1907] Meeting of Council 53 



MEETING OF COUNCIL. 



A meeting of the Council of the Club was held in the Normal 

 School on April 30th, with the President, Mr. W. J. Wilson, in 

 the chair. The members present were, Messrs. Halkett, Gibson, 

 Gallup, Lemieux, Eifrig, and Clarke, Miss Jackson, and Miss 

 Ritchie. The following new members were elected: the Director 

 of the Christian Brothers' Academy, Sussex St., Messrs. W. C. 

 Ewing, M.A. ; R. M. Baker, G. S. Malloch, B.A.. Ed. Hampson, 

 and Miss K. Waddell. A communication was read from the 

 New York Academy of Sciences, inviting the Club to participate 

 in the celebration of the 200tli anniversary of the Swedish 

 naturalist, Carl von Linne, by sending an authorized representa- 

 tive and by presenting an official document, appreciative of the 

 work of Linne, to be read before the members of the New 

 York Academy of Sciences and the assembled guests. It was 

 felt that the Club could not send a representative, but arrange- 

 ments were made for the preparation of the document suggested. 



SUB-EXCURSIONS 



The first sub-excursion of the season was held at Rockliffe, 

 on Saturday afternoon, 20th April. About fifteen persons 

 attended, including four leaders of branches. The day was 

 rather cold, but the sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky, so 

 that a very pleasant time was spent. After exploring the woods, 

 the more open spaces, or the cliffs, the party re-assembled at 

 the side of a sunny knoll, where the President called upon a few 

 of the members to speak on what they had observed; the follow- 

 ing is a summary of what was said. 



Mr. McNeill was first called upon, and spoke in an interesting 

 way about the harmonies to be observed in nature, pointing 

 out how the lichens absorb elements out of the stones, and de- 

 compose them, so that other plants can assimilate them as 

 nutriment. He also said that there is a harmonious co-mingling 

 of colors among certain plants during winter (so that that 

 phenomenon is not altogether peculiar to the milder seasons) : 

 instancing that the dog-wood is red, the conifers green, and the 

 birches white. 



Rev. Mr. Eifrig was next called upon to speak about the 

 birds seen by him, which embraced two juncos {Jtinco hyemalis), 

 two song-sparrows {Melospiza fasciata), two phoebes {Sayornis 

 phoebe) which were mating a large flock of red-polls (Acanthis 

 linana), and five or siyLvohins (Merulamigratona). He said that 

 more birds would evidently have been seen had not the day been 

 windy, as birds venture out less in windy than in calm weather. 



