small river that falls in on this side the lake. The banks of this lake appear to be low and covered with grass, gradually rising as they recede froin the lake. ‘The Indians are now nearly all carrying canoes on their sleds, picked up here and there, where they had been c&ched on the route. “June 27th.—Followed the north shore of the lake, and found it nearly level and good walking, but had to take the ice to avoid streams which were open. ‘The north shore contintfed level, but we crossed a 4 deep bay where the hills came to the lake again. Here we camped on a small island after travelling about eight mi’es. Willows, etc., for fire- wood, have to be carried on our sleds from wherever they can be picked up. “June 28th.—Started off again in a north east direction, making about eight miles. We have kept the north side of the lake all along. It is indented by many long bays, and dotted with islands. A greater portion of the hill sides -are grassy slopes, and the level plateaus covered with moss and grass, with here and there ridges of rocks and stones. There seems quite enough feed for horses and cattle in summer, but there is not a sign of anything in the shape of bushes large enough to make a fire. Moss is the only thing in this region that will burn. The canoe route to Slave Lake stretches away to the south east, through an arm of this lake, then through several other lakes connected by the Lockhart River, to the eastern end of Slave Lake. From the western ex- tremity of McKay Lake to the eastern end of this lake is about one hundred and fffty miles, general course, east and west, all of good navi- j gable water. ‘The route to Fish River from here is north east to the : end of the bay running in that direction, then a portage of some length — to the headwaters of that river. 102 July rst.—Started late on account of fog, but made the end of this nay, called Sandy Bay, which we have been following, and camped ona high bank of sand. Close by to the north of us, a range of sandy hills and banks runs east and west, at the foot of which a small stream, one of the sources of the Great Fish River, runs. The country in sight and surrounding, consists of prairie ridges, with most of the hollows occupied by small lakes. We have finished our sled work, and as our large canoe is in good condition, we are prepared for a trip down the river, having plenty of ammunition and fishing gear. We will probably have a few days delay where we finally part with the indians, getting shoes made and meat dried to cache along our route, to insure our way back. “July 2nd.—Remained in camp at Sandy Bay, repairing canoes, dressing leather &c. “ July 3rd.—The indians with their small canoes, portaged to the south west, crossing a narrow lake on the ice, and then turned north- ward, and camped when they reached the river. Our men passed down by the small river, but had much trouble getting through, breaking the canoe shortly after starting, as the river was very shallow and full of stones. Seven portages had to be made, and much time spent follow- ing the open waters on the margin of the larger ice covered lakes, so that it was about two o’clock when they joined thecamp. The camp on Sandy Bay is probably not over four or five miles from us here, in a straight line to the southeast. Among the rocks on the river bank, there are enough dry sticks for firewood. No pines of any description are to be seen, nothing but willows; but they grow to a good size for this quarter. The country is a rolling prairie, with more moss and stones, but less grass than the prairies south. The banks and bed wf the stream, are stoney, widening out here and there into narrow lakes, connected by the river which is there generally rapid. ‘July 4th. —Portaged the canoe over a bad part of the river, to a lake, around the edge of which there is a narrow passage. Striking inland, I crossed a couple of small streams falling into this river, and saw a large lake to the west. The country is grass covered ridges, with here and there, mostly on the margins of small lakes, piles of rocks. The course of the river to-day, is about due north, on which we have 103 _ made only about five miles, camping at the mouth of a small branch - entering this lake expansion, which is called Musk Ox Lake. “July 5th.—Started off again this morning, but made poor headway, as the canoe has to follow the shore line, where there is only a small passage free from ice. We made probably four or five miles on Musk Ox Lake, which lies nearly north and south, and is from a mile to a mile and a half in breadth. This shore of the lake is pretty much the ' same as that seen yesterday, being bordered by grassy hills and _ valleys, but from here north is yet more hilly and rocky. The eastern shore appears rough and rocky. pe Near the northern end of this lake, there appears to be a favorite crossing for deer, that being possibly a narrower pass, and as there is an island there the deer in swimming has a resting place in the middle of the swim. Here the indians expected to make a big hunt, or to slaughter great numbers in the water, and thus mnake a supply of dry meat for the trip onward. From the hides they make their shoes, and often other articles of wearing apparel. Conse- | quently the party halted here, moving their camp the next evening a few miles further north, to a commanding position overlooking the probable place of slaughter. A party consisting of a few hunters had been despatched a few days. previously to this place, but very few deer _ had been seen and consequently the hunt was not very satisfactory. _ This necessitated a much longer delay than was expected, and any game that could be had was taken. Generally the Musk Ox is not relished — as an article of diet, but they were compelled to shoot numbers of these ~ animals to supply the larder. Ofthis lake and vicinity the Journal says :— “To the east of our camp across the lake, are the Musk Ox mountains, more. properly hills. Northward the country appears to get wild and rocky again. At a distance of three or four miles, a ridge of hills runs north and south, at the foot of which 1s a river flowing from the westward out of a large lake to this river. The rocky ridge on which we are camped extends to the north west, and from a hill on it, a couple of miles out, can be seen the ~ west branch of this river, of about the same size as the one we followed, flowing in a large valley, apparently a mile or two in breadth, sloping up 104 gradually to the hills by which it is bordered. A smaller stream flowing from some small lakes in sight, joins the river just below this place. A few remains of snow drifts still are to be seen here and there, but the country generally appears green and frésh.” Several very stormy days on which it snowed pretty steadily, kept them all in camp, after this they decided from the small hunt to move on, so that after a stay of eight or ten days, they were again going northward. The river leading from the lake was very shallow and nearly impassible, so a portage, two miles and a half in length, was made northward over rocky country, to a lake, apparently in the same chain. Camp was made on the shore Sis lake, and on the morning of July 18th, they started in the canoe again. “ Found the lake to be of about two miles in length, just as the river leaves it there is a rapid, in the centre of which is a small island on which we made a portage. Onwards, we found the river the whole way, with the exception of three small rapids, two of which we ran, more of the nature of narrow lake expansions than a river. It has very little current, and is very deep, with a width averaging two hundred yards. We passed through two lakes beside the one on which we camped last night, of two or three miles in length. On both sides of the river the country is rough, being covered with hills and bluffs of grey rock and stones. The general course of the river is north east. After having made eighteen miles we camped at the point where the river leaves the third lake, on the western bank where there is a fine sandy beach with a grassy bank rising to a hill behind. This Mr. Pike and I climbed and from there we had a good view ahead. ‘The country we found fine and smooth, again with grassy ridges and valleys. “July r9th—Starting out, we found a strong current with small rapids widening out again, after about a mile, into a long narrow lake possibly ten miles in length. A river from the west was noticed shortly after leaving camp. The banks on both sides were rocky. Leaving this lake the river flows for three or four miles with strong current having three or four rapids all of which we ran, then we enter a small lake on which, on finding a fine sandy beach on the east shore, we camped. From the north end of the long lake the country is pretty level prairie 105 with sandy hills and plenty of grass. A little before we reached the lake another stream enters from the west. “July 2oth.—Remained in same camp. From a hill back of camp _ saw a large lake still apparently covered with ice. . ** July 21st.—Paddled to the end of the lake, abouta mile. Here a ' ledge of rock runs across, to pass which we were obliged to portage everything, then we cross a small lake perhaps two miles long, entering _ the river again. It has here a small current but no real rapids. In a _ very short distance the river expands into a lake of a mile in length, then contracting into a narrow channel with a rapid. This we ran light, portaging the cargo. From the foot of this rapid the river widens out with a sluggish current for two miles, then a lake expansion for another two miles. To this point the morning’s course has been nearly due north. From this lake we enter rough -water, two miles being nearly all rapids. The upper half it was impossible to run so portaged but ran the lower half and entered a narrow winding lake, on which we made three or four miles and camped on a sandy ridge. A great deal of the country passed to-day consisted of benches and ridges probably grass covered, the banks of the river and lakes being high enough to conceal the view. Near the camp the banks of the lake become ‘much lower being merely a long grassy slope to the sandy beach. There ‘is very little wood in this part of the country and we have to use moss and green stuff for fire. | July 22nd. —About four miles’ paddling brought us to the end of the lake—direction about due north—then into the river again for about a mile, strong current but deep and good, we then cross a small lake of . perhaps two miles in length. Here we turn to the east, the river flowing out of a bay at that end.” Here the party ‘discovered an abandoned camp where the -Esquimaux had