84 JOENAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



Another pretty shrub that, at blossoming time, reminded one 

 very much of the European Hawthorn, was once quite abundant in 

 spots not far from here. I allude to the plum-leaved Spiraea, which 

 is now becoming scarce, and seems likely soon to become extinct in 

 these parts. 



Also, as the forests are cleared, that interesting shrub, the 

 American Euonyraus (var. obovatus), with its brilliant red berries, is 

 much less frequently met with than was the case in former years. 

 We remember, on our first making enquiries as to the name and 

 nature of this noticeable shrub, being assured by some of our pioneer 

 neighbors that it was a connection of the Nightshade order of vege- 

 tables, and that its berries were a virulent poison. But this infor- 

 mation proved somewhat inaccurate, as many times the Ruffled 

 Grouse and also the Red Squirrel have been seen by our acquaint- 

 ances carrying off or regaling themselves in the late autumn on the 

 fruit of the Wahoo. 



It is a well known tradition among keepers of singing canaries 

 that, to preserve the purity of their color, they need to be furnished 

 with food material of their own tint ; accordingly a supply of saffron 

 is placed at the bird's disposal. A trait or habit that we once 

 noticed in a scarlet Tanager would seem to prove the correctness 

 and propriety of this ruse of the bird fanciers. An elder bush whose 

 fruit ripens frequently in the month of June, and is of a fiery red 

 color, was frequented by a Tanager many times in a day as long as 

 the supply of elderberries lasted, although the bird had to traverse 

 the distance of nearly a quarter of a mile to come to its chosen food 

 from its usual habitat in the tall maple woods. 



When these parts were first settled (perhaps forty years ago) 

 grassy intervals, styled beaver meadows, were of frequent occurrence 

 and although the herbage was rank, coarse and sedgelike, these areas 

 were valuable, and were mown and the crop taken care of, and used 

 as winter fodder for the cattle of the pioneer settlers, but the 

 experience was general that as soon as the surrounding forest was 

 cleared away, a sturdy growth of willows and cornel shrubs, and es- 

 pecially the red osier and white berried cornel invaded these 

 morassy levels, and nothing short of the axe, and the grubbing hoe, 

 supplemented by the labour of the ditcher, and ultimately by that of 



