80 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



Excursion No. I. As announced, the first field day of the 

 O.K.N. Club for the season of 1895 was held on Saturday, 18th May. 

 It has generally been found that the country lying immediately south 

 of the first range of the Laurentides shows the effects of advancing 

 spring earlier than any other portion of the Ottawa district and conse- 

 quently some point in that neighbourhood has always been in favour for 

 the May excursion. 



This year Chelsea was chosen. A special train on the Ottawa and 

 Gatineau Railway, starting at 1.30 p.m., carried nearly 200 members of 

 the club and their friends. By invitation there were present several 

 members of the Royal Society of Canada, the annual meeting of which 

 had closed on the preceding day, as well as a large contingent of the 

 Ottawa Camera Club and of the students of the Provincial Normal 

 School. Upon reaching Chelsea, about 2 o'clock, the paity, as usual, 

 divided into several sections, each accompanying its own leader to the 

 point of greatest interest in some favourite branch of natural history. 

 The Geological section under Dr. R. VV. Ells visited Old Chelsea and 

 a mica mine on the mountain side above that little village. The 

 Botanical and Entomological sections under Mr. (as. Fletcher and Mr. 

 W. H. Harrington took the woods in the direction of the Gatineau : 

 while the rocky gorge of that river and the picturesque rapids above 

 Messrs. Gilmour & Hughson's mills attracted most of the members of 

 the Camera Club. 



Everywhere, vegetation, even the native plants and trees, showed 

 unmistakable signs of having suffered from the recent severe frosts, 

 following the treacherously warm spell of the 5th to the 1 nh May. 



The afternoon, though breezy, was pleasant ; but unfortunately 

 the hour set aside for the examination and remarks of the leaders upon 

 the specimens collected was marred by a slight rainstorm. Many of 

 the party sought the shelter of the cars, but a fair audience braved the 

 weather on the open platform of the station, where short addresses 

 were delivered by Dr A. R. C Selwyn, president of the Royal Society, 

 Prof. Goodwin, of Queen's University, and Mr. Kane, of St. John, N.B. 



The botanical specimens collected were then named and com- 

 mented upon by Messrs. R. I'.. Whyte and J. Cra'g, the insects by Mr. 

 j. Fletcher and the rocks and minerals by Dr. Ells. * 



The party returned to Ottawa about 7 p.m. 



