160 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March 



variation must be acknowledged. But notice that an outside 

 force such as heat or light can do no more than act as a stimulus. 

 The Protoplasm, so far as we can see, might have lived along the 

 line of least resistance, flourished where conditions were entirelv 

 favorable, and died out wherever light, heat, etc., became too 

 great. But life has spread from quiet waters to cover the face 

 of the earth, adapting itself by increasing complexity to every 

 variety of condition found on a globe which is far from monoton- 

 ous in surface. I believe that it does so because Progress is a 

 law of Life. By that I mean that the Creator of Life has stamped 

 His design on living matter, so that it does not vield to difficulties, 

 but matches itself against threatening conditions and makes 

 them servants steppingstones. This belief makes a chemical 

 origin of life unthinkable, as no known series of chemical changes 

 holds within it the necessity of progress. We recognize that in 

 mental and moral life we cannot stand still, we either advance or 

 retrograde. But just so surelv as progress is an inseparable 

 condition to success in living, so a perpetual struggle with the 

 environment of life seems an inseparable condition for progress. 

 This in the world of matter is doubtless what the poet implies 

 as ruling in the world of spirit "Wher'ere the prizes go, grant 

 me the struggle that mv soul mav grow." 



ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. 



By J. M. Macoun, Assistant Naturalist, 

 Geological Survey of Canada. 



(Continued from page 149). 



99. Claytonia Chamissoi, Ledeb. 

 Comox. 



100. Portulaca oleracea, L. 



Cowichan Station. 



101. Dianthus Armeria, L. 



Vicinity of Victoria. 



102. Silene Armeria, L. 



Raymond's Crossing. 



103. Lychnis coronaria, (L.) Desv. 



Nanaimo. 



104. Agrostemma Githago, L. 



Cowichan River (Clendenning) ; Victoria. 



105. Cerastium campestre, Greene. 



.Most of the references to C. arvense in previous 

 publications are this species. 



