1909-1910.] 2 8q 



Great Crested Grebe, Podicipes cris talus, Summer visitant. 

 Little Grebe, P. fluviatilis, resident. Local name " Diver." 



The address was discussed by Messrs. Robert Patterson, 

 F.L.S., M.B.O.U. ; B. Hobson, J. N. Milne, H. L. Orr, and 

 several interesting points were raised by the speakers. 



The election of Messrs. John Watson and W. A. Jenkins to 

 Membership concluded the business of the meeting. 



" THE ECOLOGY OF PLANTS. 



At a meeting of the Botanical Section, held in the Museum 

 on Saturday, 20th November, the Rev. C. H. Waddell, B.D., read 

 a paper on the Ecology of Plants. He said that Plant Ecology 

 was the study of Plant-life in relation to its environment. This 

 new way of studying Botany, regarding plants as members of 

 associations not as individuals, was sure to be productive of 

 important and interesting results. The object of the lecture was 

 to give a general view of the subject, and especially to suggest 

 some lines of study which would be within the power of Members 

 to carry out. Much had been done already in the way of making 

 botanical maps and surveys of large districts of country. This 

 required much time and patience, and a considerable amount of 

 botanical knowledge to carry out to a successful result, but there 

 were some smaller problems which could be worked out with 

 much profit. Restricting the field of observation to the plant-life 

 of a wood, or marsh, or even a small piece of waste ground, much 

 might be learned about the life of plants. Many questions might 

 be asked to which no answers could be given at first, but in time 

 some of the answers would suggest themselves. 



Some of the most striking associations were described. The 

 chief divisions into which these fall are (1) Hydrophytes, water- 

 plants; (2) Xerophytes, dry-soil plants; (3) Haiophytes, saline- 



