450 tHE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. 



Vll. 



period, I give, in the following pages, the result of an examina- 

 tion of the soundings in various parts of that bay, as shewn in 

 the Admiralty chart. For although an ocean current constantly 

 setting in one direction cannot be expected to produce exactly 

 the same result, in transporting superficial accumulations, as the 

 tides which flow alternately up and down the Bay, the agree- 

 ment is sufficiently close to illustrate the subject under considera- 

 tion. 



In the Bay of Fundy, the run of tide varies from 2 or 3 knots 

 at its mouth to 7 or 8 knots (!) in the Parrsboro passage near 

 its head. The chain of islands which separate Passamaquoddy 

 Bay from the larger bay, presents, on a small scale, a barrier 

 similar to that which, during the Syrtensian period, separated 

 the ocean waters north and south of the Highlands in Southern 

 New Brunswick. Passamaquoddy Bay has two principal outlets, 

 viz., Quoddy River (salt) and La Tete passage. The rush of 

 the tide through these passes causes a roaring sound which may 

 be heard for many miles ; and the whirlpools are strong enough 

 to upset boats and careen large vessels. Both channels are full 

 of deep holes, ledges and pointed rocks. At Quoddy River, the 

 tide passes over barriers having only 15 fathoms at low water ; 

 yet within there is 50 fathoms in the narrowest and straightest 

 part, and 30 fathoms where it merges into the shallower waters 

 of Passamaquoddy Bay : in the contour of the 20 and 15 fathom 

 lines, tidal erosion may be traced quite across the Bay, on the 

 Robbinson shore, along which runs the channel that connects 

 Quoddy River with the estuary of Sainte Croix River. 



Opposite the La TSte passage, tidal wear on the bottom of 

 Passamaquoddy Bay is even more conspicuous. One would 

 naturally expect to find in this bay the channel of such an im- 

 portant river as the Maga'davic. the largest entering the sea 

 between the St. John River and the United States border; yet 

 no trace of it can be detected beyond the 5 fathom line ; on the 

 other hand, the tidal trough which begins inside Passamaquoddy 

 Bay, with a depth of 40 fathoms, may be traced up the centre 

 of the Bay, through the 30, 20, 15 and 10 f^ithom contour lines. 

 Even the small middle passage between McMaster's and Pen- 

 dleton's Islands has produced a hollow of 24 ftithoms' depth, 

 connecting with that in front of La Tete passage. 



Opposite each of the main inlets into Passamaquoddy Bay, 

 beyond the deep water, but immediately in front of these openings, 



