216 The Ottawa Naturalist [Jan. 



broader aspects of those pursuits and studies which occupied 

 his attention. 



He never spared himself, but with an ever-springing energy 

 devoted his life to the study of the natural history of the 

 Ottawa District and of the Dominion of Canada, as well as of those 

 larger and international problems and relations, which widened 

 the scope of his researches enormously. 



His deeds and suggestions as a Leader I shall not here 

 attempt to recite. You know them all. The members of the 

 Club who have been closest in touch with Dr. Fletcher since 

 the inception of the Club know well the ceaseless and untiring 

 zeal which he displayed in its welfare and on their behalf. All 

 the Normal School classes, which from year to year were wont 

 to attend the Club's Excursions and Soirees, also know well 

 the devotion which he displayed on all these occasions. Edu- 

 cational Institutions of the city, including the Kindergarten 

 children, received inspiring words from him and listened to his 

 enthusiastic utterances on the plant and the insect w^orld. 



We cannot realize that he is gone and is no more with us 

 in reality. His presence in our midst for so many years, com- 

 bined with his powerful physique and constant jovial expres- 

 sion, which made his leadership so attractive, pleasant and in- 

 spiring, still permeates our inmost soul and being so thoroughly, 

 that his influence is still felt and will continue to exist. There 

 is not a flower, nor an insect, which does not recall him, which 

 does not bring to mind his noble cotmtenance and winsome 

 ways. There is not a brook, valley, crag, hillside, wood, or 

 swamp; not a spot in the Ottawa District which does not 

 vividly suggest him. 



Who can forget those vivid pictures drawn upon the canvas 

 of our minds by his charming words when Dr. Fletcher described 

 to us the life-history of some butterfly, or the capture of a rare 

 and interesting species in the Rockies. How he led us, step 

 by step, in captivating fashion through all the intricate ways 

 of his adventures until the goal of his ambition was reached. 

 How, breathlessly, we listened to his graphic descriptions! 

 How keenly interested he himself was, and how he seemed to 

 live over again the experiences he had enjoyed or suffered! 

 These and hundreds of other utterances by him we shall never 

 forget. 



His busy life kept him constantly at work with Nature. 

 In this work he found pleasure and by it gave the same to tens 

 of thousands in Canada and elsewhere. 



Nature Study articles of recent years, were a special feature 

 of his writings, and these are masterpieces of composition as 

 well as of comparison and observation. 



