﻿100 PRIMEAU'S LAKE. JrxE, 



fly is supposed to have carried off a morsel of 

 flesh. In fact, the Tabanus inserts a five-bladed 

 lancet, makes a perforation like a leech-bite, and, 

 introducing his flexible proboscis, proceeds to suck 

 the blood. He is, however, seldom suflered to re- 

 main at his repast ; unless, as in our case, he be 

 allowed to do so, that his mode of proceeding may 

 be inspected. These Tahani are troublesome only 

 towards noon and in a bright sun, when the heat 

 beats down the moschetoes.* 



In the afternoon we passed through Primeau's 

 Lake, having previously ascended three strong and 

 bad rapids. At the middle turn of the lake a 

 moderately high, long, and nearly level-topped hill 

 closes the transverse vista. The channel between 

 the eastern and western portions of the lake winds 

 among extensive sandy flats, covered with bents, 

 and in some places there was a rich crop of grass 

 not in flower, but seemingly a Poa. In the evening 

 we encamped at the " Portage of the Exhausted," 

 on the river between Isle a la Crosse and Pri- 

 meau Lakes. The rock here, and on the two 

 lak<?s below it, is the brownish-red slaty sienite 

 already mentioned : it has much resemblance to a 



* Of the five lancets with which the Tabanus wounds his 

 prey two are broader than the others. They are enclosed in a 

 black hairy sheath, whose extremity folds back. The palpi are 

 conico-cylindrical and tubular. 



