226 FOEEST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



of a trouting cruise along shore. The former seldom 

 venture from land (even on the forest lake they leave 

 the canoe or raft at a few yards' distance from the shore) 

 and, if the west wind be propitious, the cold damp 

 fog is driven away to the north-east, following the 

 coast line, several miles out to sea. 



Nothing can exceed the beauty of scenery in some of 

 the Atlantic harbours of Nova Scotia ; their innumer- 

 able islands and heavily-wooded shores fringed with the 

 golden kelp, the wild undulating hills of maple rising 

 in the background, the patches of meadow, and the 

 neat little white shanties of the fishermen's clearings, are 

 the prettiest and most common details of such pictures, 

 which never fade from the memory of the lover of 

 nature. How easily are recalled to remembrance the 

 fresh clear summer mornings enjoyed on the water ; 

 the fir woods of the western shores bathed in the 

 morning sunbeams, the perfect reflections of the islands 

 and of the little fishing schooners, the wreaths of blue 

 smoke rising from their cabin stoves, and rendered 

 distinct by the dark fir woods behind, and the 

 roar of the distant rapids, where the river joins the 

 harbour, borne in cadence on the ear, mingled with the 

 cheerful sounds of awakening life from the clearings. 

 The bald-healed eagles (H. leucocephalus) sail majes- 

 tically through the air, conspicuous when seen against 

 the line of woods by their snow-white necks and tails. 

 The graceful little tern (Sterna hirundo) is incessantly 

 occupied, circling over the harbour, shrilly screaming, 

 and ever and anon dashing down upon the water to 

 clutch the small fry ; whilst the common kingfisher, as 

 abundant by the sea-shore as in the interior, thinking 



