1910] The Ottawa Naturalist. 207 



Mr. Groh told of his study of the local hawthorns during 

 the past summer. He examined fifty trees in different localities 

 and collected flowering specimens of them, and later in the season 

 obtained fruit as well. He found a marked difference in the 

 number of stamens, styles and colour of the anthers of the flowers, 

 and the number of flowers to a corj^mb, on different trees. The 

 specimens, together with those collected by Prof. Macoun, have 

 been sent to a specialist on Crataegus. Prof. Macoun stated that 

 when collecting in western Ontario some years ago he had 

 found that there was a month's difference between the time when 

 the earliest blooming species of Crataegus flowered, and the latest. 

 At Ottawa he had found in 1903 that the earliest bloomed on 

 May 21st and the latest on June 3rd. He reported that he had 

 completed the List of the Ottawa Flora from the lower forms 

 up to the Caryophyllaceae. W. T. M. 



SOIREES. 



The opening soiree of the Club for the season of 1909-10 

 held on the 14th of December, was of the nature of a con- 

 versazione. The first hour was devoted to a display of objects 

 under the microscope and of natural history specimens. After- 

 wards short addresses were delivered by the President, Mr. A. E. 

 Attwood, Mr. G. H. Clark and Mr. A. Halkett. Besides these a 

 short talk, illustrated with lantern slides, showing the develop- 

 ment and structure of the cell, was given by Mr. A. H. W. Cleave. 



Several microscopes were very kindlv loaned for the evening 

 by Mr. J. W. Gibson, of the Normal 'School. Besides these 

 Messrs. Cleave and Odell each had their own microscopes present 

 and showed interesting objects to those attending the meeting. 

 Mr. W. J. Wilson also took charge of one of the microscopes and 

 entertained many. 



The following exhibits were of much interest : 



Mr. Geo. Michaud, of the Seed Branch of the Department of 

 Agriculture, showed 



1. A set of old coloured plates of plants, taken from a bot- 

 anical magazine pubHshed in London in the year 1790. These 

 plates are remarkable from the point of view of the colour, which 

 is all made by hand. Each plate is accompanied by a botanical 

 description of the plant. The sets contain three or four plates 

 with the text and were sold for one shilling each. 



2. A set of the lithographic plates of " Farm Weeds," pub- 

 lished bv the Seed Branch of the Department of Agriculture, 

 1906 and 1909. These plates, which were painted by Mr. Norman 



