THE CYCLE OF THE SEASONS 25 



are in the most likely mood to take the fly. They are now gorged 

 with the mayfly (which is black in colour and otherwise quite unlike 

 the English species) until they have come to the very pink of con- 

 dition. Every rock and bush at the edge of the sheltered lakes 

 is now found on a fine warm day to be fairly covered with these 

 choice morsels of trout diet. At times the insect myriads rise on 

 the wing until they suggest a cloud of smoke. Vast, indeed, is the 

 number of lakes scattered broadcast over Nova Scotia often 

 connected by streams into long chains affording means for delight- 

 ful expeditions, by means of a birch-bark canoe or light draught 

 boat, far into the penetralia of the backwoods. 



SPRING I CARRYING THE CANVAS BOAT TO THE TROUT LAKES. 



Early in May schools of ' alewives ' (fresh-water herring) begin 

 to migrate up all the principal streams where their ascent is not 

 cruelly barred by the lumberman's mill-dams yielding an agreeable 

 change of diet to the settler along the, banks, and contributing to 

 the support of his family during the long winter months. They 

 are taken by means of dip nets attached to a long swinging pole 

 for a handle. 



Capital sea-trout fishing is to be had in many of the wood- 

 land streams of Nova Scotia. If there should be a run of trout not 

 yet entered the rivers, one may take a boat down any of the long 

 estuaries which everywhere indent the Atlantic seaboard, receiving 

 some woodland stream at its head. Here the trout lie at the edge 



