1903] Sub-Excursion. 127 



FIRST AUTUMN SUB-EXCURSION. 



A most successful sub-excursion — the first held this autumn 

 — took place on Saturday afternoon, September 26th. About 50 

 members and friends of the Club, including^ many of the Normal 

 School students, left the pavilion at Rockcliffe under the guidance 

 ot the President, Mr. W. T. Macoun, and spent a most delightful 

 afternoon in the woods around Rockliffe, Mackay's Lake and 

 Beechwood. The weather was perfect for such an expedition. 

 The beauty ot the autumn woods called forth many appreciative 

 exclamations of wonder, and one pair of hands could hardly hold 

 the many treasures gathered by every member of the party. The 

 company very soon broke up into three groups, one going with Dr 

 Ami to study the fossils near the river. The main body followed 

 the President along the eastern shore of Mackay'.s Lake, where* 

 they studied the trees and shrubs, of which there is there great 

 variety. A smaller party went with Mr. Attwood, Dr. Whiteave^ 

 and Dr. Fletcher around the western shore. Afterwards both parties 

 joined in the woods near Beechwood. Here short addresses were 

 delivered by the President and Dr. Fletcher. Special attention 

 was directed to forest trees, berries and other fruits. The dis- 

 tribution of plants was illustrated by the various kinds of burs, of 

 which a large and representative collection was available on the 

 clothes of the excursionists. Some rare ferns were collected and 

 exhibited such as Pellcea gracilis, the Rock Brake, Asplenium 

 angusiifolium, and Aspidiuin Goldianum. Simple rharacters were 



given by which the different families of ferns could be recognized. 

 The great st rarity found was the curious Peloria state of the 

 Common Toad-flax, Litiaria vulgaris. Violets, which have been so 

 carefully studied in this locality, also came in for some attention, 

 and the inconspicuous cleistogamous flowers and autumn fruits of 

 several species were shown, including Viola Dicksonii with its 

 underground fruit, and pods which had been formed underground 

 and had then pushed their way to the surface two or three inches 

 from the main stem. The automatic distribution of the seeds oi 

 violets by the contraction of the strong valves of the pods was 

 explained. The autumn flowers of the Canada Violet were much 

 admired. The h'bernation of insects came in for some attention, 

 the caterpillar of the Isabella Moth serving as an illustration. The 

 gay caterpillar of Cucullia asteroides was found on Aster cordijolius . 



