588 
Dr. Rusby spoke of arctic willows as part of the food of beavers 
and of reindeer in northern Russia. : 
The second paper was by Dr. John K. Small, «« On the genus 
Exiogonum north of Mexico,’ a genus founded by Michaux upon _ 
a single species in 1803, and increased by Pursh and Nuttall. 
Bentham issued its first monograph in 1837, with 28 species, and 
a second with 81 in 1856; Torrey and Gray ina third monograph 
in 1870 left the number unchanged, but with many reductions and 
additions. A fourth monograph by Dr. Sereno Watson in 1870, 
presented 95 species, since which many have been described by 
others, as Greene, Jones and Eastwood. 
In discussing this paper, Dr. Allen contributed an entertaining 
description of his difficulties in bringing growing specimens of 
Eriogonum Alleni from near White Sulphur Springs to the Botan- 
ical Garden. Dr. Britton reported that the specimens then se- 
cured have done well in cultivation at Bronx Park, and have ma- 
tured seeds. : 
Dr. Allen spoke of finding two or three species of Eviegonum 
in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado last summer, and described 
his descent of the Canyon by mule trail, and also his journey to 
California in search of Characeae. ‘ies 
Dr. Britton reported two cases of naturalization of escapes from 
greenhouses; The first that of a creeping form of Oxalis COYRICU- 
/ata, now becoming a weed at Whitestone, L. I. 
The second case is that of a fern, apparently an Asplenium from 
a temperate habitat, thrown out with other things as useless, four 
or five years ago from a greenhouse, growing discolored and sickly 
in the greenhouse, but now thrifty and spreading under trees on a 
lawn. . 
Other cases of fern naturalization which have been previously 
reported include that of an Adiantum in Rhode Island, by Mr. 
Davenport, and a Previs in a rock-cut near the New York Central 
Railroad tunnel in our own city; noted by Mr. W. A. Clute. 
2 Turspay Eventnc, NoveMsEr 9, 1897. 
Vice-President Rusby presided. There were 17 persons pres-_ : : 
e a 
The following were elected active members: 