spent some part of the previous season. After searching the place carefully, the indians determined the probable date of their departure and also the time of occupation, number of families and other details. Starting again the river was followed for “nine or ten miles and found to be a large and deep stream, with strong current flowing through a fine prairie flat, with hills which appeared 106 smooth and grass covered, standing well back from the river. Then they entered a small lake on the north shore of which they pitched their camp under a rocky hill. Here there was fortunately a good supply of willow for fire wood. The prairie tract through which they had passed was sandy and dry, while near the rocks which they seem to have reached again more scrub willow is found growing in the sheltered The general course since leaving corners where there is a little soil. the Esquimaux abandoned camp ‘has been well to the east.” The river leaves this lake at its north eastern end and is noted as consisting of alternate stretches of small lake expansions and narrow channel with strong current. There are two rapids but both were run. The series of lake and river stretches are estimated at ten miles. Beechy Lake is then entered upon and here on July 23d the party had lunch after crossing over to the north shore. Before camping that evening they travelled eastward along the north shore of the lake about ten miles. Finding no further signs of the Esquimaux in this direction, they con- cluded they were on the wrong trail and decided to start again at the’ abandoned camp. ‘This was done and they succeeded in finding the route by which the Esquimaux had come, viz. by a small stream from the west. They were then certain the Esquimaux .were only to be found near Bathurst Inlet and as the party had not the time at their disposal to make the journey across country to the Inlet, they turned their faces homewards. The eastern route by Clinton Golden Lake, Artillery Lake and a small chain of lakes was taken to the western end of McLeods Bay, where the Companys’ boat was waiting their arrival. The first pine tree they saw on their way back was noticed on the river between Ptarmigan Lake and Artillery Lake and the first clump of pines about twenty miles down Artillery Lake. Of Artillery Lake Mr. McKinley has given a short description. <“‘The -lake lies nearly nort and south, and at the northern end, in fact for most of its length, it is seven or eight miles wide. For about twenty miles the banks on both sides are prairie, but from that point the west shore is pretty thickly grown with pines of a fair size. The east bank throughout is prairie except here and there a few pines in a sheltered spot.” The southern end of this lake was reached on the 13th of August and the Great Slave 107 lake on the 15th. The journey down the lake was made under more favorable circumstances than in the spring, they had now a large boat with a crew of indians, and waiting for favorable wind, they could make the run in about three or four days. They left the camp at the east end of McLeods Bay on the 19th, and camped on the evening of the 2oth near the point of their departure from the lake in the spring. ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. BARREN GROUND Caripou, Rangifer Grenlandica, Linn.— On the present expedition the party lived almost exclusively by their guns, and as the most abundant, largest and best of the game animals was the caribou, the Journal is very exact in the account of the numbers seen and shot each day. ‘This, of course, would vary in different localities. This animal is essentially a rover, moving southward in the latter part of summer, wintering in the partly wooded districts and returning northward in the spring early before the ice is gone from the lakes. This season they had evidently started before the expedition, as none were seen along the north shore of-Slave Lake nor on their trip inland until they were past Lac du Mort on June rst. After this the party were not in the desperate straits recorded in the Journal up to that time. By following the bands of deer they were able to supply their larder — whenever needed. ‘Their dogs were better fed and stronger. The deer here seem to be all males and Mr. McKinley explains and states the fact as follows :—‘‘ They are the bucks on their way out after the does which have left some time ago to have their young near the sea coast. They (the bucks) move out as the snow disappears and meet them out on the barren ground on their return.” Their movement northward was at about the same rate as the the travelling of the party of hunters. Occasionally these had to hurry up to get among the deer again. On July 12th, after a stay of ten days on Musk-ox Lake, they concluded the deer were nearly all north of them as they had been unsuccessful in killing many at a well-known crossing. On the roth of June a note is made that the horns on the bucks were then a foot and a half in length and were much prized by 4 _ the Indians as an article of diet. a 108 The Musk-ox, Ovibos moschatus, Linn.—This is an animal that inhabits only the barren or treeless area of northern Canada. As will be seen from the Journal in regard to the appearance of the country passed over, the treeless area is not entirely barren, but in many places sustains bunches of a coarse grass and plenty of moss or lichen, which afford ample food for this great rush of caribou and the more sedate wanderings of the musk-ox. The barren or treeless area was reached practically before they came to Lockhart River, but no mention of any sigus of the musk-ox is made until they reach the small lake on the Lockhart River. Here on the north side were two skulls of animals killed two seasons before by a hunter who was present in the party. The north shore is called by Mr. McKinley ‘‘ the native soil of the musk-ox.” The first one killed was seen on the north shore of Aylmer Lake. From there northward large numbers were seen as far as the expedition went. They do not wander in such great bands as the caribou, but feed in smaller herds around the hills, moving in search of food. The cows in the summer generally are more together, the bulls feeding apart or in couples. Of the smaller mammals the following were noticed :— WuiTeE Fox, Vulpes lagopus, Linn.—No mention is made of any of the party having seen these animals, but that they are to be found is evident from the many holes seen. “ June 30th —White or arctic fox holes we have come across now and then of late. The first we saw on the portage to the Lockhart River.” WOLVERINE, Gulo luscus, Sabine.—Mr. Pike shot three, August 2nd, and mention is made in several places of caches being robbed by these animals. Arctic Hare, Lepus timidus Linn. var arcticus Leach. ‘The first signs of this animal were observed on Lac du Mort which is not a great distance north of Great Slave Lake. The note is to the following effect :—“ Saw signs of the Arctic Hare on the banks of this lake, which is probably as far south as they come. They are now off out again to the open farther north.” ae 109 The first one seen was near Bear Head Lake, June 3rd. Others were shot, one on June 6, one on June 11, and another June 30th on north side Aylmer Lake. PorcuPINE, Lrethizon dorsatus, Linn.—Are rather abundant in the northern timbered area. Mention is made of some being captured on the shores of Great Slave Lake early on the trip. Marmot, probably Arctomys monax, Gmel.—‘‘ May 29th. Several _ ground hogs have been trapped. They are smaller than the mountain hog.” North end Lac du Mort, Of the birds the most numerous was the willow Ptarmigan, Zagopus albus. ‘They were numerous around Lac du Mort and were a very important item till the caribou were found. They were likely as numer- ous farther on but not as much sought for. On June 2nd, “ Their neck is now dark brown, the rest of their plumage white.” June 2oth, “The hen partridge is in summer plumage—speckled brown, but the cock is still white with brown neck.” Geese and ducks were seen in several places and a general note to the effect that geese and ducks were flying north was made. Swans were seen going north towards McKay Lake June 3. This may have been the whistling swan, Cygnus columbianus. A small goose, called in the Journal a white wavie, was seen flying northward June 2rd and 8th and feeding in the ponds on June 11th. This may have been the Lesser Snow Goose, Chen hyperdoreus albatus. A grey wavie was shot on June goth, and on Aylmer Lake they were seen in large numbers. This probably was the American white fronted goose, Anser albifrons gambelt. | The smaller Ptarmigan were first seen on Lockhart River. These are the Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus rupestris. ‘June 25th. The smaller kind, of which we have seen a few, I believe are more plentiful farther on. They are smaller than the white partridge. The cock bird is entirely white so far, but the hen bird is brown already.” The Great Northern Diver Co/vmbus torqguatus, was seen frequently; and one was shot on June r2th. The Black Throated Diver Co/ymbus arcticus was shot by Mr. Pike _.on June 11th near Davids Lake. 110 METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. May 7th, Fort Resolution. —Water knee deep on the ice on Great Slave Lake and most of the snow gone. May 8th, Great Slave Lake.—Wind north, froze hard enough to bear party on the ice. May goth, Great Slave Lake.—Cold, party crossed to Island. May 2oth, North shore Great Slave Lake.—Wind north, thawing in the sun. May 22nd, North shore Great Slave Lake.— Wind north, very cold. ) May 23rd, North shore Great Slave Lake.—Wind north, thawing slightly in middle of the day. May 24th, North of Great Slave Lake.—Wind north, cloudy and thawing fast on the tops of the hills. ‘he snow is mostly gone, except in the hollows. May 25th, Among hills north of Lake.—Wind east, heavy thaw. May 26th, I.ac du Mort.—Wind north, thawing. May 27th, North end Lac du Mort.—Wind north, thawing. May 28th, Near north end Lac du Mort.—Very cold, north west wind with hard frost. May 29th, Near north end Lac du Mort.—Very cold north wind. May 30th, Near north end Lac du Mort.—Wind north and cold but calmed in evening. May 31st, Near north end Lac du Mort.—Wind south and warm. June 1st, Near north end Lac du Mort.—Fine day but wind turned north in evening. and cleared up with frost. | June 2nd, Near Bear Head Lake.—Thawing during day. Wind south west and fine. June 4th, Bear Head Lake.—Fine bright morning, thawing after midday, a heavy storm of snow and sleet came from north west. June 5th, Bear Head Lake.—Snowed a little all night and through- out the day. Snow drifting on lake like mid-winter, wind north west. June 6th, Bear Head Lake.