2% DEATH OF PROF. MACOUN 



Geological Survey of the Dominion; notably, are the 

 following explorations of territory: — 



"Prof. Macoun's first trip across the prairies was 

 with Sir Sandford Fleming, in 1872. His glowing report 

 of the country traversed caused him to be sent again in 

 1875, to explore the route that it was then intended that 

 the Canadian Pacific would follow. When the present 

 route was decided upon, the Government sent him in 

 1879, 1880 and 1881 to report upon the country that 

 would be opened up by the railway. Optimistic as his 

 reports and prophecies were, they have all proved true. 

 To these are to be added Prof. Macoun's explorations in 

 the Canadian Yukon Territory, in 1903, which revealed, 

 for the first time, that that far northern division of 

 Canada also possesses agricultural resources of no mean 

 order. Motion cordially adopted by the committee, 

 and presented to Prof. Macoun, pro forma, by the 

 Chair." 



Preparation of natural history specimens in the new museum, 

 shortly to be built, received much of his attention from this time 

 on and, with the help of Mr. C. H. Young, who had been em- 

 ployed to assist in the ornithological work, great progress was 

 made in the winter of 1906-7 in the arrangement and cataloguing 

 of the specimens of birds and mammals, Mr. J. M. Macoun as- 

 sisting in the botanical work. 



Prof. Macoun was asked, in May, 1907, to obtain photographs 

 of all Canadian forest trees and, at the same time, to secure 

 specimens of the wood for the new museum. With this end in 

 view, he went to Western Ontario, where he remained until the 

 end of July, obtaining many photographs of forest trees. Of 

 these, some 40 species are peculiar to Western Ontario. Later in 

 the summer, he went to Gaspe Basin and Perce, P.Q., to continue 

 his study of sea-weeds. An extensive collection was made and a 

 study of the species showed that the water here was comparative- 

 ly warm as compared with the north shore of the St. Lawrence, 

 where he had been in 1905. 



