360 TEREDO NAVALIS IN NOVA SCOTIA — MURPHY. 



The specimens of its borings obtained from Pictou, which I 

 place before you, leave no doubt that it is the work of the Teredo. 



At the Pine Tree Gut, about six miles from New Glasgow, and 

 eight from Pictou, where the railway crosses the tidal estuary, 

 the Teredo has attacked the piles of the railway bridge, which 

 we shall hereafter refer to. 



At the marine slip, Strait of Canseau, distinct traces of the 

 work of the Teredo are quite visible. 



At Sydney, C. B., every wharf suffers by their depredations, 

 except the pier of the Sydney and Louisburg Railway, which is 

 an example of how their attacks can be prevented. I snail here- 

 after refer to this structure. 



At Louisburg, and at Margaree, they are also quite active, so 

 that I think we may fairly assume that they are to be found in 

 the other harbours intermediate between those places. 



Returning to the Strait of Canseau, and proceeding westwardly 

 towards Halifax, we are in the region of the Limnoria Lignorum, 

 and although traces of the Teredo may be found at the ship 

 yards and marine slips all along our shores further south, yet 

 they are neither numerous nor destructive. The wood eating 

 Limnorise now become the active agents of destruction. Myriads 

 of them are visible on the piles of our wharves, and on every 

 piece of submerged wood within the zone of their attack. From 

 Whitehaven to Halifax, at Mahone Bay, Lockeport, Shelburne 

 Yarmouth, St. Mary's Bay and at Digby the attacks of these 

 little borers are vexatiously conspicuous. A pile at the old yacht 

 club house in Halifax Harbour, 12 inches in diameter, was reduced 

 to 6 inches in seven years. Along the Atlantic shore they de- 

 stroy timber over its submerged surface within the limits of its 

 workings at the rate of about one inch per annum. Specimens 

 from Digby, which I submit, show a much less degree of destruc- 

 tion. Those four specimens of piles, taken from Digby wharf, 

 13 years submerged, were, when driven, 10, 12, 13 and 15 inches 

 respectively, they are now G|, 5, 7 and 6 in the order in which 

 they are first named. Along St. Mary's Bay, Annapolis Basin, 

 and Minas Channel, inlets of the Bay of Fundy, the average rate 

 of destruction seems to be about the same as at Digby, namely, 



