402 



Meadow Mint — Mentlia canadensis. 



Water Persicaria — Polyg'onum amphibium. 



Monkey Flower — Mlmulus ringens. 



These were all found in a short walk on the south west 

 shore of the Pond. The Polygonum is very conspicuous 

 there, presenting a variety of its multiplied forms and oc- 

 curring both in and out of the water . In a subsequent 

 walk he had found the Germander (Teucrium canaclense) 

 growing rankly in some old yards, in a rather peculiar form, 

 with reddish or pinkish flowers. 



The Chair observed that we do not suspect the presence 

 of plants in all places where they really are. He had a leaf 

 of the Hawthorn before him, which, to the casual glance, ap- 

 peared dotted with brown and yellow mould. Few would 

 suppose that this mouldy, scurfy, surface was really a collec- 

 tion oi living, growing, independent plants, as beautiful in 

 form and color as they were amazing in minuteness and del- 

 icacy. Yet so it was. The admirable power of the micro- 

 scope reveals a world of living organisms in a drop of water 

 or in the insignificant spot upon the ancient stone or decay- 

 ing tree. Life is everywhere about us, found no less perfect 

 and wonderful in the minutest form than in those of vast pro- 

 portions. Some of these delicate things were members of 

 the great family of Lichens, others belonged to the Fungi." 

 Each had its peculiar style of growth, each was perfect in 

 kind and fully fitted to the place nature designed it to occupy. 



S. P. Fowler added to the day's acquisitions the discovery 

 of a dwarf species of Birch along the shore of the Pond. He 

 supposed it to be the 5e^'M^a ^^wmYft of Linnaeus, sometimes 

 known as the Arctic Birch. If he was correct, then this 

 must be about as near the sea shore as it ever approaches, for 

 although it is said to abound in northern regions, he had nev- 

 er seen or heard of it before in this jDart of the country. Mr, 

 F. also proposed the following which was unamiously adop- 

 ted: — 



