PROCEEDINGS FOR 1899 LXXXIX 



General and Sub-Excursions. 



Three large general excursions were held during the summer of 

 1898. The first of the season w'<as to Chelsea, when 175 members were 

 present. Professor Prince, the President, was in charge, with Mr. Shutt 

 as Chairman of the Excursion Committee. Besides addresses from 

 these gentlemen, two excellent discourses were listened to : the first on 

 the geology of the district, by Professor L. W. Bailey, F.R.S.C., of the 

 University of New Brunswick, for many years a member of our club, 

 and 'another by Professor John Macoun, who spoke on the interesting 

 plants collected, and pointed out the fact that four or five distinct species 

 of violets had undoubtedly been united under the designation Viola 

 Cucullata. The second excursion was held at Blueberry Point, Aylmer, 

 where interesting collections in botany, geology and entomology were 

 made. The usu'al addresses by leaders followed : by Prof. Macoun, '' On 

 edible and poisonous fungi;'' by Mr. S. B. Sinclair and Dr. Fletcher on 

 Botany and Entomology; by Principal Pollock, on the geological forma- 

 tions of the locality; and by the President, Prof. Prince. The third 

 excursion of the season w'as held October 1st, to Gilmour's Grove, Chel- 

 sea, Que., 'where the normal school students attended in a body, and 

 under the guidance of the various leaders of the difi:erent branches of 

 the club, an enjoyable and profitable time was spent. 



A number of sub-excursions or small working p'arties were also held 

 at more or less regular intervals. These have always proved of particu- 

 lar v'alue, as the results obtained are of a special and more definite nature 

 than at the general excursions. 



Lectures, Soirées, etc. 



As in former years, a winter course of lectures and soirées was 

 prepared and successfully carried out. These soirées are practically 

 meetings for the exhibition of specimens and discussions on the various 

 topics of natural history. 



The following is the programme of soirées for 1898-1899 given 

 under the patronage of the Eight Honourable the Earl of ]\Iinto, 

 Governor-General of Canada, patron of the club : — 



1898. 

 Dec. 14. — Meeting for the Exhibition of Specimens and Conversation. 

 " Inaugural Address," by Prof. John Macoun, M.A., F.L.S. 

 " Notes on some Local Violets," by Mr. James M. Macoun. 

 Eeport of the Botanical Branch. — Discussion. 



