1913] The Ottawa Naturalist. 7 5 



developed pollen unfit for fertilization. In the vicinity of Ottawa 

 four hybrids between different Viola species have been found 

 this spring. 



The occurrence of Antennaria canadensis (Everlasting) in 

 the district visited induced Dr. Malte to deal briefly with the 

 phenomenon called parthenogenesis, i.e. the faculty of egg-cells of 

 certain genera and species to develop the new normal individuals 

 without the assistance of male organs. He pointed out that 

 parthenogenesis in plants was in fact first discovered in a species 

 of Antennaria, it having been observed that in this genus, which 

 is dioecious, the male plants generally are extremely rare; and 

 he also referred to a number of other parthenogenetic genera, 

 such as Taraxacum and Hieracium, and finished his remarks by 

 calling attention to the remarkable investigations on the 

 'parthenogenetic' development of eggs of sea-urchins and star- 

 fishes, which, during recent years, have been carried out by 

 scientists in the United States and France. 



Mr. McGillivray collected specimens of gneiss of a typical 

 gray colour, and also in a decayed state; samples of limestone, 

 red' granite, sandstone and a kremoloid; and he also had with 

 him to show specimens of different kinds of minerals which he 

 had previously collected on the island at Chelsea and at the 

 Ironsides mine. 



Except in stagnant pools, there has been for years past at 

 the localities which the naturalists have visited, little opportunity 

 for the study of aquatic forms of life, but the stream at Stittsville 

 afforded excellent facilities for such study. The brook is full of 

 small cvprinoids and other kinds of small fishes, besides a great 

 variety of aquatic invertebrates. The fishes netted or observed 

 were these: specimens of Red-bellied Dace (Chrosomus erythro- 

 gaster), a Minnow (Leuciscus neogceus), a small specimen of the 

 Common Sucker {Catostomus commersonii), a few specimens of 

 the Brook Stickleback (Eucalia inconstans), a specimen of a 

 Darter presumably the Johnny Darter {Boleosoma nigrum) or 

 perhaps its variety, the Tessellated Darter {Boleosoma nigrum 

 olmstedi), but the specimen was lost before it could be examined ; 

 and numerous specimens of a Miller's Thumb (a cottoid) w ere seen 

 in the stream, but none were netted. One or two specimens of a 

 Crayfish (Cambarus), larva? of a Caddis-fly with their tubes 

 made of broken pieces of wood, one or two tiny fresh-water 

 mussels, and various other aquatic invertebrates were also found 

 in the brook. 



The excursions of the season have been a great success, 

 every Saturday has been fair, and the last held, at Stittsville, 

 proved to be one of the most enjoyable and instructive. 



A. H. 



