The Flora of Montreal Island. 209 
Throughout the season of 1891, I kept my eyes open where 
ever I chanced to be on the island, in the prosecution of 
duty or in pursuit of recreation, and I succeeded in securing 
specimens of the following plants, which I have mounted 
and presented to the museum of the Natural History 
Society. After I had entered on my voluntary task, the 
Botanical Club of Canada was formed, during the sitting of 
the Royal Society in this city in 1891, and it has mapped 
out the Dominion for Botanical purposes, assigning each 
county or group of counties to certain well known natur- 
alists who are asked to take the oversight of the botanical 
research in their respective districts, securing the co-opera- 
tion of local workers in this department, cheering them on 
and directing their enthusiasm. Anything I can do in 
connection with this joint movement, I shall be glad to 
attempt, and if the results I reach can be utilized by the 
Botanical Club, I put them entirely at its disposal. On the 
other hand, as one person cannot be expected to fall upon 
everything that grows on the island, I crave the help of 
every botanist in the district in the eftort to secure as com- 
plete a catalogue as possible of our local flora. A well 
assorted cabinet of the plants growing around the city, 
placed in the museum of the Natural History Society, and 
thus put within reach of all among our citizens that are 
interested in this delightful science, would be a great boon; 
and the wonder is that an attempt to secure it has not been 
long ago made. 
I am not overlooking the Holmes’ collection, nor am I 
unmindful of its great scientific value. Dut it should not be 
forgotten that seventy years have elapsed since it was made, 
and very great and important changes must have come over 
the flora of the district in the interval. Besides, Dr. 
Holmes’ Herbarium did not profess to be solely a Montreal 
island collection, much less did it claim to present a com- 
plete catalogue of the plant-life of the island. The bulk of 
the specimens which he preserved for the instruction of 
later generations, as might be expected, were indeed 
gathered in the neighborhood of the city, picked up, many 
