1899] Afternoon Lectures. 83 



recommended that some elementary book on Botany be carefully 

 read and that the beginner, instead of labouriously attempting 

 to analyse a plant and determine its name by means of a key, 

 select first a number of species with which he is acquainted and 

 then compare them with the descriptions in the bpok used 

 looking up the meaning of every word not understood. By this 

 means anyone would in a short time become familiar with all 

 the descriptive botanical terms in common use. Representatives 

 of some of the large orders were then analysed in the way sug- 

 gested. 



The importance of ample field notes was emphasised and the 

 uses of note-books and analysis books explained. The prepar.i- 

 tion of specimens for the herbarium was also described. The 

 lecturer explained that the methods suggested by him were not 

 intended to take the place of more complete botanical studies 

 when such were possible and recommended that the preliminary 

 work should be followed by the study of physiology and morpho- 

 logy. 



6. May, 15th. — "Zoology," by Prof John Macoun and Mr, 

 W. S Odcll. — Prof. Macoun confined his remarks to a general 

 outliningof the scope which zoological studies should cover point- 

 ing outthatapart from Ornithology and Entomolgy comparatively 

 little original work had been done bv local student.s. He 

 showed that the smaller mammals, fish and reptiles of the Ot- 

 tawa region, as well as nearly all the lower forms of animal life, 

 were yet to be worked up. Mr. Odell dealt principally with such 

 small animals as could be well studied in a small aquarium 

 illustrating his remarks with a very beautiful series of coloured 

 drawings of the species described. A small aquarium for student's 

 use could easily be made from the half-gallon or larger fruit jars 

 in ordinary use. For use in larger aquaria he recommended the 

 following plants : Anacluiris Canadensis, Ccratophyllum denier- 

 sum, Myriopliylluni, Proscrpinaca, Ranunculus aquatilis, Calli- 

 triche, Chara, Nitella, Fontinalis and Lemna. The manner in 

 which many familiar forms of animals found in ponds and 

 streams propagate was also descriljed. 



