108 



The fourth and last of the season, on September 15th, was our 

 eighth ti'ip to King's Mountain, visited this year for the first time in 

 the autumn, and I think the general verdict was that the locality h st 

 nothing by the change. If there was not such a profusion of flowers 

 as in the spring, neither was there of mosquitoes, and the clear beauti- 

 ful day made the view the finest on record. 



Another excursion was advertised to Sulphur Springs, but owing 

 to the continued wet weather, after being postponed two weeks, had 

 to be dropped altogether. 



You will no doubt have noticed in the July Naturalist a brief 

 account of the Montreal Natural History Society's excursion to Monte- 

 bello. They kindly sent an invitation to any of our Club able to go to 

 meet them there. Unfortunately we did not receive it in time to 

 organize a party, and I very much regret that a business engagement 

 prevented my being able to represent the Club; but I am glad to know 

 that we were most efficiently represented by Messrs. Whiteaves and 

 Ami, who gave a most glowing account of the kindly treatment they 

 received from our Montreal friends. 



I notice in the account given in the Naturalist a feature that I 

 have often thought we might adopt with great advantage ut our own 

 excursions, that is, the giving of prizes for the best colU'ctions made 

 during the day. I well remember, on the two occasions when I had 

 the pleasure of meeting our Montreal friends at Calumut in 1879 and 

 Montebello in 1881 the great interest taken in these competitions not 

 only by the competitors and their fiiends but by everyone present. 

 Prizes are given in botany, geology and entomology, for unnamed as 

 well as named collections, thus making them interesting to the juniors 

 and more advanced students alike. I would like to draw the attention 

 of our lady members to the fact that at Montebello all the ])rizes in 

 botany and geology were carried off by ladies, and that, the large num- 

 ber of specimens collected show that the fair prize-winners deserved 

 their honors. I have several times urged the advisability of giving 

 prizes at our outings, but have not been able to persuade the Council to 

 see the advantages of it as I do; but if I should be on the Council next 

 season I will certainly try again, as the more I think over the matter 

 the more convinced I am that the effects would be in every way beneficial. 



