



1920I BRIEFER ARTICLES 241 



Biological Division to the Geological Survey, and was looking forward 

 to a wider field of public service. 



Macoun 's great ability to do work of a special nature satisfactorily 

 was early recognized in the Geological Survey, and in 1891, when it 

 became necessary to investigate the fur seal fisheries of the Pacific 

 Islands on behalf of Great Britain and Canada, he was chosen by 

 Dr. G. M. Dawson, then Director of the Geological Survey and Bering 

 Sea Commissioner for Canada, to go with him. His services in the 

 study of the habits and life history of the fur seal proved so valuable 

 that he was retained on this special work in 1892 and 1893, and was 

 sent to Europe as an expert in connection with the fur seal arbitration. 

 In 1896 he was again sent to Bering Sea, and again in 1914. In 191 1 

 he spent 10 weeks in Washington as one of Canada's representatives at 

 the fur seal conference. Because of this special international work he 

 was very highly commended by Lord Bryce, then British Ambassador 

 at Washington, and received a C.M.G. for his services. 



The field work of the staff of the Geological Survey takes the mem- 

 bers to many parts of Canada, and mainly to the outlying, or least 

 civilized parts of the Dominion, and during the 36 years of service 

 Macoun had his full share, enduring in some of the expeditions very 

 severe hardships. As an example it will be remembered that in 1910, 

 while studying the flora and fauna of the west coast of Hudson Bay, 

 the ship which carried him and his party was wrecked, and they had to 

 attempt the return to civilization in a small boat; but fortunately they 

 were rescued and taken to Fort Churchill, from which point the party 

 made the overland trip to Lake Winnipeg on foot, in the depth of winter, 

 reaching the telegraph line after having been almost given up for lost. 



As an evidence of the splendid work done by himself and his father, 

 there are now in the possession of the National Herbarium of the Geo- 

 logical Survey, over 100,000 specimens of the flora of Canada. In addi- 

 tion, both men may be named among the founders of the Royal Victoria 

 Museum of Canada, and perhaps half of the bird specimens, numbering 

 about 14,000 in all, were supplied by the Macouns. 



As a botanist, Macoun proved himself a keen observer, and the 

 enormous collections which he brought home from his expeditions con- 

 tain a most excellent foundation for the knowledge of the Canadian 

 flora. He discovered many new species, and his talent to select and 

 prepare specimens so as to represent the variation of a number of plants 

 was unsurpassed. Although he was more familar with the Canadian 

 flora than any other botanist, he contributed but very little in print. 



