45. 



easily ascending foot-path, through a ijleasant little valley, across a 

 small brooklet, and up the wooded, flower stuJded hillside, until the 

 bare, massive, rocky summit was safely won. The view, though 

 extensive, was greatly limited by the hazy, smoky atmosphere, due to 

 bush-fires resulting from the prolonged drought, and while the Ottawa 

 River could be seen the city whs obscured, and many points of interest 

 hidden. Mr. H. M. Ami, with a fine aneroid barometer, kindly loaned 

 by the Geological Survey, found the elevation to be 910 feet above the 

 Hull Station, or 1,125 feet abovd sea level. No less than seventy-five 

 person^ ascended the mountain, perhaps the largest gathering ever upon 

 its summit. The descent was easily made, and collecting renewed along 

 the way, the botanists returning with well filled vasculums and. baskets. 

 After a brief rest JMr. Ami gave a short instructive address upon the 

 various geological formations occurring between the city and the 

 mountain, and mentioned that the latter was composed of rocks 

 particularly interesting, from the fact that they belonged to the oldest 

 formation in the world, chat known as the Laurentian. Mr. Fletcher, 

 the senior botanical leadur, then spoke in an interesting manner of a 

 few of the principal plants observed, and the lessons that might be 

 derived from a study of them. The first one mentioned was the beauti- 

 ful Clematis verticillaris, a climbing plant with hu'ge showy blossoms, 

 worthy of a place in our gardens with many others of our handsome 

 native species. AquUegia canadensis, or the Canadian columVjine, is 

 also a fine plant, with its bright flowers showing frequently against the 

 stones and shadows of the roadway. The habits of Comandra umhellatay 

 a parasitic i>lant, were explained, and specimens were shown which had 

 been found attached to the roots of wild cherry, Prunus viryiniana. 

 Attention was called to the flowers oi Acer pennsylvanicum, or striped 

 maple, and to the often-overlooked fact that the flowers of other maples 

 and various forest trees aie very be;\utiful. Mr, Hairington made a 

 few remarks on insects, calling attention first to the great abundance of 

 the very injurious forest-tent caterpillar, as evidenced by the webs seen 

 so frequently on the apple and other trees along the road. By destroy- 

 ing these webs early in the season while they are small the increase of 

 this noxious insect would be much checked. Some infoimation waa 

 given as to the habits of our native bees, which are mostly solitary 



