BOTANIZING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 
105 
caerulea ), prodigal in abundance, drifting in downy masses over 
the meadows, these little plants are a perennial joy. -No one can 
be unmindful of these “ quaker ladies ” (another name for them), 
so modest, pure, and simple. 
Then, there is the saxifrage, the rock-breaker, with its white 
clusters of inflorescence. Not so abundant here as in some places, 
it is often a distinct feature of a hillside, sharing the honors with 
the columbine, the five-finger and the sagittate violet. 
The blood-root, too, is an early comer. Already its “ baby 
pearl ” is displayed in our yards—enwrapped by its crinkled leaf. 
This later grows to at least four times its present size. When 
the columbine arises, nature is in a mood for more decided color, 
though she was yellow from the start, in marsh marigolds, colts¬ 
foot and dandelion. She is particularly happy in the columbine, 
touching it always with dainty fingers, and setting it off to best 
advantage on cliff or hillside. Bees and boys discover the honey 
in the long, knobbed spurs. 
Such is the opening of the year. When May is somewhat ad¬ 
vanced, the flowers troop in too fast to be collected or enumerated. 
They always, however, permit a bow of recognition. 
BOTANIZING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 
By Charles H. Shaw, 
Professor of Biology, Ursinus College. 
Eastern British Columbia, the Selkirk country, is a region whose 
vegetation is comparatively little known. Considerable botanical 
investigation has been done in Montana, which lies next to it on 
the south, and several bontanists have collected along the line 
of the Canadian Pacific Railroad which pierces the region, but 
aside from this almost nothing has been done. About a year 
ago the writer began to organize an expedition for the purpose 
of enlarging our knowledge of the plants of this district. The 
plan was advanced by the support of the Medico-Chirurgical Col¬ 
lege, and in June a party of five of us left the railroad at Field, 