—Fine warm day, wind south. June 7th, Bear Head Lake.—Snowing in the morning and con- tinued to midday, wind northerly and chilly. 111 June 8th, Near Bear Head Lake.— Wind north but!thawing slightly. June gth, North of Bear Head Lake.—Wind north east, thawing: June roth, Small Lakes north east of Bear Head Lake.—Wind north east but warm, water on all the lakes and the snow fast going. June 11th, Blind Mans Lake (?)—Wind north east but a regular thaw, water running in all the hollows, and the snow in slush. Fog came up in evening. June r2th, Sand Ridge.—Heavy fog in morning but cleared up about 9 a.m. Did not freeze much in night. Lakes forming in all the hollows. June 13th, Sand Ridge.—Wind north east and raw, with now and again a few drops of rain. A slight fog towards evening arose but later on came very thick and storming. Most of the country is free from snow but large drifts still in the hollows. | June 14th, Sand Ridge.— Wind a little east of north, stormy and a very unpleasant day. June 15th, Sand Ridge.—Wind north east. Rain, snow and sleet all day. | . June 16th, Davids Lake.—Wind north east, storm continued to ro a.m. then cleared up. Water and slush on portages. June 17th, Davids Lake.—Wind north east, cloudy, milder. June 18th.—Wind south, warm, a fine bright day. June toth.—Wind south and warm. June 20th.—Wind north east but light and warm. June 2ist.—- Wind north east, light and _ hot. Vegetation is pushing ahead rapidly, leaves starting on the small willows and flowering plants, in fact green grass showing with every sign of spring. June 22nd.—Wind south and warm. June 23rd.—Wind in morning, west and hot, but at midday heavy clouds came up with rain, wind veered round to north east. June 24th.—Wind south. June 25th, Lockharts River.—Wind south and fine. River open, Flowering plants are coming rapidly into bloom, and little or no snow to be seen. 112 June 26th, Lockhart’s River.—Wind south and fine. June 27th, Aylmer Lake.—Wind westerly, with a shower or two of rain. Turned colder towards night with frost. June 28th, Aylmer Lake.—Ice on small pools in morning. Wind southerly and fine. The ice on the lake still good and sound, with snow in sheltered spots not melted from the edges yet. All the willows out in leaf and many flowers in bloom. June 29th, Aylmer Lake.—Wind south west. The day started in with heavy rain and fog, but towards evening turned fine. June 30th, Aylmer Lake.—Wind south west, fine and hot in the morning. Thunder storm about midday. July rst, Sandy Bay.—Wind north west strong and changeable. Fog in morning. July 2nd, Portage to Fish River.—Wind north west, fine and warm. July 3rd, Portage to Fish River.—Wind west ; rained early in the morning but soon turned fine. The small lakes are now open but on the large ones there is only a smali passage round the edge. July 4th, Fish River.—Wind south and hot. Sawa loon’s nest with eggs. All the other birds are about hatching. July 5th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind southerly. July 6th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind southerly and hot. July 8th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind west and very hot all day, cloudy and close towards evening and lots of mosquitoes. July 9th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind south-west and hot. A few remains of snow drifts here and there, but the country !ooking green and fresh. July toth.—Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind north-west, warm in morning and lots of mosquitoes. Later on thunder with light showers of rain after which it turned very cold and quite the appearance of snow. July ith, Musk-Ox Lake.—Strong north wind. Stormy with showers of hail all day. Wind increased in evening to a regular storm. July t2th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind north-west ; still stormy, snowed the whole of the day. July 13th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Weather still unsettled. July 14th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind west, cloudy. July 15th, Musk-Ox Lake.—Wind west, clearing. 113 July 16th.—Wind west, cloudy with showers passing. July 17th.—Wind south, fine. July 18th.—Wind south-west ; a very fine day. July 19th.—Wind south-wes:. July 20th.—Wind south-west ; very hot. July 21st.—Wind north-west. July 22nd.—Wind north; strong, heavy mist, hiding distant view. ) July 23rd.— Wind westerly and light. July 24th.—Rained most of night; wind east with heavy rain all day. | July 25th, Beechy Lake.—Cloudy with showers of rain, wind north- east. July 26th.—Wind east. July 27th.—Wind north-east. July 28th.—Wind north-east. July 29th.—Wind south-east and very hot. July 3oth.— Wind south-east, rained 2 hours and dur- ing night. July 31st—Before mid-day began to rain and continued all night. August 1st.—Wind north-east, rained heavily all day till near 6 p-m., wind north east. August 2nd.—Wind south, fine day. August 3rd, Musk-Ox Lake.—Rained at intervals through the night, wind sout-west, blowing hard, showers passing all day. August 4th, Musk Ox Lake.—Wind south-east, blowing very hard all day. August 5th, South end Musk Ox-Lake.—Wind west. August 6th, Portage.—Wind north-west. : August 7th, Aylmer Lake.—Wind south-west, fine day ; slight frost on grass and moss. August gth, Clinton Golden Lake.—Calm morning. August roth.—Wind west. August 11th.—Wind north-west. 114 August 12th —Wind northerly. August 13th.—Wind south. August 14th.—Wind south. August 15th.—Wind north. August 16th.—Wind light and southerly. August 17th.—Calm. August 18th, Great Slave Lake.—Wind south-west, rained heavily nearly all night and well into the day. August 19th.—Wind north-west, but very light. August 2oth.—Wind west, but light. August 21st.—Wind north. CONCHOLOGY. Edited by F. R. LATCHFORD, B.A. The presence in Ottawa of the Rev. G. W. ‘Taylor, and his enthusiasm as a student of mollusca life, led the Conchological branch to organize an excursion to the Laurentian lakes on September 22nd. Behind a fine team of bays driven by Landreville, five enthusiastic naturalists left town, as dawn was breaking through a heavy downpour of rain. The vehicle was uncovered, but rubber coats and tarpaulins successfully repelled the attacks of Jupiter Pluvius. With tales of flood ‘and field, of wild adventure on the Fraser, Columbia and Peace, and the prairies of Sumass and Manitoba, the time passed pleasantly and rapidly. ‘The mountains were reached before nine, and to please the botanists present, an expedition was led to a defile, into which the Walking-leaf Fern Camptosores rhizophyllus has retreated from the vandals who have exterminated it nearer Ottawa. A few specimens showing the tip of the frond taking root were selected, and the remain- der left to increase and multiply, in their own peculiar way. The graceful little Asp/enzum trichomanes and Aspidium Brauniz, both rare species here, were also noticed. On the side of the mountain where these ferns are found, many land shells were taken. The journey was then resumed in the rain, but frequent halts were made, now to collect a fern or dainty moss, now a Catocala moth, and again a fine specimen of the Ginseng, Avalia guinguefolia, whose bright fruit though hidden in the dense foliage on the mountain side had caught the watchful eye . 115 of Mr. Fletcher. The scenery along the route was very beautiful and was enjoyed despite the rain. The road ran round and up and down the old Laurentides, which were clothed to their summits with maples, birches and other deciduous trees, showing softly through the mist all the changeful hues of autumn. As day advanced the rain abated, the clouds broke up, and some descending, hung upon the breasts of the mountains, adding new beauties to the ever changing scene. Meech’s Lake was reached and a brief stop made in one of the intervals of brightness which were ever inspiring the more sanguine with hopes of fair weather; but the rain coming on again, the journey was resumed. Near Mr. Tilley’s cottage is a bay where Lemnaea megasoma was found some years ago, and here a halt was ordered, and fine specimens of the much desired shell was soon obtained. Like other precious things, their number was limited ; and the search for them was attended with much difficulty. One of the party in his eagerness lost his foot-hold on a slippery log and took an involuntary plunge into the lake. When he recovered his breath he declared the water was warmer than the air, but no one was thus induced to test the veracity of his statement.’ The work of collecting went merrily on, resulting in upward of thirty examples of Z. megasoma, L Stagnalis and Physa Lordi were also found. Lake Harrington was sighted about ten o’clock, but the mountain air had so whetted the appetites of the party, that it was unanimously decided to dine forthwith. Mr. Gillespie kindly placed his hospitable farm house at the disposal of the party. Boxes and baskets were opened, displaying all sorts of edible treasures, which, with tea freshly brewed and fragrant, soon disappeared from view. After the good dinner the weather brightened and the rain at last ceased to fall.’ Owing to adam recently built across the outlet, the lake was found much above the ordinary level. Shells were few and far between along the shores. A group of islands nearly a mile up was said to afford numerous shells, but on visiting them in a boat, few specimens were — found. Unio complanatus, Limnaea Stagnalis, Physa Lordi, Planorbts hirsutus, Pl. Campanulatus were however noted, and a plant, £7toc- aulon septangulare, not known to occur nearer Ottawa than Masham. Returning to the outlet near Alexander’s Mill, search was made . for Anodonta undulata, a fine form of which, resembling 4. Unadilla 116 Dekay, was known to occur in the discharge from Meech’s and other Laurentian lakes. Fora time the stream afforded only Physa Lordi, and U. complanatus, but A. undulata was at last found. As the discovery of specimen after specimen was announced, one member of the party after another made his way into the water accoutered as he was ; and soon the strange spectacle was presented, of five able bodied men, fully clothed, plunging their upper as well as nether limbs, into the stream and ejaculating at brief intervals, “I’ve another.” ‘“ Every one to his trade, but this palls on me,” was the remark of one of the natives, as he stood on the bridge and looked down upon the clam hunters. It would be of interest to know what he thought, and left unsaid. Notwithstanding his adverse criticism, the search was continued until the most avaricious conchologist expressed himself content. And well might he be! A. wudulata was taken by the hundred, beautiful specimens in every stage of growth. Several Magaritana undulata were also found, the younger shells being of remarkable beauty. Time was flying, and as it was intended to visit another locality on Meech’s lake before it became too dark for coilecting, the return journey was begun at five o’clock, after another hearty meal. What with the rain and the plunging in mire and stream, every article of clothing was saturated. Fortunately the evening was warm and the road. excellent. The desired point on Meech’s lake was reached while it was yet daylight and a united advance was made into its waters. JZ. megasoma was again taken, and very large Physa Lordz. But one of the special objects of the excursion was the extraordinary form ot Planorbts bicarinatus which Meech’s lake and Brome lake of all the waters of America are alone known to furnish. About thirty-five specimens were obtained before a cloud settled down with darkness on the lake. The drive homeward was continued through a dense mist. Wet but happy, the party reached the city about nine, having collected forty one species of shells. The excursion was on the whole, one of the most successful ever made by the conchological branch of the club, L. a 1k? FAUNA OTTAWAENSIS. HYMENOPTERA PHYTOPHAGA. By W. HaGue HARRINGTON. The subjoined list, of that important section of the Hymenoptera which is most injurious to plant life, is offered as a contribution to the knowledge of our local Fauna. The list was prepared last winter and the numbers given for each species are those of the insects then in my collection, irrespective of such specimens as may have been given away or exchanged. ‘These numbers are an indication of the relative abun- dance of the species and of the sex or sexes represented. ‘The captures of the season just closed have not been arranged, but it is improbable that any additions have been made to the species previously captured. When they have been carefully examined, any items of interest regard- ing them will be recorded. The dates quoted for each species are the earliest and latest shown on the labels attached to individuals of that species. All the specimens are not, however, dated, and so no dates can be given for several of the species. All the species have been col- lected since the organization of the Orrawa FiELD NATURALISTS Cup, in the city or adjacent country, and several of the rarer species have been contributed by Mr. Fletcher and Prof. Guignard. Several of the species collected seemed apparently new to science and have been described by Provancher (Faune Entomolugique du Canada, Vol. iil, Additions) or by the author (Canadian Entomologist Vols. xvi, xxv) and are those in the list of which types are indicated as in the collec- tion. SUBSECTION PHYLLOPHAGA. This division contains the species feeding upon the foliage of various plants, and consists of the family ‘Tenthredinidee, of which the adult insects are popularly, and appropriately known as Sawflies. The female has the ovipositor modified to form a more or less acutely toothed saw, with which a slit can be made in a leaf or twig for the reception of _ the egg. Some species have the saw feebly developed and make but a slight incision, or even (as the Gooseberry Sawfly) merely attach the egg 118 to the surface of the leaf. Other species have the instrument much stronger and are able to cut a groove even in the harder tissues, sufficient to entirely hide and protect the egg. The larvae have a general resem- blance to those of many Lepidoptera, and are often known as false- caterpillars. The greater number feed openly upon the leaves, but some produce galls, or are inquilinous in the galls of other insects, and others are leaf-miners, or infest buds, etc. The species feeding openly are protected from their enemies in many different ways: as by assimilating to the colour of the foliage, emitting disagreeable odours or secretions, raising and lashing the abdomen about, feeding at night or on the under surface of the leaves, constructing shelters, etc. The im- mediate neighborhood has already yielded about one hundred and fifty species of Sawflies, but the true value and affinities of many forms can- not be known until they have been determined by breeding, for the larvee and food-plants of comparatively few species are yet known to us. A list of the species collected in 1889 is given in Canadian Entomolo- gist Vol. xvii, p. 23. TENTHREDINIDA. CIMBEx. - C. americana, Leach.—1 male, 1 female. Var. decemmaculata, Leach.—2 males. May 11th. Var. alba, Norton.—1 female. Var. LaPortet, St. Farg.— 3 males. June 16th. This handsome and very variable insect is not common, but its larvee are occasionally found on willow and elm.—They are yellow, with a black dorsal line, and a finely granulose apparence ; when at rest they are coiled spirally on the leaf. ‘TRICHIOSOMA. T. triangulum, Kirby.—2 males and female. May 12th, July 28th. Not a common insect, although the larve are not infrequent on willows. Seems to be more abundant farther north, as for instance at Sudbury.—Larvee resemble those ot Cimbex, but are green and without dorsal line. 119 ABIA. A. Kennicotti, Norton.—z2 females from Mr. Fletcher. ZAREA, Z. inflata, Norton (?)—1 female. May 11th. This insect may be a var. of the preceding species, as the American genera and species are not well separated. It has the white band at base of abdomen which Cameron gives as distinguishing the British species of this genus from Abia. ACORDULECERA. A. dorsalis Say.—4 males, 13 females. May 16th, August 2nd. Occurs on Hickory and Oak ; the larve gregarious and rapidly skeletonizing the leaves. . HYLOTOMA. H. McLeayt, Leach.—3 males, 8 females. May roth, Aug. 2nd. HZ. clavicornis, Fabr.—1 male, 5 females. June 13th, August rst. H. scapularis, Klug.—2 males, 3 females. June roth, July roth. These species are found in the early part of the season on flowers of Service-berry, Choke-cherry, etc., and later on Spirzea and Goldenrod. CLADIUS. C. pectinicornis, Fourcr. (C. tsvmera, Harris.)—1 male, 8 females. May 24th, July rg9th. This species (common in Europe) has been bred from larve feeding on roses and seems to be increasing in numbers. It is one of the three sawflies which are now well recognized as rose-pests. 1 PRIOPHORUS. P. aqualis, Norton.—z2 males, 7 females. July 24th. Bred from larvze, feeding on willows, and found also on poplar. PRISTIPHORA. P. scycophanta, Walsh.—1 male, 3 females. May rath, June 26th. P. grossularic, Walsh.—6 females, May 11th, June 28th. P. identidem, Norton (?).—3 males. May 27th, July rath. 120 These species are not separated very clearly and the last two should perhaps be combined EUURA. E. orbitalts, Norton.—6 males, 12 females. April, May. These insects have been frequently bred from the galls on the stems of willows, and also from galls of C. strobcloides. Specimens vary considerably in size and coloration, but the differences do not seem to be great, or constant, enough to allow of separation, although following the descriptions they might be divided into almost as many species as have been erected by Walsh and Norton. NEMATUS. LV. concolor, Norton.—z females. April 23rd. LV. labradoris, Norton.—1 female. LV. malacus, Norton.—z2 females. May 8th and 18th. LV. extensicornis, Norton.—8 males. May 16th, Juhe sth. NV. monela, Norton ?—1 female. June 6th, (from Mr. Guignard.) LV. subalbatus, Norton ?—g females. May 28th, June 5th. N. corniger, Norton.—16 males, 15 females. May 17th, August 8th. LV. palticornis, Norton.—13 males, 19 females. May oth, June 13th. N. ventralis, Say.—2 males, 7 females. May 24th, July tst. NV. saskatchewan, Norton. —2 females. May 28th, June 6th. LV. militaris, Cress.—1 female. LV. latifasciatus, Cress.—1 male, 1 female. July 7th, Alder. NV. erythrogaster, Norton.—1 males, 7 females. June 5th, August 8th. NV. ELrichsoni, Hartig.—rz male, r1 females. May roth, June 23rd. This imported species has devasted the larch forests of the Maritime Provinces and Quebec, and in Ontario has been also so abundant as to annually defoliate this tree. Its increase seems, how- ever, to have been slightly checked, and during the past season the trees suffered less, apparently. NV. pallidiventris, Fallen ?—2 males, 5 females. August 26th. This is apparently an imported species, and has been found infesting ornamental willows on the Central Experimental Farm. The females Were ovipositing on the date given. It differs in some respects from palhidiventris as described by Cameron, and may be a distinct species. 121 NV. rufocinctus, Harr.-—1 female. (Type) June 26th, Alder. N. bivittatus, Norton.—2 females. May 17th, June roth, NV. thoracicus, Harr.—1 female. (Type,) May rrth. LV. similaris, Norton.—1 female. June 26th, Acacia. XV. ineatus, Harr.—1 female. (Type,) May sth. LV. ribestt, Scop.—8 females. April 23rd, July rst. The larvee of this species devour the foliage of tl.e cultivated currants and gooseberry, and do serious damage when the plants are neglected. A simple treatment with hellebore proves very efficacious in staying their ravages, and a small parasite which has been found recently to attack the eggs, may perhaps aid in lessening the numbers of the pest. NV. suadus, Cress.—2 females. LV. aureopectus, Norton.—6 females. May roth, 3oth. LV. pleuricus, Norton.—1 female. May goth. NV. lateralis, Norton.—1 female. May oth. LV. mendicus, Walsh.—1 male, 9 females. May gth, June 26th. Willow. LV. s. pomum, Walsh.—male and female. From Willow galls. NV. gallicola, Steph. (Messa hyalina, Norton ?).—16 females. June and July. The galls of this species are very abundant on willows during the entire season. LV, inguitinus, Walsh ?—1 female. August 15th. _ WV. ocreatus, Harr.—1 female. May 16th. (Type). In addition to the 32 species (?) enumerated, there are a number of specimens not determined. The genus Nematus is so extensive that many of the species cannot be satisfactorily determined. When more of the species have been carefully bred, and when a thorough study is made of the genus, many of the species will doubtless prove to be but variations. Very many of the commoner species feed on willows, so that feeding is easy; the most difficult part of the breeding is the carrying through the pupz when buried in the earth. FENUSA. F. varipes, St. Farg.—21 females. June oth, August 26th. Also a European species, which has badly infested alders at the 122 Experimental Farm, and has been found on native alders in Dows Swamp. The larve are miners and form brown blotches in the upper surface of the leaves. EMPHYTUS. E. apertus, Norton.—2 males, 20 females. May 17th, August 18th. £2. stramentepes, Cress ?