94 



The Ottawa Naturalist. [August 



Erosion has largely stopped, the trees are becoming large and 

 shady, and the decaying leaves and plants are forming humus 

 which is constantly enriching the soil. 



Good exposures of Leda clay and Saxicava sand are seen 

 in the railway cuttings, and along the banks of the Gatmeau 

 river Onlv one exposure of solid rock was noted near Ironsides. 

 This 'occurs on the west bank of the Gatineau river just below 

 Wright's Bridge, and is a rather fine grained Potsdam sand- 

 stone. On account of the clay covering, onlv a small surface 

 is exposed The part seen is evidently some distance above the 

 base of the formation which is usually a conglomerate. ihis 

 sandstone is the same as that used in the construction of the 

 Parliament buildings, and also in the new Victoria Museum. Ihe 

 sandstone used in these buildings came from a quarry on lot 6, 

 Concession IT, Nepean Broken Front, where there is a consider- 

 able area of this rock. Blocks from the same quarry are used 

 for paving parts of the streets of Ottawa.'' 



\t the addresses, which were delivered from a beautiful in- 

 clined slope Dr E. H. Blackader spoke on the plants,Mr.Norman 

 Griddle on the birds, and Mr. Arthur Gibson on the insects. 



The following description of the plants observed or collected 

 is supplied in manuscript by Dr. Blackader, and in effect embodies 

 what he said about them:— 



"There is a tiny plant with very beautiful purple coloured 

 flowers which was known to grow in this locality many years 

 aao It is a plant which has a fairlv wide distribution, but yet 

 rather limited to special locahties. One may scour all the other 

 localities in the neighborhood of Ottawa, that we are ^ the habit 

 of visiting in our Saturdav afternoon outings, and yet not hnd 

 this plant. It was feared that it had become exterminated 

 from this localitv also, but this afternoon we have found that 

 it is fairly abundant. It belongs to the Milkwort family and is 

 known botanicallv as Polygala paucijoha. The Flowering Wm- 

 tergreen seems 'to me to describe it very well m popular 

 language; the other name, Fringed Polygala, is considered 

 more scientificallv appropriate. • t . i a 



The Lilv familv is well represented m this neighborhood 

 We have found the large Bell wort, Uvularia grandtjlora and 

 its poor neighbor, the little pale-coloured Smaller Bellwort, 

 Oakesia sessilifolia. Besides these we have seen the Rosy i wisted- 

 Stalk, the Clintonia, the Indian Cucumber-root and several 

 other representatives of this family, some of which are going to 

 seed, and some scarcely opened into flower. ^. a- 



Two specimens of the Orchis family have been gathered, 

 the Showy Orchis and the Early Coral-Root, which is rather m- 

 conspicuous and retiring in its habits. 



