RAILWAY BRIDGE OVFR THE ST. LAWRENCE. 



[1853 



ice has piled up nearly as high as tlie roof of this building. Another 

 gentlbman, encouraged !y the security which this -waieliouse appa- 

 rently enjoyed, eieclcd i nu of great stiengih and equal li.ngn iliide on 

 t.hp. n< st water lot, but he omitted to protect it in the same way. The 

 result might have been anticipated. A movement of the ice occurring, 

 the great si, eet Struct the walls at richt angles and pushed over the 

 building as if it had been a house of cards. Both positions are now 

 Secured by the revetment wall. Several mcvemtnts of the grand order 

 ju»t mentioned occur before the final setting of Ihe ice, and each in 

 immediately preceded by a sudden rise of the river. Sometimes 

 several doye, and occasionally but a few bonis will intervene between 

 them, audit is fortunate that theie is a criterion by which ihe inhabi- 

 tants aie made aware when the ice may be considered at rest for the 

 season ; and when it has, therefore), Leceme safe for them to cut their 

 winter mads across its i-'Ugh and pinnacled surface. This is never 

 the ease until a longitudinal opening of some considerable extent ap- 

 pears in some pait of -St. Mary's current. It has embarrassed many 

 to give a satisfactory reason why this rule, derived from the experience 

 of the peasantry, should be depended on. But the explanation is ex- 

 tremelv simple. The opening is merely an indication that a free sub- 

 glacial* passage has been made for itself by the water through the 

 continued influence of erosion and temperature, the effect of which 

 where the current is strongest has been sufficient to wear through to 

 the surface. The formation of this passage shows the cessation of a 

 supply of submerged ire, and a consequent security against any further 

 lise 01 the liver to loosen its coVeiing for any further movement. T he 

 opening is thus a true mark of safety. It lasts the wh.de winter, never 

 1ietzir>g over, even when tie temperature of the air reaches 30 c be- 

 low zero of Farenheit ; and from its first appearance the waters of the 

 inundation gradually subside, escaping through the channel of which it 

 is the index. The waters seldom or never, however, fall so low as to 

 attain their summer level; but the subsidence is sufficiency great to 

 demonstrate cleaily the prodigious extent to which the ice has been 

 packed, and to show that over great occasional areas it has reached lo 

 the very bottom of the liver. For it will immediately occur to every 

 one that when the mass rests On the bottom its height will not be di- 

 minished by the subsidence of the water, and that as this proceeds, the 

 ice according lo the thickness which it has in various parts attained, 

 will present various elevations after it has found a resting place be- 

 neath until just so much is left supported by the stream as is sufficient 

 to permit its free escape. When the subsidence has attained its maxi- 

 mum, the Irough of the St. Lawrence, therefore, 'exhibits a glacial 

 landscape undulating into hills and valleys that run in various direc- 

 tions and while some of the principal mounds stand upon a base of 500 

 yards in length by a hundred or two in breadth, they present a height 

 of ten to fifteen feet above the level ot those points slid supported in 

 the water. __ 



Mr. Good's Locomotive Engine "Toronto. 5 ' 



We have much pleasure in presenting our readers with a 

 drawing of the first Locomotive Engine constructed in Canada, 

 and, indeed, we believe, in any British Colony. The ' Toronto' 

 is certainly no beauty, nor is she distinguished by any peculiarity 

 in her construction, but she affords a very striking illustration of 

 our progress in the mechanical arts, and of the growing wants of 

 the country. The ' Toronto' was built at the Toronto Locomo- 

 tive Works, which were established by Mr. Good in Oct. 1S52, 

 The order for the " Toronto" was received in February, 1853, for 

 the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railroad: the Engine was 

 completed en the sixteenth of April, and put on the track the 

 26th of the same month. Her dimensions are as follow: 

 Cylinder, 16 inches diameter; stroke, 22 in.; Driving wheel, 5 

 ft. 6 in. diameter; length of internal f ire-bos, 4 ft. 6 in. ; width of 

 do, 3 ft. 5 in.; height of do, 5 ft. in.; weight of Engine, 25 

 tons; number of tubes, 150; diameter of tubes, 2 inches. 



Aug. 5. Larva, of the large Whirl Beetles, {Gyrini) construct 

 cocoons of sand under logs etc., on the margin of pouds on the 

 Peninsula opposite Toronto, in which they transform into the perfect 

 insect, August G. Caterpillars of a Sphinx (Hawkmoth) found feeding 

 on the leaves of the Persian Lilac, entered the earth, August 8, — 

 changed iuto a chrysalis_Aug. 10. Caterpillar of a Sphinx, (Hawk- 

 moth) found feeding on the leaves of a Wild Grape Vine, changed 

 into a Chrysalis between two leaves, on the surface of moist earth, 

 Aug. 11. "Wasps construct the first foundation of their nest, Aug. 11 

 Caterpillar of a large Hyinenoptcrous fly (Tetithredo) found feeding on 

 the leaves of the \\ illow, entered the earth and formed a cocoon, Aug. 