>—1 female. E.. inornatus, Say.—1 male, var. E. multicolor, Norton. (Strongylogaster multicolor, Norton ; £. Hullensts Prov.)—3 males, 5 females. June 3rd, 28th. (2 Types of £. Hullensts.) LE. canadensis, Kirby. (£. pallipes, Prov.) —8 females. May 24th, June gth. Violets and Pansies. E.. mellipes, Norton.—z2 males, 3 females. May 11th, June rath. E. cinctus, Lino. (£. ctnctipes, Norton).—1 male (from Mr. Fletcher.) This species has probably been introduced from Europe, and during the present year the larvee have been noticed upon our garden roses, of which they promise to be another serious past. HARPIPHORUS. HT. tarsatus, Say.—4 females. June 7th, July roth. Var. varianus, Norton.—5 males, 10 females. June 6th, 28th. This fine species (rufous, or black, with white markings) occurs upon Cornels, growing along the Beaver Meadow, Hull. HI. semicornis, Say.—1 female. May 31st. DOLERUS. . untcolor, Beauv.—12 males. April 18th, May rath. . arvensis, Say.—1o females. May 6th, June 7th. (= «mtcolor?) . sericeus, Say.—8 males, 2 females. April 23rd, May 27th. . collarts, Say.—5 females. May roth, 3oth. . albifrons, Norton.—1o males, 7 females. May 24th, June 2oth. . apricus, Norton.—z2 females. May 24th, June 13th. . similis, Norton.—g females. May roth, June 24th. . bicolor, Beauv.—5 females. May 24th, 27th. D 5 54 D D D. aprilus, Norton.—12 males, 23 females. May 22th, Aug. 26th. D D D D | D, abdominalis, Norton.—2 males. May 21th, June 18th. (= d¢2color ?) al 123 Nearly all the species of Dolerus are abundant in Spring, and are attracted to the sap oozing trom stumps, etc., and to the alder and willows when in bloom. HEMICHROA. HT. americana, Prov. (Dineura)—x female. June 26th. (Hull 1884.) BLENNOCAMPA. B. paupera, Prov.—3 females. May 8th, oth. B. parva, Cress.—1 female. June roth. B. carbonaria, Cress (?)—1 female. June roth. MONOPHADNUS. M. bardus, Say.—1 male, 6 females. May 25th, June 23th. The white larvz of this handsome red-shouldered sawfly, feed on the foliage of the ash, and have sometimes completely stripped trees in this city. HT. medius, Norton.—z2 males, 12 females. May 11th, July rath. H. rubi, Harris.—5 males, 8 females. May 12th, 27th, * The pale green, spiny larvee of this species defoliate the wild and cultivated raspberry. PHYMATOCERA. P. fumipennis, Norton.—8 males, 10 females. | May 17th, June r4th. P. nigra, Harr.—12 females. (5 Types) May roth, 31st. P. montivaga Cress. (?)— 1 female. HOPLOCAMPA. H. halcyon, Norton.—3 males, 15 females. May 11th, 17th. Shadbush. ; MoNOSTEGIA. _ M. rose, Harris.—16 females. May 1gth, June oth. The slug-like larvae of this species are very injurious to roses, and are more generally known than the larve of the two species (C. fec- tintcoxnis, and £. cinctus) already noted as infesting these favorite plants. The small black fly is very abundant in June. M. maculata, Norton (Zmphytus)—25 males, 63 females. May rst, June 28th. 124 This species is a well-known pest of the strawberry, and its wing venation is very irregular (Insect Life Vol. 2. p. 227.) M. ignota, Norton (?)—2 males. 2 females. May 27th, 31st. SELANDRIA. S. flavipes, Norton.—14 males, 12 females. May 24th, Aug. 8th. A common species upon ferns, on which the larvee feed. SCIAPTERYX. S. punctum, Proy.—2 males, 2 females. June 27th, July 8th. ALLANTUS. A. vobustus, Prov.—1 female. (Type.) A. basilaris, Say.—4 males, 13 females. June 28th, Aug. 7th. This species is abundant in July upon goldenrod and spireea, and — is partially predaceous in its habits. MACROPHYA. M. flavicoxe, Norton.—8 males, 28 females. May 30th, July 8th. ps M. aliilabris, Harr.—1 male. (Type. var flavicoxe ?) M., externa, Say.— 2 females. June 26th. M. tibiator, Norton.—1 male, 1 female. June 28th. M. contaminator, Prov.—4 females. June 26th, July rath. M. propingua, Harr.—4 females. (Types.) July 5th, 26th. M. nigra, Norton. —5 females. June 24th, 28th. M. albomaculata, Norton.—1 male, 8 females. June 4th, July 5th. M. trisyllaba, Norton.—g males, 36 females. June 6th, Aug. rst. This is the most common of our species of Macrophya, and occurs abundantly upon nettles growing in damp woods. M. varia, Norton.—z2 females. June 2oth, 28th. M. trosula, Norton.—1 female. June roth, (from Mr. Guignard 1885.) M. fascialis, Norton.—z2 females. June 26th, July 5th. PACHYPROTASIS. P. omega, Norton.—1 male, 4 females. June 28th, July 28th. P. delta, Prov.—4o males, 24 females. May 31st, July rath. 125 This species, abundant in swampy margins of woods, is very variable in wing venation, (Can. Ent. vol. xvii, p. 32.) P. varipicta, Harr.—z2 males, 3 female. (Types.) June 7th, roth. ‘TAXONUS. T. nigrisoma, Norton —11 males, 2 females. May 24th, June sth. Tf. rujipes, Herr.—3 males. (2 Types.) May 8th, 18th. T. dubitatus, Norton.— 19 males, 14 females. May 28th, July roth. T. albidopictus, Norton.—4 males, 20 females. May 24th, Aug. 2nd. T. unicinctus, Norton.—3 females. May 27th, 3oth. STRONGYLOGASTER. 5. palkicoxus, Prov.—1 male, 13 females. (2 Types.) May 3oth, June 23rd. S. proximus, Prov.—3 females. (1 Type,) July 25th. SS. rufocinctus, Norton.—6 males, 5 females. June 13th, July rrth. S. epicera, Say.—2 males, 7 females. May 2gth, June 27th. S. terminalis, Say.— 2 females. June 23rd, 28th. S. apicalis, Say..—4 males, 9 females. June 13th, July 28th. S. pallidicornis, Norton.—t male, 2 females. July 18th, 26th. S. dongulus, Norton.—4 males. May 24th, June 3rd. S. luctuosus, Prov.—1 male, 2 females. (1 Type,) May 22nd, 28th. S. distans, Norton (?)—1 female. (taken alive from an ant.) S. soriculatus, Prov.—i male, 2 females. May 24th, June 3rd. S. annulosus, Norton.—4 females. May 24th, June 3rd. S. facittus, Say.—2 males, 3 females. May 24th, August 8th. P@CILOSTOMA. P. albosecta, Prov.—1 female. June roth, Dow’s Swamp. TENTHREDO. ZT. grandis, Norton.—5 males, 9 females. June 13th, July roth.. Var. nigricollis, Kirby (?)—1 female. June rsth. T. rufipes, Say.—i1o females. June 2nd, August 2nd. T. rufopectus, Norton.—s5 males. 11 females, June 5th, July rst. _ TI. lineata, Prov.— 3 females. June 2tst. __ F ventralis, Say.—7 temales. June 23rd, August 2nd. 126 T. verticats, Say.—6 males. 18 females, June 4th, July 26th. ZT. bastlaris, Prov.—s females. June 9th, August 2nd. T. semtrubra, Norton.—1 female. I. signata, Norton.—2 males. June 27th. T. rufopediba, Nortun.—3 males.. June 2gth, (= s¢gzaza ?) Z. eximia, Norton.—1 male, 1 female. May 24th, June 28th. T: semicornis, Harr.—1 male. June oth, (Type from Mr. Guignard.) fT. mellina, Norton.—1 male, 5 females. June r2th, July roth. T. ruficolor, Norton.—z2 females. May 24th, July rst, (= mel/ina ?) TENTHREDOPSIS. T. atroviolacea, Norton.—g males, 9 females. June rst, June 3oth. T. 14-punctata, Norton.—z2 males, 2 females. May 31st, June ath. T. Evansit, Harr.—1 female. (Mr. Fletcher.)( = Zenthredo viridis, Linn? T. (?) annulicornis, Harr.—1 male, 1 female. (Types) May 28th, June 6th. Perhaps two species. LOPHYRUS. L. Lecontet, Fitch.—5 females. May roth. The larvze of this species feed upon the red pine ; they are yellowish with black markings. Bred flies emerged in April. L. abtetis, Harris.—2 males, 8 females. June 12th, July 22nd. This is a much commoner species, the larve feeding upon the. spruce. They are greenish with darker longitudinal stripes. | Cocoons much smaller and paler, frequently parasitized. MONOCTENUS. M. fulous, Norton.—3 males, 6 females. May 7th, June 6th. Larvee larger and more yellowish, feeding upon cedar. PaMPHILIus. (Lyda.) P. maculiventris, Norton.—3 males, 1 female. June 12th, 26th. P. marginiventris, Cress.—2 females. May 7th, 24th. (=var. macult- ventris. ?) P. luteomaculatus, Cress.—3 females. May 24th. (= var. maculiventris?) P. ruficeps, Harr.—1 female. May 31st. (Type; = var. drunniceps, Cr.?) P. perplexus, Cress.—4 males, 2 females. May 11th, 28th. 127 . P canadensis, Norton.—z2 females. June 7th. i. eacavatus, Norton.—1 male. _ P. quebecensis, Prov.—z2 females. June 27th, 3oth. P. pallimaculus, Norton.—4 females. June 6th, 7th. P. ocreatus, Say.—1 female. P. rufofasciatus, Norton.---3 females. June 26th, July 26th. P. cinctus, Harr.—1 female. June 28th. (Type.) P. Harringtonit, Prov.—1 femate. (Type.) _ P. luteicornis, Norton.—1 male, 2 females. June 2nd, 12th. MACROXYVELA. M. infuscata, Norton.—1 female. This specimen was taken near the city two years ago by my son then about nine years of age, and is the only one I have seen. XYELA. X. minor, Norton.—1 male, 10 females. June 8th, 16th. Spruce. SUBSECTION XYLOPHAGA. This limited division contains the few species which feed internally upon the pith, or woody tissues of the plants infested. The ovipositor of the female, instead of being saw-like, 1s more prolonged, and is so con- tructed that it forms a regular borer, which in the larger species can pierce even the solid wood of our forest trees, in which the eggs are de- posited and in which the larve live. These larve are somewhat elongated white grubs, having only rudimentary legs and thus approach- ing more closely the ordinary footless grub of the Hymenoptera, than do saw-fly larvae. The species of Xylophaga are all included in one family, the Uroceridz, and only five genera are represenied in Canada. _ The larvee of Cephus infest the stems of grasses or the twigs and shoots : of various shrubs ; those of Oryssus and Xiphydria bore into the trunks of maple, willow, poplar, etc., those of Tremex inhabit chiefly old maples and beeches, while those of Urocerus confine their attacks to the conifers _ which they sometimes seriously injure. 128 UROCERID 2. CEPHUS. C. pygmaeus, Linn.—: female. (sent to, and identified by Mr. Ashmead.) C. bimaculatus, Norton.—2 females. May 3oth. One of. these was ovipositing in a twig of Viburnum lentago. C. trimaculatus, Say.—1 female. June 16th. ORYSSUS. O. Sayt, Westwood.—1 male, 1 female. Maple. var. affinis, Harris—6 males. May 29th. June 13th. Maple. var. terminalis, Newm.—io females. June 3rd, 23rd. Maple. var. occidentalis, Cress.—1 male, 1 female. May 30th, 31st. Maple. XIPHYDRIA. X albicornis, Harris.—4 males, 15 females. June 16th, July 6. This species frequently attacks maples planted in the city streets. X. Provanchert, Cress.—1 female. June 15th. Maple. Hull. X. rufiventris, Cress.—1 female. (from Mr. Fletcher.) X. attenuata, Norton.—z2 males. Basswood. UROCERUS. U. cyaneus, Fabr.—z2 males, 9 females. Sept. 16th, Oct. 2nd. U. albicornis, Fabr.—4 females. Aug. 22nd, 26th. U. abdominalis, Harris.—12 males. June 22nd, Aug. 13th. Larch. These are probably the males of aldzcornis, although so different. U. flavicornis, Fabr.—1 female. (coll. Mr. Fletcher.) TREMEX. T. columba, Linn.