108 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTK. [VoL. V. 



During July, 1886, the prevailing winds being N.E. in the western 

 entrance of the Strait and E. elsewhere, doubtless much ice drifted into 

 Hudson's Bay, and was there melfcd. These winds, which probably often 

 inclined to northward, tend to pack the ice on the south side of the Strait, 

 leaving periodically wide stretches of open water on the north side, and 

 this is doubtless of frequent occurrence at this time of the year, as ships 

 entering Hudson's Bay always keep to the north side of the Strait. 

 Although these ships are often caught and held fast in the pack for a 

 short time, upon the ice becoming loose they are again able to move on. 

 The sun by July 20th being quite warm and the temperature of the water 

 increasing, the ice is much honeycombed, and upon the ice-pans may every- 

 where be found pools of perfectly fresh water from which passing ships 

 take their supply. By the middle of July all the small bays were open, 

 and once more, when they were not packed with drifting ice, as often 

 occurred, the welcome sound of waves could be heard breaking upon the 

 shore. By July 22nd, 18S6, all the ice had become generally very open, 

 and although often packing tightly with a strong wind and probably an 

 opposing tide, it would soon open again, and fifteen days later there was 

 little to be seen at Cape Prince of Wales, while elsewhere the remaining 

 ice was widely scattered. 



Returning again to the land on July 15th we find the young of four or 

 five different birds already fledged, including the snow bunting and shore 

 lark; the fox, hare and lemming have assumed their summer garb; 

 salmon and trout have been for several days ascending the streams to 

 their spawning beds, and all are enjoying the warm sun to the full. Upon 

 the shore in the little pools of water and among the seaweed left by 

 the receding tide a variety of marine life may be found, including 

 several kinds of fish, muscles, clams, shrimps, anemones and large jelly 

 fish. None of the fishes, however, show as much vitality as those of the 

 same species in lower latitudes, and most of them were very easily 

 caught with the hand. The Eskimo at last look happy, and as seals and 

 the white whale are plentiful they are all quickly growing stout and lazy, 

 spending much of their time basking in the sun. Insect life is now at its 

 extreme height and includes several different kinds of butterflies, of which 

 the colias are the most numerous, moths, bees and mosquitoes, the latter 

 being about as numerous as the sands of the shore. Fortunately these 

 pests only become troublesome on warm days and then only in the sun- 

 light, being delightfully quiet after the sun goes down. Upon cold 

 cloudy days the bumble bee only would be seen on the wing. 



On July 30th, at Stupart's Bay, or Cape Prince of Wales, the ground 

 was found to be frozen at a depth of 48 inches, this probably exceeding 



