THE IPSWICH SPARROW. II 



rounded grains of white or transparent quartz, and no stones are found. ^ 

 The beach is strewn with shells of manjr species, and its monotonous 

 stretches are relieved by the ribs and other fragments of unfortunate 

 vessels. Inland, the continuous areas of vegetation are much more exten- 

 sive over the eastern half of the island than elsewhere ; and evergreen 

 shrubs almost entirely replace the tiirf-covered areas of its western part. 



Climate. 



The climate of Sable Island is colder in summer and warmer in 

 winter than its situation (East End Light, Lat. 43° 58' 10" N., Long. 59° 46 

 20" W. ; West End Light, Lat. 43° 56' 40" N., Long. 60° & W.)- would 

 indicate. It lies in the cold Labrador current sweeping down from Baffin's 

 Bay. Hence the cool summers ; for Mr. Boutilier tells me there are only 

 about twenty days in each year when the mercury goes above 70° F. and 

 the highest recorded temperature in the last ten years has been 78.5° F. 

 Proximity to the Gulf Stream tempers the winters, and only twice in the 

 same period has the temperature been as low as 6° F., rarely reaching the 

 single figure. Snow does not lie long, but wastes rapidly in the salt air. 

 This same proximity to the Gulf Stream explains, too, the dense and fre- 

 quent fogs that prevail at all seasons of the year. The warm, moisture- 

 laden air of the Gulf Stream is carried by southerly breezes till it meets 

 the cold atmosphere of the Labrador current, when a condensation of the 

 aqueous vapor takes place, resulting in the fogs that often roll in, particu- 

 larly in summer, as far as the Nova Scotia coast. I was informed that 

 June and July were the months most to be dreaded, and that only a few 

 years ago fog had prevailed at this time for nine consecutive weeks. I 

 was more favored, and although there was fog of varying density almost 

 every day of my stay, and occasional rain, the sun would sometimes 

 struggle through for a few moments. Once or twice it shone brightly in 

 the crisp air, a stifi' westerly breeze driving the fog-banks out to sea, and 

 dashing little waves upon the lagoon's shores until they were lined with 

 snowy drifts of foam. It was a pretty sight, and large balls of the foam, 

 diminishing in size as they sped, were chased along by the wind, 

 leaving behind them queer white trails on the moist beach. 



' Cy: S. D. Macdonald, 'Geological Notes,' Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Sci., Vol. V, pt. iv, 18S2, pp. 

 337-339- 



- From ' List of Lights and Fog-Signals on the coasts rivers and lakes of the Dominion of 

 Canada. Corrected to ist January, 1894.' 