—z males, 17 females. July, Oct. This is a common species which badly infests old maples and beeches, and frequently emerges from sticks of firewood. Females may often be found which have not been able to withdraw their ovipositors from the wood in which they were boring, and have been held there until they perished. 129 BOOK NOTICES. Notes on the Gasteropoda of the Trenton limestone of Manitoba, with a descrip- tion of one new species, by J. F. Whiteaves of the Geological Survey of Canada. Canadian Record of Science, April 1893. pp. 317-328. _ This paper is one of-a series on the Cambro-Silurian fossils of Manitoba. The author’s reports on the Orthoceratites of the Winnipeg _ basin, published in the Royal Society’s Transactions for 1891 and 1892, are well known, whilst the remainder of the fauna of these Palzozoic _ rocks will no doubt be shorily described. Mr. Whiteaves has had access to all the collecticns made by officers of the Geological Survey ; to specimens obtained during the Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition of 1858; to those collected by Hudson Bay officers and to notes on those of Sir John Richardson, and other Arctic explorers. The present report forms, therefore, an important contribu- ‘tion to the geological history of those interesting and important regions of Canada. Amongst the collections received were those made by Prof. H. Y. Hind in 1858, by Dr. Selwyn in 1872, by Dr. Bell in 1879 and 1880, ‘by Messrs MacCharles and Weston, in 1884; by Mr. Tyrell in 1889 and 1890, and by Messrs Dowling and Lambe in 1889-90. The collections are from the following localities :—East Selkirk, Lower Fort Garry and Nelson River (in Keewatin,) on the mainland and Big, Elk, _ Deer, Birch, Snake, Bereus, Jack Fish, Sturgeon, Black Bear and other islands in Lake Winnipeg. Sixteen species of Trenton Gasteropoda are recorded, as follows :— ‘ TRENTON GASTEROPODA. I. Raphistoma lenticulare, Hall. 2. Pleurotomaria subconica, Hall. oF: 8 muralts, D. D. Owen. 4. Murchisonia Millert, Hall. ad, * eraalis, Hall. 6. “ bellicincta, Hall, var. terettformts, Billings. 130 7. Bucania (Tremanotus ?) Buelli, Whitt. &. Bucanta sulcatena, Emmons. 9. “* bidorsata, Hall. ro. Cyrtolites compressus, Conrad. Zi. ELunema strigillatum, Salter. r2. Helicotoma planulata, Salter. 13. Trochonema umoilicatum, Fall. 14. Maclurea Manitobensits, Whiteaves. 15. Loxonema Winnipegense, N. sp. 16. Fusispira ventricosa, Hall. Of these, Loxonema Winnipegense is the only new form to Science, “The species is of considerable interest” Mr. Whiteaves remarks, ‘‘ on account of its striking and close similarity to some of the most typical Jurassic species of Pseudomelania.” ‘The large operculum which was found associated with the JZaclurea Manitobensis, Whiteaves, (Trans. Royal Society Canada, vol. VII., Sect 4., p. 75. pls.. XII and XIII figs, rt and 2.,) is of interest, in that it does not possess a muscular process such as is seen in the operculum of Waclurea Logant, Salter of this district. Of the sixteen species recorded, no less than eleven are forms which were more or less abundant in the old Cambro-Silurian seas about Ottawa, and whose remains we now find imbedded in the rocks of old Barrack Hill, of Hull and of the Black River and ‘Trenton formations of the Ottawa Valley generally. The fauna as exemplified in the gasteropoda appears to be nearer Black River than Trenton, although the two belong to one and the same period in the history of this portion of the North American Continent.—H. M. Amt. Report of the U. S. National Museum, under the Direction of the Smithsonian Institution, for the year ending June 30th, 18¢o. . This volume of 800 pages contains a most interesting collection of reports and scientific papers. In addition to the reports of the Assistant Secretary and of the Curators of the several departments of the Museum, there is a series of most valuable papers, discussing and illustrating the 131 collections therein. But brief mention can be made of a few of the papers, the first of which is by Robert Ridgeway on “The Humming Birds,” covering 130 pages. and illustrated by 46 plates of the many species enumerated. “‘ The Methods of Fire Making,” by Walter Hough gives the various ways in which primitive people secured the all essential fire. Prof. Romyn Hitchcock contributes two very interesting papers, one on the “Ainos of Japan,” a race which at one time probably inhabited the whole empire, but which is now a scanty people in the island of Yezo; the other on the evidences of a race which may have preceeded the Ainos and which are designated as ‘“‘The Ancient Pit Dwellers of Yezo. The first part of a ‘ Handbook for the Department of Geology ” appears and deals with Geognosy, or the materials of the earth’s crust, by Geo. P. Merrill.—(Eb.) Birds of Michigan.—Bulletin 94, Michigan Agricultural College. Prof. A. J. Cook. The Michigan Experiment Station here furnishes to its supporters a very valuable catalogue of the birds recorded from the State, many of which are illustrated in part or in whole—The species recorded number 332, and as the fauna of Michigan agrees in general with that of Ontario the members of the club will find the work of Prof. Cook to be of much interest and value to them in the study of our own bird fauna.— (Ep.) BOTANY. Edited by W. Scort, B.A. Veronica Buxbaumii at Quebec.—I have received from Miss Alice Bowen of Quebec, some nice specimens of the above pretty little Speed- well, which is such an attractive feature of the English hedgerows. “The plant was found in an old, neglected, garden flower-bed” at Quebec. This species is recorded by Macoun as a ballast plant from North Sydney, and Pictou, N.S., and by Burgess from Kingston and London, Ont.—J. F. 132 CONCHOLOGY. Edited by F. R. LATCHFORD, B.A. Several hundred Helix rufescens and Hf. Cantiana, collected at Quebec, with probably a thousand eggs of the latter species, have been set out on the Exhibition Grounds west of Machinery Hall. ‘The place selected is quite undisturbed, even when other portions of the grounds are thronged with people ; and 4s it is easy of access frequent observations may be made of the success or failure of these shells to exist so far inland. Both species have made their way into Canada from England and are now as firmly established on Cape Diamond as the flag which they followed across the sea. A. vufescens abounds throughout the City of Quebec, at Levis, andon the Island of Orleans. HW. Cantiana appears to be restricted to two localities on the escarpment of the Cape ; and this may account for the fact that the shell escaped notice until 1885, It is not known to occur elsewhere in America, and its‘struggle for existence here will be watched with interest.—L. Another shell, 7. Aarpfa, small but beautiful and a native of our northern clime, though not hitherto known to occur in this vicinity, has also been intreduced on the peninsula, near Machinery Hall. More than a hundred mature individuals from Ste. Petronille, on the Island of Orleans, have been placed among just such bracken and poplars, as they had been taken from a few days -before.—L., NOTICE TO MEMBERS. The Soiree Committee is about to arrange the programme’ of even- ing meetings for the winter season, and desires that any member who may wish to read a paper, or to have one presented, will without delay furnish the title of his proposed paper, and the date on which it will be completed. ‘The Leaders of the several Branches, will be glad to have notes of any objects of special interest which have been observed during the past season, to assist them in preparing the reports of the Branches. The Treasurer finds that many members have apparently forgotten that the annual subscription fee is payable in advance, and that money is needed monthly for the payment of printer’s bills.and postage. (Ed.) 0 8 5 ar wie - ¢ ~ \ ‘ - 1 ¥ ? ~ ‘oh * 4 . ‘ : ~ — 7 . ~ od i ‘ atans.'©. I. NvG@oases: Plate: 7 L. M. Lambe, del. 133 NOTES ON SOME MARINE INVERTEBRATA FROM THE COAST. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. t By J. F. WHITEAVES. ECHINODERMATA. STRONGYLOCENTROTUS FRANCISCANUS, A. Agassiz. This littoral species was recorded by the writer as having been collected by Mr. James Richardson in 1874 at Sooke, in the Strait of De Fuca. Dr. G. M. Dawson found it to be the common sea urchin of the Queen Charlotte and Vancouver islands, and especially abundant in localities exposed to the open sea, aithough its name was inadvertently omitted in the published lists of Echinoidea in his 1878 and 1885 collections. Specimens of it were obtained at Qualicum, V. L, by Professor Macoun in 1889. - MOLLUSCA. PELECYPODA. PECTEN (PSEUDAMUSIUM) VANCOUVERENSIS. (Sp. nov.) Plate 1, figs. 1 andra Shell small, equivalved, compressed lenticular, both valves being equally convex, ovately subcircular in outline apart from the ears and rather oblique: valves extremely thin and fragile, translucent and almost transparent, pale horn colour with a slightly yellowish hue. Beaks placed a little behind the midlength ; hinge line straight and very long ; ears unequal in size, the posterior pair, which are much smaller than the anterior, alike, indistinctly defined and merging gradually and imperceptibly into the general convexity and marginal contour of that side of each valve ; anterior ears large, subtriangular, prolonged laterally and longer than high, distinctly defined, that of the left valve somewhat convex in outline above and concave below, that of the right valve with a deep and acutely angular byssal sinus at its base. ——— SS —t— 134 — Surface marked by densely crowded and exceedingly minute, irregular and rarely continuous, but on the whole radiating, simple or bifurcating raised lines, also by comparatively large, regularly disposed and distant squamose radii. In the centre of each valve the minute and non-squamose raised lines are essentially parallel to the larger squamose radii, but on the sides the former are disposed obliquely to the latter. The surface of the anterior ear of each valve is minutely cancellated with extremely minute raised lines, which are almost parallel to the hinge line, in addition to the coarser cross lines. ‘The whole sculpture of the exterior of the test is far too minute to be clearly seen without the aid of a microscope or powerful simple lens, but under either of these a few faint concentric lines of growth are also visible. Dimensions of the only specimen that the writer has seen: height, from beaks to base, 7.50 mm.; maximum length, 7.75 mm.; greatest thickness through the closed valves, 2.25 mm. Forward Inlet, Quatsino Sound, Vancouver Island, in ten to twenty fathoms mud, Dr. G. M. Dawson, 1885 : one living specimen. In the list of specimens collected by Dr. Dawson in that