476 Miscellaneous. 



four in the chair. Mr J. E. Gray, President of the Botanical 

 Society of London, was elected a Non-JResident member. Dona- 

 tions to the library were announced from Mr Sowerby and Mr 

 Leighton. 



Mr J. M'Nab read an extract from his Journal of a Tour through 

 Canada and the United States during the summer of 1834, contain- 

 ing a highly interesting account of an excursion to the Falls of Nia- 

 gara, with particular reference to the botanical features of that cele- 

 brated locality. The Arbor vitse (Thuja occidentalis ) was observed 

 to be exceedingly abundant in the neighbourhood of the Falls, over- 

 hanging the rapids in many places in the most curious manner. 

 Drawings were exhibited of some of these which had sprung up in 

 a very singular way. Several large lime trees had been cut down, 

 many years ago, about two feet above the ground ; and, after decay 

 had commenced, some seeds of Arbor vitse had got into the centre 

 of them, where they had germinated, and now formed beautiful and 

 handsomely shaped trees, upwards of 20 feet in height, with stems 

 20 inches in circumference. The deciduous trees chiefly consisted of 

 platanus and tulip trees, oaks, elms, limes, ashes, walnuts, beeches, 

 birches, and poplars. The herbaceous vegetation was very luxuri- 

 ant, and presented many rare and interesting species. The exposed 

 rocky ground above the Falls was richly adorned with dwarf shrubby 

 plants, of which the Hypericum Kalmianum, then in full flower, was 

 the most conspicuous, whilst the swampy grounds were profusely 

 covered with the beautiful scarlet and blue cardinal flowers (Lobelia 

 cardinalis and syphilitica. J Impatiens bijlora was remarked as the 

 plant growing nearest the descending water of the Falls, being con- 

 stantly within the influence of the spray, and assuming a tall and 

 spongy habit, without any appearance of flowers. On Goat Island, 

 which separates the American from the British Fall, the herbaceous 

 plants were very various, including Hepaticas, Trillium, Cypri- 

 pediitm, &c. ; also Sanguinaria Canadensis, Hedrastis Canadensis, 

 Podophyllum peltatum, Arum triphyllum, Jejfersonia diphylla, Sym- 

 phira racemosa, &c. &c* 



Dr Graham stated, that, in consequence of the early, long-continu- 

 ed, and severe winter, a very considerable number of half-hardy 

 shrubby plants in the Botanic Garden had been more or less in- 

 jured ; and that he proposed exhibiting in a tabular form the extent 



* Several members of the Society requested Mr M'Nab to publish the Jour- 

 nal of his Tour, and stated their readiness, should he incline to publish it by 

 subscription, to do all in their power to aid him in procuring the requisite 

 number of subscribers. 



