136 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. viii. 



11 Cascade Range," through a total misapprehension of the 

 leading features of the country, has of late years been extended 

 so as to include also the North-West Coast Range, from which 

 the true Cascade Range is geographically quite distinct. Hence 

 much confusion has arisen. Against this perversion I have always 

 protested ; and now once more endeavour to restore the distinc- 

 tion before most properly made by the original explorers, and 

 established on their maps. 



The North-West Coast Range, just referred to, originates 

 opposite to Langley near the mouth of Fraser River, and con- 

 tinues north-westward, nearly parallel with the coast, till it 

 is merged in the Rocky Mountains between 56° and 57 Q — thus 

 forming the whole western watershed of Fraser River, as the 

 northern part of the Cascade Range, with its offset connected 

 with the Rocky Mountain Columbian spur, does the eastern. 

 The contour of this range, especially on the coast-ward side, is 

 extremely broken and irregular ; its rugged spurs forming the 

 sub-divisions between the numerous arms with which the north- 

 west coast is indented. As we advance northward, however, 

 the summit itself is not of a broken nature ; but exhibits a 

 vast plateau, yielding lichens and other congenial vegetation, 

 together with a stunted growth of pines in parts. This portion 

 of the range is the resort of innumerable Rein-deer of the 

 mountain variety, and abounds also with Ptarmigan. Its 

 elevation opposite to Bentinck Arm, between lat. 52° and 53°, 

 is 4,360 feet, and at the head of Bute Inlet Pass, where the char- 

 acteristics are somewhat different, 3,117 feet ; but there are 

 other points where depressions occur, as for instance between 

 Stuart and Babine Lakes, where the altitude does not probably 

 mnch exceed 2,000 feet above the sea level. The highest sum- 

 mits in parts, rise to about 10,000 feet; but amid the general 

 ruggedness of contour there are no strikingly conspicuous peaks 

 as on the Cascade Range. 



Diverging from the Rocky Mountains near the 49th parallel 

 is the ridge forming the Southern and Eastern Watershed of 

 Hudson's Bay. — Under the varying cognominations of Coteau 

 de la Missouri, Coteau des Prairies, &c, this watershed, pas- 

 sing the heads of the Red River, forms the northern and 

 western boundaries of the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and, 

 dividing Labrador, terminates at Hudson's Strait, opposite to 

 Southampton Island. The average elevation of the Prairie 



