1906] Sub-Excursion to Blueberry Point 



SUB-EXCURSION TO BLUEBERRY POINT. 



John Burroughs says in one of his delightful little books that 

 April is a good month to be born in, or to make any initiatory 

 step, in fact. It gives you a good start, he says. Certainly the 

 Field-Naturalists felt on assembling at Blueberry Point, Aylmer, 

 on the afternoon of April 28th that an excellent start had been 

 made. 



It was the first outing of the season, unfavourable weather 

 having cancelled previous arrangements for a trip to Rockliffe. 

 Almost 150 persons met at Blueberry Point, however, on the 28th, 

 when the weather conditions were ideal Sonic of the leaders of 

 the various departments being absent the field-body resolved itself 

 'nto very informal groups and devoted the afternoon mainly to 

 gathering the trailing arbutus and hepatica. The latter in the 

 blue, pink and white varieties, was found on every side dotting the 

 brown sides of hillocks ; the arbutus, although not properly in 

 bloom, concealed many fragrant buds for the more patient seekers. 



The unusually mild weather prevailing during the past winter, 

 while probably quite acceptable to the majority of people, has had 

 the effect of limiting swampy areas this spring, almost banishing 

 the elusive salamander and other things that creep or scuttle about 

 in lone lands and so greatly disappointing the members interested 

 in zoology. 



The club members reassembling about five o'clock, the presi- 

 dent, Mr. W. J. Wilson, having congratulated the club upon the 

 successful nature of its first outing, asked Mr. Andrew Halkett to 

 address the assemblage. A very informing talk was then given by 

 Mr. Halkett who had in spite of adverse conditions secured a num- 

 ber of specimens, including the larva of mosquitoes, a wood-frog, 

 contributed by Mr. Lemieux, water spiders, a centipede, bettles 

 and ants. The lower animal life was shown to be very busily 

 occupied preparing for the fuller life of the summer months. 



Mr. A. MacNeill imparted then in a pleasantly original manner 

 some subjects for thought, and touched happily upon the basic 

 principle of the Naturalists' outings the aim to come directly in 

 touch with Nature in her manifold fascinating forms instead ol 



