no 



*l>e August xYaturalis^ it will not be necessary to repeat it liere, but I 

 would strongly advise any one wishing to see the fartn under the best 

 auspices to go with the clul) on our next visit. The only important 

 innovation attempted in the mode of conducting these sub-excursions 

 during the past summer was, in addition to the usual talk on the 

 plants collected, the giving of a simple lecture on some one of the 

 botanical families, explaining the distinguishing features of the family, 

 and in what it differed from allied families, drawing attention to the 

 members of it that were of most value and interest to man. I am 

 sorry that the plan was not carried out as thoroughly as I would have 

 liked, the irregularity of our excursions and frequent absence from the 

 city of the botanical leaders interfering very materially with the suc- 

 cess of the scheme, but I am quite satisfied, from our short experience 

 this year, that if properly conducted it would pro\e a most instructive 

 and attractive feature of our alieiiioou outings, and 1 won! J uu.it 

 strongly commend the idea to the favourable consideration of the 

 leaders for next season. 



Our little magazine has been published with more or less regu- 

 larity during the past season. If any of you thought that it some- 

 times appeared rather late in the month I would beg of you to make al- 

 lowance for the difficulties our publishing committee have had to contend 

 with ; the absence of our editor for twu months, the assumption of his 

 duties by the other menibers of the committee and the moving of our 

 printers h^d to delays which wei-e quite unavoidable. In addition to 

 the usual reports and papers read at our soirees, reports of excursions, 

 &c., it contains four instalments of Mr. Fletcher's revised Flora Ottawa- 

 ensis, a woi-k of very great value to every botanical student. As 

 originally published in 1880 it was merely a list of all flowering plants 

 and ferns found here, but as revised it gives the usual habitat and 

 special localities for the rarer plants, the time of flowering, and in 

 many cases the points of difierence between allied species, making it 

 immensely more valuable than as first printed. I need hardly say that 

 all this must have entailed h, great deal of labour on Mr Fletcher, and, 

 thoush I am sure a labour of love, must have been a sevei'e tax on the 

 time of such a busy man as we know him to be, and he deserves the 

 thanks of the club and of every botanical student in the country. 



