68 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 



are from i to 2 inches high and each bears besides the one large 

 flower, 3 bracts just below it on the stem. 



The calyx is conspicuous and adds much to the beauty of 

 the flovver being waved at the margins and of a rich brownish 

 red. The stamens are indefinite in number, about 36. The 

 pistil is compound, seven-cleft. 



This interesting plant is very abundant in some parts of the 

 interior of British Columbia, i have found it in the Okanagan 

 valley and the Hon. Senator Cornwall sent me some years ago 

 roots from Ashcroft, and at the came time described the great 

 beauty of the flowers as they lay close to the sandy ground in 

 every direction around his house. 



The root of Lezvisia is eaten by the Indians and has various 

 designations among different tribes. It is the "Bitter Root" of 

 some writers, " Sp?etlum " of others. 



Many years ago Dr. Kellog, of the California Academy oi 

 Sciences showed me specimens found by him in California which 

 had instead ofgrass-like terete leavesmuch shorterspatulate leaves 

 from a quarter to ^a inch in diameter. This I presume is the 

 other species mentioned by authors. J. FLETCHER 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



(Edited by W. T. Macoun.) 



Bird Notes for April and May. 



April I. American Herring Gull — Lams argentatus Sinithso- 



nianus. Mr. W. A. D. Lees. On 2nd, Mr. G. R. 

 . White. 

 " 3. American Merganser, Goosander — Merganser Ameri- 



ccDius Mr. White. 

 " 3. Pigeon Hawk — Falco colwiJibarius — Mr. C. H. Young. 

 " 9. Tree Swallow — Tachycineta bicolor. Mr. Young. 



Other records are four days later. 

 " 10. Ruby-crowned Kinglet — Regidus calendula. Mr. 



White. 

 " 10. Horned Grebe — Golymbus auritus. Mr. W^hite. 

 " 12. Chipping Sparrow — Spizella socialis. Dr. Fletcher. 



