42 Thp: Ottawa Naturalist. [May 



produced their stamens in catkins, and depended on the wind 

 to transmit the pollen to the pistillate flowers; while later on 

 when the leaves become an obstruction, insects are the chief 

 pollenizing agents. An interesting series of seedlings of the 

 white cedar showed clearly the transition which this tree under- 

 goes, from its earliest lance-shaped, spruce-like leaves to the 

 scaly covered foliage with wiiich most people are alone familiar. 

 The curious, inconspicuous flowers of the cedar, terminating its 

 branchlets, were also pointed out. 



Mr. Criddle spoke briefly of the birds and insects observed. 

 These were all comparatively common species but of interest on 

 account of their indicating the advancement of the season in 

 comparison with other years. Among birds, crows, sapsuckers, 

 juncoes, American goldfinches, a phoebe, song sparrow, and 

 numerous purple finches were observed in the order named. 

 Mention was made of the somewhat destructive habits of the 

 yellow-bellied sapsucker which punctures the tree in search of 

 sap, and eats the inner bark, in some cases the injury being 

 sufficient to kill the tree. These birds, however, compensate for 

 the injury they do, by destroying many noxious insects. Two 

 butterflies Vanessa antiopa and V. mtlberti both hibernating 

 species, were recognized. A few beetles were dislodged from 

 beneath stones ; these included a specimen of Cicindela sexguttaia. 

 whfch had undoubtedly reached maturity last fall and hibernated. 

 The president spoke of the habits of the red squirrel, which 

 he observed in a pine tree. He also referred to several of the birds 

 and insects mentioned by Mr. Criddle, and to the larvae of several 

 species of aquatic insects, including larva? of caddice flies in their 

 tubes or cases, made of little sticks and stones closely held together 

 with silk. 



The writer exhibited a number of well preserved fossils 

 from the Black River and Trenton limestones of Governor's Bay 

 and spoke briefly of the geological features of the park, referring 

 specially to the granite boulders scattered over the surface of 

 the ground. W. J. W. 



NOTES. 



Short-eared Owl. Note on the flight of Asio accipiirinus , 

 observed at the Eastern Sandbar, Toronto, September and 

 October, 1909. During the period of migration the remains of 

 forty-seven small birds were found on the beach. Enough 

 feathers remained of the following to make identification possible : 



Sora Rail, 1; Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, 3; Hermit 

 Thrush, 1 ; Slate-colored Junco, 1 ; Tree Sparrow, 1 ; White- 



