SEASONS AT FORT FRANKLIN. 255 



district. About the 10th or 12th of the month small streams 

 break up, the mean temperature of the ten preceding days 

 having risen to 37° Fah. Bear Lake River, which is fed from 

 the depths of the lake with warmer water, breaks its bonds at 

 its efflux earlier. Lower down, this river remains fast till the 

 first or second week of June. Mackenzie River usually opens 

 at Fort Simpson about the 7th of May, and in the more north- 

 ern quarters in the course of a week later ; the boats which 

 follow the flood in its descent taking about that time to go to 

 Fort Good Hope. In 1849 the river broke up on the unprece- 

 dentedly late date of the 23d of May. 



At this latter date there is bright light at midnight on 

 Great Bear Lake, and the Fringilla leucophrys is employed with 

 other songsters in singing at that hour. 



Snow-geese arrive about this time, or a week earlier, and 

 are followed in a fortnight by the laughing-geese. Both kinds 

 wing their way northwards in bands of from fifteen to forty 

 individuals, which are passing every few minutes day and 

 night for about three weeks. Many go on without halting ; 

 others alight in the marshes to feed on the nascent stems of the 

 early CgperacecB, which are developed with marvellous rapidity 

 after the commencement of the thaw, and, though still wrapped 

 in the dead leaves of last season, have acquired juiciness and 

 a sweet taste by the time that the snow has mostly gone. 

 Towards the end of May, or in the first week in June, accord- 

 ing to the earliness of the spring, Chrysosplenium alterni- 

 foliitm, Arbutus alpinus, Erioplwrum vaginatum begin to 

 flower, and the Betula glandulosa and some willows show their 

 tender foliage and catkins. Early in June the Potentdla 

 fruticosa, the Rhododendron lapponicum, and several anemones 

 flower. Frogs at this time croak loudly ; and by the middle of 

 the month, summer may be considered as fairly established. 

 About the 24th or 26th of July, ripe bleaberries ( Vaccinium 

 tdiginosum) may be gathered. Strawberries are generally a 

 week earlier, and the Arbutus alpina and Rubus chamcemorus, 

 or cloudberry, are somewhat later. 



In the beginning of August stars may be seen at midnight ; 



