76 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July 



17,580 died from disease; during the Civil War 186,236 died 

 from disease and in the French expedition to Madagascar in 

 1894, only 29 were killed and 7,000 died from disease. Most of 

 these deaths were probably due to the irresponsibility and care- 

 lessness of insects, and man has therefore suffered. How long 

 wall be continue to be the victim? 



EXCURSIONS. 



Blueberry Point. The excursion to Blueberry Point on 

 May 7th was attended by about forty members of the Club, 

 students of the Normal School and others. The weather being 

 of the very best, and the locality one with many distinctive 

 features, much good work was accomplished by the various 

 groups. The interest in the locality, especially for those who 

 have been visiting it through a long series of years, was some- 

 what heightened bv the realization that its day as a wild natural 

 retreat, is doomed bv the encroachments of the real estate agent 

 and the summer cottager. Already the picturesque name of the 

 past, derived from the profusion of Blueberries growing there, 

 has been supplanted by the more fantastic, though less sig- 

 nificant name of Wychwood, while "streets" already blazed and 

 labelled, extend with offending boldness into the very heart of 

 the grove. 



The passing of Blueberry Point will be regretted by all who 

 have known it. It is one of the few accessible localities around 

 Ottawa for the pretty Trailing Arbutus; as also for some trees, 

 to be referred to below. The Arbutus was found to be still 

 abundant, although at that date almost past blooming. The 

 Aromatic Wintergreen with its shining leaves, and bright scarlet 

 fruit, both persisting from last year, was also much in evidence. 



The principal observations of the afternoon were presented 

 by the Leaders, when all had gathered together again at five 

 o'clock. The President, Mr. Halkett, called for these reports, 

 and himself dealt with the zoological "finds" of the day. Speci- 

 mens of two species of Salamanders were taken: Spelerpes ruber 

 (a beautiful form), and Pletkodon glutinosus. Much interest was 

 manifested in examining the forms of life in the pools, several 

 specimens of crustaceans, including Daphnia, being found, and 

 one of the isopods, Asellus aquaticus. Judging from the character 

 of the tubes of the larvae of a certain Caddis-fly, probably this 

 was a third species observed during the excursions of this season. 

 These tubes were mostly made of bits of small coniferous leaves 

 which pointed outwards like the spines on the shell of a sea- 

 urchin. 



