1864.] GEOLOGY AND BOTANY OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 89 



range of Gaspe, and again in the extreme southwest, the lofty sum- 

 mit of Katahdin. 



The Nepisiquit, like the Tobique, has its source in a chain of 

 romantic lakes, surrounded by lofty granite mountains. The 

 lakes in neither case are perfectly distinct, being rather simple ex- 

 pansions of single lakes. There are three of these expanded 

 sheets at the head of the Tobique, and four at the sources of the 

 Nepisiquit. The portage connecting the two lines of water-shed 

 does not excee 1 three miles, and now here attains an elevation of 

 more than fifty or sixty feet. 



The general direction of this transit is a little south of east, and 

 it is merely an obscure and little-frequented footpath through the 

 woods. The soil seemed fertile, and the vegetation varied— the 

 plants noticed being about the same as already given The ascent 

 from the Nictau Lake is very gradual, and near the middle of the 

 portage the land is low and swampy. From here it again ascends 

 until very near the Nepisiquit Lake, when it falls rapidly away 

 to that level. I should suppose that the latter lake occupies a 

 somewhat higher level than those on the Tobique. There are no 

 rocks apparent anywhere on the line of crossing. 



During this portion of our tour, themembers of our party were 

 greatly tormented by the incessant biting of black flies and mus- 

 quitoes. The development of insect life in this portion of New 

 Brunswick is very remarkable, and the number of insects and the 

 ease with which they can be obtained would fully satisfy the most 

 ardent entomologist. All the orders of insects seem to be repre- 

 sented, and by a great variety of genera and species. Butterflies 

 of all shades and varieties of gaudy coloring, eight or ten different 

 kinds of flies, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders, caterpillars, gadflies, 

 dragon-flies, and beetles are found in the greatest profusion. I 

 sometimes saw fifty or more butterflies swarming at rest upon a 

 single rock, and allowing one to pick them up by the handful. 

 Every day, and indeed almost every hour of the day, produced 

 some new individual ; and one of our party, who was a great ento- 

 mologist, met with numbers which he had never seen or even read 

 of before. Avery valuable and interesting collection might be 

 here made. The best season for such a purpose would be about the 

 beginning of July, as they afterwards become much less numerous, 

 and in August almost disappear. 



The Nepisiquit Lakes are four in number, connected with each 



