266 The Ottawa Naturalist. [March 



collected in the Ottawa district, to furnish lists of plants in their 

 collections, so that every reliable record might be included and 

 due credit be given. 



The remainder of the evening was given up to a discussion 

 of forestry methods, which was also introduced by Prof. Macoun. 

 He held that the hope of re-afforestation depends upon following 

 Nature's own method. In Nature, uncovered areas first grow up 

 to small stuff of the poplar type, which after a time is gradually 

 displaced by conifers and other valuable trees. Forestry was 

 astray in its efforts if it did not recognize this principle. 



In reply Mr. MacMillan, of the Forestry IDept., agreed that 

 Nature's methods must be studied, but maintained that those 

 are the lines now being followed in tree planting. Tree planting, 

 however, is only a very insignificant part of forestry in a country 

 like Canada. The forestry problem here is such a large one that 

 for the present little can be undertaken beyond studying the 

 conditions with a ^•iew to properly husbanding and protecting 

 the existing forests, by scientific lumbering operations and fire 

 protection. Fires are the greatest scourge of the forest, and 

 carelessness and indifference are largely responsible for the loss 

 from this cause. Settlers are willing that they should run their 

 course, so long as their personal property is not endangered. The 

 fire which destroyed Fernie was burning in the woods for a month 

 before that disaster. Vancouver Island will soon be without 

 forests and without vegetation if fires are allowed to bum un- 

 checked, as they were last summer. Mr. MacMillan remarked 

 that there is no timber of export size on the east slopes of the 

 Rockies to-day. Prof. Macoun stated that in 1879 from Mattawa 

 to Winnipeg, and from Kananaskis to Vancouver was continuous 

 forest, where now onlv isolated patches remain. 



The proof sheets of a list of Herbaceous Perennials at the 

 Central Experimental Farm were shown by Mr. W. T. Macoun, 



<^'\ and Mr. Eifrig exhibited a number of European plants collected 

 ^ during the past summer. 



\P H. G. 



O 



^ AN EARLY BAT. 



^ A specimen of the Brown Bat was captured by Mr. Walter 



O^ Venner, of Quebec, as it was flying about the corridors of the 

 ^ Parliament Buildings during the evening of February 24th. 

 The warm weather of that or the previous day had probably- 

 caused it to leave its winter quarters. This species Vespertillo 

 fuscus, Beauv., is common in the vicinity of Ottawa, but the 

 occurrence of an active specimen at this season of the year 

 seems worthv of record. J. M. Macoun. 



