1909] Reminiscences of Dr. Fletcher. 203 



After his marriage in 1879, Fletcher resided for some years 

 on Metcalfe St., within a stone's throw of the Stewart homestead, 

 where now stands the stately museum building for whose erection 

 he was so long and earnest an advocate. An orchard then blocked 

 the street citywards, across which right of way was prohibited, 

 but there were generally holes in the fences for those making a 

 short cut. That section of the city was principally pastures, and 

 in 1886, or later, I could still put on my snowshoes at my door on 

 Gilmour St., and go straight across the fields for a tramp with 

 him to some of our favorite haunts ; now leveled into, uniform 

 monotonv, and quartered in blocks of city dwellings. 



His family life was an ideal one, where love and happiness 

 were always in the ascendant and never have I known any hap- 

 pier hours than many which were spent at his cheerful fireside. 

 Later, when he went to reside at the Farm, it was still my privi- 

 lege to be his frequent guest and to pass with him many pleasant 

 afternoons and evenings. When the weather was suitable we 

 rambled or paddled about examining and collecting the products 

 of land and water. In summer there were many charming little 

 picnics on the banks of the Rideau, where above the rippling 

 music of the rapids, or by placid reaches lily-starred, we found 

 quiet enjoyment and surcease from care until the vesper songs of 

 bird were hushed, the roseate glories of the West grown dim, and 

 "The warders of God's tent had lit the lamps 

 That men call stars. " 

 During the winter he resided in the city, but on Saturdays, 

 unless he was absent, or had some special engagement, it was 

 my custom to go to the Farm and spend the afternoon with him. 

 After a short snowshoe tramp through Dow's Swamp, across to 

 the Rideau, or around the Arboretum and Forest Belts, or per- 

 haps some slides on the toboggan,if there were young folk present, 

 we would cook our supper, as if out camping, and then after a 

 smoke and pleasant chat, would spend an hour or so in his office, 

 examining insects, reading proofs, or other work, before walking 

 home. 



Our rambles and excursions during the many years of our 

 joint interest in entomology, etc., covered all the immediate 

 vicinity, and frequently extended to more distant points, such as 

 the MerBleue, Casselman, Buckingham, Thurso, etc. A brief, 

 but enjovable, trip was taken in June 1892 to Copper Cliff, to 

 visit a feilow-entomologist, Mr. J. D. Evans, then manager of the 

 copper and-nickle mines. Fletcher went largely in the hope of 

 capturing Erebia discoidalis, a rare butterfly which had been 

 taken by Mr. Evans three years previously. We arrived at 5 a.m. 

 and to lose no time collected for a couple of hours before calHng 

 upon our host, who afterwards took us to the locality where he 



