1914] The Ottawa Naturalist. 141 



that the difference between canadensis and lanata are so great 

 that both deserve specific rank. The latter supposition was 

 borne out by Mr. J. M. Macoun, who stated that in British 

 Columbia, where both are frequently growing together, the 

 differentiating characters seem to be perfectly constant. 



Dr. Malte also exhibited specimens of Viola rostrata Pursh, 

 from Chats Falls, Ont., collected by Mr. J. M. Macoun and himself 

 last spring, and explained that this was the second time the 

 species had been found in the Ottawa district. It was growing 

 with V. conspersa Rchb. Perfectly typical hybrids representing 

 the combination V. conspersa x rostrata, found among the 

 parents, were shown. They were intermediate in all respects 

 as to morphological characters and had over 90% of the pollen 

 undeveloped and unfit for fertilization. The speaker further 

 exhibited a number of species of Juncus primarily with the object 

 of demonstrating the ease with which many plant species which 

 to the unexperienced student may seem difficult and puzzling, 

 can be identified. With the use of a Zeiss binocular microscope, 

 kindlv placed at the Club's disposal by the Topley Company, 

 characters on the seed only, sufficient for the correct identifica- 

 tion of such species as /. articulatus L. /. brevicaudatus (Engelm) 

 Fernald, /. canadensis J. Gay, etc., were explained. In this 

 connection a completely sterile form, collected at Bridgetown, 

 N.S., was exhibited. This form was found to represent the com- 

 bination J. articulatus x canadensis. 



Mr. Uhlemann, a visitor, spoke briefly on the Zeiss binocular 

 microscope, stating that this instrument is probably one of the 

 best of its kind in the world. 



J. R- F. 



December 20th, 1913, at the home of Mr. J. M. Macoun, the 

 following members being present : W. T. Macoun, L. H. Newman, 

 Geo. H. Clark, N. Criddle, Mr. Honevman, Dr. Malte, Dr. 

 Blackadar, A. Eastham, T. W. Dwight.'A. E. Attwood, R. B. 

 Whyte, J. M. Macoun, C. J. Tulley and J. R. Fryer. 



Mr. C. J. Tulley and Dr. Malte were the speakers for the 

 evening. Mr. Tulley first reviewed the evolutionary steps in 

 reproductive processes in some of the lower plant forms. Com- 

 mencing with the unicellular plant forms, the speaker briefly 

 compared their cytological features with those of the simplest 

 animal form, Amoeba, and explained that the reproductive 

 method in unicellular plants is one of continuous cell multiplica- 

 tion, one individual becoming two by cell division. This method 

 of reproduction was designated Cell Division, as distinguished 

 from the other two methods, Asexual and Sexual. In plants 



