THE MARITIME PROVINCES. 15 



well-known inhabitant of the tropics, the latter a true 

 boreal form. Tropical forms of fish are of frequent oc- 

 currence in the Halifax market, and shoals of flying 

 fish have been observed by Admiral Sir Alexander Milne 

 in the Gulf Stream as far as 37 deg. 50 min. N. 



A sketch, however slight, of the physical geography of 

 the Acadian Provinces would be incomplete were notice 

 to be omitted of the famous Bay of Fundy tide — a page 

 of modern geological history much to be studied in eluci- 

 dation of phenomena of ages long past, as pointed out 

 by Dr. Dawson, the well-known author of a valuable 

 scientific work termed "Acadian Geology." On the 

 Atlantic seaboard at Halifax the rise of the spring tide 

 is about six feet, a height attained at high water with 

 but little variation throughout this coast. After passing 

 Cape Sable, the southernmost extremity of the province, 

 the portals of the bay may be said to be gained ; and 

 here an appreciable rise occurs in the tidal wave of 

 about three feet. Farther round, at Yarmouth, sixteen 

 feet is the height at high water in spring tides, reaching 

 to twenty-seven feet at Digby Gut, forty-three feet at 

 Parsboro, and, at the mouth of the Shubenacadie Eiver 

 at the head of Cobequid Bay, occasionally attaining the 

 extraordinary elevation of seventy feet above low water 

 mark. In this, as well as in several other rivers dis- 

 charging into the bay, the tide rushes up the channel for 

 a considerable distance into the interior with an at- 

 tendant phenomenon termed " the Bore," — an advanced 

 wave or wall of surging waters, some four feet above the 

 level of the descending fresh water stream. The spec- 

 tator, standing on the river bank, presently sees a proces- 

 sion of barges, boats, or Indian canoes, taking advantage 