year, the little shell upon which the foregoing description is based, was erroneously identified with the Fecten Alaskensts of Dall. A subsequent study of its characters, has led to the conclusion that it is much more nearly related to /ecten vitreus, Chemnitz, and P. adbyssorum, Loven, from both of which it can _ be readily recognized by its very peculiar sculpture. P. Alaskensts has opaque and much thicker valves and different surface markings. Its posterior auricles are distinctly defined and its anterior auricles very much smaller in proportion to the size of the shell, than those of P. Vancouverensis. ‘The credit of first distinguishing between the species last named and P. Alaskensts is due to the Rev. G. W. Taylor, of Victoria, V.I., who informs the writer that he has two specimens in his collection dredged in about ten fathoms sand, Departure Bay, near Nanaimo, in 1888. | CarpIuM (FuLvIA) MoDEsTUM, Adams and Reeve. The shell for which the name Cardium Richardsoni was proposed ° in the Canadian Naturalist for December, 1878, was described as a new 135 species almost entirely upon the authority of the late Dr. P. P. Carpenter. Dr. W. H. Dall, however, regards both the Cardium var. centifilosum, Carpenter, and C. 2Aichardsoni as synonyms of C. modestum. CUMINGIA CALIFORNICA, Conrad. Barclay Sound, on the south west coast of Vancouver Island, Professor Macoun, 1887 : one perfect specimen. MACOMA YOLDIFORMIS, Carpenter. Forward Inlet, Quatsino Sound, in ten totwenty fathoms mud, Dr. G. M. Dawson, 1885: one fresh and perfect right valve. PSAMMOBIA RUBRORADIATA, Nuttall. Barclay Sound, Vancouver Island, Professor Macoun, 1887: four fresh valves. One dead shell of this species had previously been collected by Dr. Dawson in 1878 at the mouth of Cumshewa Harbour, Q.C.I. GASTEROPODA. EXMARGINULA CRASSA, J. Sowerby. An adult shell of this species, with the animal, was found in a jar containing large specimens of Sodaster Stimpsoni, S. Dawsont, Cribrella leviuscula and other starfishes characteristic of the British Columbia marine fauna, preserved ‘in alcohol, the contents of which, except the alcohol, were stated by Dr. Dawson to have been dredged by him at the Queen Charlotte Islands in 1878. PACHYPOMA INEQUALE, Martyn. This shell, which is very common in the Vancouver region, was identified by Dr. P. P. Carpenter with P. gidberosum, Chemnitz (sp.), but Dr. Dall says that ‘* Martyn’s name is four years older,” and there- fore should be retained for it. TURCICULA cIDARIS, A. Adams. (Sp.) Plate 1, figs. 2 and 2 a. Margarita Cidaris (A. Ad.) Carpenter. 1864. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 3rd series, vol. xiv, p. 426, 136 Solartella (Turcicula?) cidaris, Pilsbry. 1889. Cont. of Tryon’s Man, ‘Conch, vol.’ x1, Pp. 331: Solariella cidaris, Williamson. 1892. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. KV, 202, pl. Xi; fig. 4. The only figure of this beautiful shell that has yet been published represents an enlarged ventral view of an apparently immature Californian specimen, twenty-eight millimetres in height, which is stated by Mrs. M. Burton Williamson (op. cit.) to have been dredged in deep water off the islands in San Pedro Bay by the U.S. Fish Commission. ‘The Canadian specimen, of which two views are given on Plate 1, is the only adult shell that the writer has seen, and measures forty-six millimetres in height (or length) by about thirty-two in maximum breadth. It was dredged by Dr. Dawson, in 1885, in thirty fathoms, sand, gravel and dead shells, off False Head, Queen Charlotte Sound, where several smaller specimens were obtained, as already recorded on page 128 (Section 4) of the fourth volume of Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada. In the adult shell the outer lip is somewhat thickened and its nacreous interior is margined by a narrow white porcellanous rim. BELA SCULPTURATA, Dall.*° Bela sculpturata, Dall. 1886. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 299, pl. iv, me: ys “ Queen Charlotte Islands and Vancouver district,” Dall. ODOSTOMIA SITKENSIS, Dall. Dolomite Narrows, Queen Charlotte Islands, Dr. G M. Dawson, and since collected by Dr. Dawson in 1885 at False Bay, Lasqueti Island, as recorded in the fourth volume of Transactions of the Royal Society ot Canada. TRITON (PRIENE) OREGONENSIS, Redfield. The radula of a Vancouver specimen of this species is essentially . similar to that of Zy¢foz as figured by Wilton in Woodward’s Manual of the Mollusca, and Fischer’s Manuel de Conchyliologie, its dental formula being 6. g. 6. | 2 : . 137 BUCCINUM POLARE, var. PERCRASSUM. Near Victoria, V. I., J. Richardson, 1875, two dead specimens. Off False Head, Queen Charlotte Sound, in thirty fathoms, Dr. G. M. Dawson, 1885; one specimen. These three shells were named Buccinum polare, var. compactum by the writer, on the authority of Dr. Dall. The writer, however, has recently been informed by Dr. C. F. Newcombe, of Victoria, that, in a letter received by him on the second of November last, Dr. Dall writes that the word compactum is probably a lapsus for percrassum, and that his B. polare, var. percrassum was “figured and described in the new edition of Martini and Chemnitz’s Conch. Cabinet, Suppl., p. 189, pl. 91, fig. 5.” In the official report * on the expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, published at Washington in 1885, Dr. Dall contributes a chapter (vi) on the mollusca obtained. On page 180 of that volume, under the head Aucainum polare, Gray, Dr. Dall makes the following remarks. ‘I have seen two specimens of Poa singularly thick and short variety fercrassum from the Arctic north of Bering Strait. It must be exceedingly rare; the upper whorls are smaller, less inflated and less turreted than in the normal form. The operculum is also proportionally larger and more oval. It may prove distinct from /olare.” But in the explanation of the plate of Point Barrow Mollusca, in that volume, fig. 9 is said to represent “ Buccinum Plectrum, Stm., forma percrassa, minor, ONCHIDELLA BOREALIS, Dall. North side of Queen Charlotte Sound, between tides, Dr. G. M. Dawson, 1885 ; several specimens. | EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. PLATE I. PECTEN (PSEUDAMUSIUM) VANCOUVERENSIS. Fig. 1. Side view of the type specimen, four times the natural size, and showing the left valve. “ya. Another view of the same specimen, to show the right valve. TURRICULA CIDARIS. _. Fig. 2. Dorsal view of an adult shell of this species. Natural size. “© 2. a. Ventral view of the same, showing the aperture and operculum. 138 NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY. AND PALASONTOLOGY OF THE. ROCKLAND. QUARRIES AND VICINITY WIN THE COUNTY OF RUSSELL, ONTARIO, CANADA. BY Henry M. Ami, M.A., D. Sc. On the 24th of June last, the Orrawa FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB held a very successful excursion to the new Rockland quarries. These are situated about two miles to the south-east of the village of Rockland, in the Township of Clarence, in the County of Russell, Ontario, and were opened with a view of obtaining the stone required for the con- struction of the Soulanges canal, This locality proved to be very interesting to the geologist, from the fact that six distinct Palaeozoic for- mations were met and examined. Mr. Archibald Stewart, government contractor and proprietor of the new Rockland quarries, and Mr. W. C. Edwards, M. P. for Russell, had extended to the Ottawa naturalists a hearty invitation, and made them welcome. Everything went off well and the day was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Refreshments and convey- ances were freely supplied by thése two gentlemen, and the excursionists . duly appreciating their kindness, unanimously thanked them for their hospitality. GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF ROCKLAND. The following are the different geological formations met with at. Rockland, between the mills on the Ottawa River front, and the new quarries, some ‘two miles distant, in descending order. These formations succeed each other in regular order, as seen in the table, with only two unconformities, the first below the glacial drift, and the second below the Potsdam forma- tion. ‘They occupy that zone of country lying between the escarpment at the quarries and the Ottawa River. This escarpment is similar in origin and aspect, to the bluffs and escarpments at Ottawa, and formed at one time the southern shore or cliffmargin of the Pre-glacial stream which flowed from the west in almost precisely the same channel as does the Ottawa River at present. The Calciferous and Chazy formations form the widest belts, whilst the Trenton, Black River and Chazy formations, are the most fossiliferous in the district, 139 GEOLOGICAL ¥YORMATIONS AT ROCKLAND, Co. RUSSELL, ONTARIO. System. Formations, Thickness in Feet. | Fossil Remains. ty Ployiatize....... Oe ee MPost-Dertiary.| ..\|2.. Ledaiclay..:..,. Rép. to'25 feet... ... None observed. 3. Glacial clay, etc..|Various....... sie HERE AN UNCONFORMITY OCCURS. a RDEMTON cite 5. <4. About 50 ft...... tay! Lasandiad 4 j 5. black River... ... ‘ BL eee ee o Not rare. II. Ordovician..... ee Gliaizy pips Sae. s 50s os Gerites) oF sien Abundant. ie CAlEMOTOUS. . ..¥5 5 WES MMOLE > 5 Gi \None observed. SP Potsdam. 7.2': .: | SOT oe fis I 2S Wine HERE THE SECOND UNCONFORMITY OCCURS. | Pir Archwean'? 0.5’: . eo. Laurentian .. 422% Several thousand Be observed. THE LAURENTIAN OUTCROP. The basal beds of the Potsdam formation are seen to lie uncon- formably over the denuded and rounded, or irregular surface of the Archzean or Laurentian rocks. These consist of rather coarsely crystal- line gneisses and mica schists, along with hornblendic rocks, whose petrographical relations and characters deserve special study. ‘They furnished the material which helped in the building up of the subsequent formations, the quartz of the Potsdam sandstones having been derived from the granitoid gneisses of this vicinity. THE POTSDAM. The Potsdam formation at Rockland Mills forms a more or lessirregu- lar zone of heavy bedded, light greyish blue or white colored sandstones, which at times become glassy in appearance and give the formation a .truly quartzite character. Nevertheless, the grains of quartz may be easily detected, and are cemented together for the most part by silica. 