16 
The President read the memorandum which was drawn up in April last 
regarding the formation of sections of the Society in various departments of natural 
science, and after giving an account of the enthusiasm with which the project was 
taken up by the naturalists in London, he congratulated the members on the 
success of the movement and hoped that it would long continue. 
A paper by Mr. Frederick Clarkson, of New York, entitled “ Observations 
from the top of a White Mountain coach,” concluded the formal part of the 
meeting, and was listened to with much interest. At the request of those 
present, Dr. Bethune gave an entertaining account of the admirable work of Miss 
Eleanor A. Ormerod, the foremost economic entomologist of Great Britain, 
including pleasant reminiscences of his personal acquaintance with her. 
The meeting then proceeded to discuss the locality and arrangements for an 
outing the next day, and decided upon visiting the banks of the River Thames a 
few miles below the city, where there is an excellent collecting ground. 
Mr. Dearness, Mr. W. E. Saunders and Dr. Woolverton were next called 
upon to give a report of the procedings in the botanical, ornithological and 
geological sections respectively; their remarks were highly interesting and 
encouraging, and proved that the new departure made by the Society is an 
excellent one and must greatly redound to its success and prosperity. 
After some congratulatory remarks by the President upon the admirable 
showing of the Society for the past year, the meeting adjourned. 
A DAY IN THE WOODS. 
BY THE REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. 
A day inthe woods! What delightful reminiscences do the words awaken 
recollections of bird-nesting and nutting expeditions, and of 
‘“The days when we went gipsying a long time ago.” 
To the busy man, who loves business for itself, a day of relaxation can 
hardly be unwelcome ; but to the man who leads a busy life, not from choice, 
but from stress of circumstances and for whom the wilderness and the solitary 
place have especial charms, how delightful is it to escape from his accustomed 
haunts, and “far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife,” to look into the fair 
face of Nature, and to listen with loving reverence whilst she tells of many 
things. 
It was with something akin to the feelings of such a man that on the 6th 
day of August last, I proposed to the young people at my house that we should 
have a day in the woods. The proposition was joyfully welcomed, a party was 
goon made up, the horse was harnessed, lunch baskets were packed, tin-pails for 
berrying were stowed away and forthwith we started. We drove along the cliff 
road to St. David’s and then took a by-road leading to St. Henri’s. Soon we came 
to a region of sand. Wherever the turf was cut by the wagon-wheels sand 
appeared. With change of soil, a change of flora and fauna may be expected. 
The first thing that took my attention was the multitude of tiger beetles fre- 
quenting this green lane. A sandy tract in which ant-hills are numerous is the 
favorite hunting ground of the cicindelide, and in such a tract the mining opera- 
tions of their larvee may be easily carried on. Amongst the beetles that I 
noticed on this occasion, was the blue-black cicindela with the yellow clypeus 
De 
