Section II., 1909. [ 197 ] Trans. R. S. C. 



V. — The Identity of the Animals and Plants mentioned by the early 

 Voyagers to Eastern Canada and Newfoundland. 



By W. F. Ganong. 

 (Read May 25, 1908.) 



In making my translation and annotation of Nicolas Denys' De- 

 scription and Natural History of Acadia, recently published by the 

 'Champlain Society, I had much trouble in identifying some of ihe 

 animals and plants mentioned by him. Accordingly, and very naturally, 

 I turned for suggestions to the other early works treating of the same 

 region. From them I derived much aid, but at the same time it became 

 evident that much uncertainty and some error is current in connection 

 with this particular subject. Each translator or commentator appears 

 to have made his identifications from the data in the work itself, sup- 

 plemented by such accessory aid as general dictionaries might give; but 

 apparently nobody as yet has bethought himself to make a comparative 

 study of all these works together, thus utilizing one to supplement an- 

 other, and much less has anybody brought to bear upon the problem 

 the local nomenclature of French, English and Indians. This compara- 

 tive method I have now applied, and it has served so well that few 

 matters remain doubtful in this subject, as the reader may judge for 

 himself from the results recorded below. To make this paper more 

 useful I have not confined the list to a discussion of doubtful identities, 

 but have included all, so that it may serve as a somewhat complete key 

 to the fauna and flora which drew thje attention of our early explorers. 

 It was, of course, necessary to fix some geographical limits, and these 

 I have made to include ancient Acadia, ancient Canada, which is Quebec 

 as far west as Montreal, with Newfoundland and Labrador. I have 

 also omitted all mention of the plants cultivated by the Indians, partly 

 because the identifications of Slafter and of Baxter seem to me correct, 

 and partly because their study must be undertaken from the south and 

 not from the north. 



It will be noticed in the list below that the scientific names are 

 mostly missing, though they would naturally be expected in a study made 

 by one whose training has been scientific. I had thought at first to add 

 them, but in fact they would have been of little use. Scientific nomen- 

 clature, owing chiefly to the dissensions prevailing among scientific men, 

 is in a constant state of change, to such a degree that scientific names 

 have become far less stable, distinctive and useful than the common 