140 Some of the bands carry iron pyrites, and weather rusty-coloured. The clear and white, or light coloured bands appear to be fit for glass making. The outcrop of this formation near the Ottawa River front, at the Rock- land Mills, belongs to the lower portion of the Potsdam. The higher beds of the formation in the Ottawa Valley are finer grained, and have the grains of quartz in the sandstone less coherent, and the beds them- selves are less massive and reduced in thickness, often presenting the well known tracks of Pvrotichnites as at Montebello, Papineauville and above that again,* eight miles below the mouth of the South Indian River. | THE CALCIFEROUS AND CHAzy. » These two formations occupy their regular and respective positions, one below the other, both as regards their geological and geographical relations at Rockland. The zone of farming or pasture land, between the escarpment at the quarries and the town, is occupied by these two formations, whilst the soil is made up to a great extent of the debris of the Chazy, which is the softest and most easily denuded and disintegrated formation in the district. None of the characteristic fossils of the Calciferous formation were found on this occasion, but at the turn of the road on the hillside about 1% miles south of Rockland the typical shales of the Chazy formation crop out and are fossiliferous. These overlie the fine-grained and compact limestones, on which Mr. Edwards’ celebrated stock and breeding stables are built. These limestones are characterized by the presence of concretions or inclusionsof irregular massesof pink calcite varying in size and intensity of colour. There are two or three bands of these limestones, which, both in Nepean and elsewhere, have been utilized or described as “ cement- rock.” This is the same band of limestone which crops out at the Hull cement quarries, Skead’s mill, Ont., also at Hog’s Back, and again on a lot the property of Mr. T. M. Clark, of New Edinburgh close to Hemlock Lake. The following species of fossils have been recognized by the writer in the dark and chocolate coloured and purple, calcareo-argillaceous *Geology of Canada, 1863, p. 94. 141 shales of the Chazy and in the accompanying calcareous bands: i fossils from the Chazy Beds. 1. Orthis imperator, Billings. “« borealis, Billings. ‘79 platys, Billings. 2 3 4. Rhynchonella plena, Hall. 5. Raphistoma staminea, Conread. 6 . Modiolopsis parviuscula, Billings. . Orthoceras antenor? Billings. “I But little time was spent collecting here, which accounts for scarcity of forms. BLACK RIVER AND TRENTON FORMATIONS. Following the measures in an ascending order the escarpment is met with next. This escarpment, which faces the north and presents its bold front to the Ottawa Valley at the quarries, belongs to the Black River and Trenton formations, or to the Trenton group as it is sometimes called. The two formations pass imperceptibly from one into the other, only an arbitrary line can be drawn to separate them. ‘The lower part of the escarpment at the quarries belongs to the Black River formation, whilst the upper portion is distinctly Trenton in facies. It was in the lower half at the level of the tramway and track, some 15 feet higher than the swamp facing the quarry, that the proprietor, Mr. Archie Stewart found a large coral mass, which he brought to the museum of the Geological Survey for identification. It proved to be the typical coral, Columnaria Flallt, Nicholson. Ata higher elevation, some fifty feet above the Columnaria horizon, masses of TZetradtum fibratum, Safford, were found, which are considered characteristic Black River forms also, yet these were immediately followed by large colonies of Prasopora Selwynt, Nicholson, associated with orthoceratites and brachiopoda, of typical Trenton aspect. . The beds throughout the section proved to be highly fossiliferous, . but especially so were those in the highest and thin-bedded portions of the escarpment. The beds were seen to vary in thickness, but 142 the heavier beds and more compact ones occupied the lower portion of the outcrop. The following view of the quarry reproduced from a pen and ink sketch by Miss A. M. Living, of our club, gives a good general idea of the upper portion of the quarry, with some of the large blocks of quar- rizd limestone to be taken down to their destination, the Soulanges Canal. Along the western extremity of the quarry, large blocks of quarried and dressed limestone had been piled up and were examined, show- ing the character of the limestone, thickness of the beds and mode of occurrence. It was evident that a quarry similar to those of central Ontario, from which the material was obtained for the construction of the Trent Valley Canal, had been opened at. Rockland, and that the rock was of superior quality. Some of the upper beds of the quarry were apparently more easily shattered, but the hard compact and heavy bedded strata of the lower two-thirds will no doubt afford excellent blocks for the canal, Through the kindness and courtesy of Mr. Stewart, the writer has been furnished with information on the character of the limestones of the new Rockland quarries. The result of examinations and tests i - 143 made of the rock are herewith given, and refer to the chemical com- position, to the crushing strength of the stone, and to the microscopical characters of the same, besides a note on the absorption of moisture by the same limestone. rand 2.—Chemuical composition and ratio of absorption, determined by Dr. B. J. Harrington, of McGill College, Montreal. CERTIFICATE OF DR. B. J. HARRINGTON. “The specific gravity of the stone was found to be 2.704, and the weight of a cubic foot deduced from these figures 168.5 lbs.,(1 cubic foot of water being taken at 62.321 lbs). The analysis shows the stone to consist almost entirely of calcium carbonate, with a little insoluble matter and small quantities of the carbonates of magnesium and of iron. The exact figures are as follows : Insoluble (including a little organic matter)......... 2.95 eM MNGATIONALE « |)4.-04). ..'e)..ersjeajemape eye's Sey hue, meld 94.70 eR MN. Ee con een aaqaydiwingns hid yt ean 2237 MemenenPEE yon aatets’, . pay tnt. so = a 151 eal. VALS: . ass dos al he) 17|Dzcr anella cerviculata, Kindb., n. sp. 18 Anomodon platyphyllus, Kindb.,n.sp. 19 “4 polaris, Kindb., n. sp.... 17 NADIR INDY a Sis isp 6 esis diane a lean oes 33| Dicranowersia obliqua, Kindb., n. sp. 17 Bethune, Dr. C. J. S., Avythrea cen- Dowling, D. B., Narrative of a journey DEMING! io OO aid did che ek SO 99 from Great Slave Lake to Beechy Birds Op eviontreal ©. 2 oy wale. ware 49 Wie 6 CS.) ea 85, 101 Biological Review of Ontario..... 176|Editor : (W. H. Harrington.) A Booka Notices }2 rsd vi8 3 130, 164, 176 Book Notices : Bdifopial.:vicuds 14 ee 9 Ashmead, W. H., Monograph of | Editorial Notes............ 0... 165 N. A. Proctotrypide .......... ta Excursions Nos. rand2 ......... 64 Cook, Prof. A. J., Birds ot Mich- Experimental Farms. ..... . 23). 49 MPR eee a sy ' S0ins Batata AB wen Tag: oub-Bixcursions»:: nae dk oe 65 Edwards, W. H., Butterflies of The Royal Soc. of Canada........ 51 is SS. SYS in ig 147|Entomological Branch, Rept. of .... 14 Waturaliste Canadien............ 176|Entomology........ 68, 97, 117, 162, 175 ‘Ormerod, E. A., Sixteenth Ann. Eurhynchium pseudo-serrulatum ES ane ees a 15 Kind ba. asp:! .:naar ae Scudder, S. H., Guide to fees, com- a Revelstokense, \Xindb., moner butterflies of the U.S. and : 1g» UM SER Bn 22 MER AEN (Si echo dnces ae so ls b 96 af serrulatum, ertcense, Smith, J. B., Catalogue of Noctuide 148 Kindb., n. subsp... 22 Smithsonian Institution, Rept. of iy serrulatum, héespidzfol- Bgerete NEOUS. . es se lows ees 130 zum, Kindb.,n.subsp. 22 Whiteaves, J. F., Notes on the Gas- a subscabridum, Kindb., teropcda of the Trenton Lime- Wa? SPs cadet ate 21 BEONGR OC WEARS 2s os 5 ts an owe 127 . subintegrifolium, Maoh e. oc ON, 17, 99, 131, 174 Kindb., n. sp. ..... 21 178 Experimental Farms. .0. ..ic 0.06 «+ 49| Meteorological Notes ...... ....... 110 Explorations, Early Russian........ 151|Mnium glabrescens, Kindb., n. sp... 18 A ee ‘Moffat, J. Alston, Aphyllon uniflorum at London, Ont. : Vi seen - 99 No. 1, La Péche..........++-+.- 64 Officers, TaistGf . . . .,.. cee 2 No. 2, Rockland Quarries........ 64 Ornithological Branch, Rept. of.... 61 No. 3, Borthwick’s Springs ..:.-- 93!lQrnithology .............+++ 49, 62, 164 Fauna Ottawensisw.:xi¢s.......<. 117|Owen, Sir Richard ..... a nope 50 Fletcher, James, Book Notices ...... 147\ Pecten vancouverensis, | Whiteaves, Entomology cn cata bieieiete' 68, 97, 175 te Api ace os) 133 Flora Ottawaensis .. .........-. 67|Planorbis, new to Ottawa List ...... 161 Veronica Buxbaumit .........+.. 131/Prevost, Dr. E. C., Food and Alimen- Flora *Ottawaensisge: =<). o)s ene. 67 fationmcuscee” ackR ee 53, 69 Following a Planet............-.-- 167 Programme of Lectures 42; 7020 2209% 150 Food and Alimentation.......... 53> 69) Pseudoleskea atricha, Kindb., n. spits.) 20 Geology ...--.+e++ee sees eee ees 100, 173) Racomitrium fasciculare, Brid. var. Great Slave Lake, Narrative of a | haplocladon, Kindb., n. vars.... 18 Journey from .............. 85, 101 Raphidostegium pseudo-recurvans, Hanington, W. H., Corydalis cornutus 175, Kindb. , n»sp. --. /1 a eee 23 Entomology .....----++.0.--:- 68, 97/Rockland Quarries, Excursion ...... 64 Hymenoptera Phytophaga, list of _ 117; Notes on Geology and Palzontology 138 y 1 1893... 162 Royal Society of Canada........... 51 Hypnum Alaske, Kindb., n. sp. .... 23 Scott, W. A., Botany. ..... 99, 131, 174 Tsothectum myosuroides, hylocomoides, 'Sea-cow, the Extinct Northern...... 151 Kindb.,; nySubspe ee Peas... 20'Shutt, Frank T., Air of our Houses . 24 Kindberg, Dr. N. C., Notes on Cana- Chemical Analysis of Manitoba Soil 94 dian Bryologyicoue cae. ss 17\Small, H. B., My Aquarium..2.). 3. stn Kingston, A. G., Birds of Montreal.. 49)Sub-Excursions .>...............-.- 65 Excursion NG. (sinaene. cia) saben»: xis 93|\Thuidium abietinum, pachycladon, Ornithology «2. G28 3... SURE. 62, 164 Kindb., \n. ‘subsp: 3.2 726 oes 20 Latchford, F., Conchology...... 114, 132|Thucdium pseudo-abietinum, Kindb., Leaders: of, Branches. 6:3 s)si4laee.'> 2 Ty SPs: 6) os ol As e 20 Leptotrichum tomentosum, Kindb., Taylor, Rev. G. W., Conchology.... 51 AE; oN RE ar) J: DO 18} A Planorbis new to the Ottawa List 161 Leskea Moseri, Kindb., n. sp........ rol Tecate Balance Sheet, 1892-1893 13 Wibrarian,, change of. Situs sae 55): 166] Valuable Experiments... 22.2... s5. 66 McGill, A., Following a Planet..... 167|White, G. R., Uria Lomvia........ 164 Members, LishGl tS...) ,onesieeninan «>: 3|Whiteaves, J. F., Notes on some Members, Corresponding........... 5 Marine Invertebrata from the Manitoba Soil, Chemical Analysis of 94 coast of British Columbia ...... 133 107 Marine Invertebrata, B.C........... I i Te Notes’... 6 Bees - eae il | 4 - we » ~ ta - Vv 7 f ‘ , ‘ tae % : ‘wage et fe Partie: 4) 7. 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