 15. Caterpillar of the moth Saiurnia Polyphemus issues from the egg, 

 Aug. 1C — formed its cocoon Aug. 24. — This Caterpillar feeds on the 

 leaves of the Soft Maple.. A parasite of a lead-grey colour (Aphis 

 Zanata) (?) and covered with filaments of white down, clusters round 

 the branches of the Alder, Aug. 27. Needle Ichueumon-fly 

 (Pelceinus Polyccraior,) first seen, Aug. 27. Caterpillar of a Sphinx, 

 (Moth) found feeding on the leaves of the Plum tree, formed its cocoon 

 between leaves, on the surface of moist earth, Aug. 27. Caterpillar of 

 the Great Saturnia Moth, foimed its cocoon, Aug. 27. Caterpillar of 

 the Griseous Moth (Centra Hasluhfcra) found feeding on the leaves of 

 the Willow, constructed its cocoon ou a small twig, Aug. 31. — This 

 caterpillar is of a bright green colour, marked with brown lines, and 

 has two tails. Swallows disappear, Sept. 10. The Upper surface of 

 the leaves of the common Hazel separated by sociable Caterpillars of 

 a whitish colour, Sept. 10. Walking-stick insect (Phasma) attains its 

 full growth Aug. 14 : Female deposits its ova on the surface of the 

 earth, September 19. The leaves of the young Sugar Maples change 

 their colour, Sept. 19. — One species is quite an ornament to the forest 

 during the months of Sep. and Oct. — its leaves changes into a brilliant 

 Crimson. Caterpillar of a Saw-fly, ( Tentliredo Pini) found feeding on 

 the Pine, Sept. 19. — This insect is very destructive to the young pines 

 ■ — the larva from the eggs of two females will strip a tree of its foliage 

 in four days. Aphides of the Pinus Strobus, Sept. 19. The Toad 

 (Pufo Cognaius) hybernate in the earth, Sept. 20. 

 Frogs hybernate ------ October 11 



Migration of the Blue Bird, Saxicola Sialu, - " 13 



" " American Goldfinch, Fringilla Tridu, " 13 



Many species of Birds of Passage which remain with us during the 

 summer months, apparently take advantage of the Indian Summer to 

 depart from the country. The above mentioned birds migrate in flocks. 

 The flight of the Blue-birds was in a south-west direction — the Finches 

 appeared to be flying directly south. 



Two Lizards, measuring about 7 inches in length, and covered with 

 round orange-coloured spots, were taken from under the bark of a de- 

 cayed tree on the banks of the River Don - October 15 

 The Musk Rat, Fiber Zibcihicus, constructs its hut " 20 

 The fur of this animal constitutes an important item in our market. 

 One man trapped one hundred and tv* enty-five last week. 



Naturalists' Ca'eudar for August, September and October. 

 —Toronto, 1853.— By Wm. Couper. 



First Seen. 

 Choke - Cherry, PriihWs Serotina, (Fruit ripe,) August 1. 

 Wild Grape Vine, " " " 27. 



Wild Hazel, " " September 19. 



Butternut, Juglans Cinerca, 21. 



Beechnut, Fagus Ferrnginea. 21. 



Miscr.J.i..VfEOiis.— Passenger Pigeon, Columba Migraioria , (in flocks) 



Railway Bridge ever the St. Lawiencc at Kcntieal.* 



The site selected for completing ihe connection between the east- 

 ern and western sections of the Canada Grand Trunk Railway by a 

 bridce »t Montreal is upon the "ledges of rock composed of the trap 

 lying in floors," described by Mr. Logau as extending from Point Si. 

 Charles diagonally ai d downward across the genera] course of the 

 stream to Moffatt's Island and the eastern shore at St. Lambert. „ 



The governing point of the location is the narrow channel, (the only 

 navigable ore) abreast of Moffatt's Island, which is here only one hun- 

 dred yards wide between the lines of ten feet at low water. 



The distance of this single navigable channel from the Island of 

 Montreal, measured on the proposed line of the bridge, is 5200 feet, 

 and from the southern main 4800 feet. The height of the bants on 

 either shore is about thirty feet. By elevating the centre arch of the 

 bridge (which spans the navigable channel) 1C0 feet over summer 

 level of water, and by embanking about ten feet on the natural level 

 at each shore, the gradient to be overcome is sixty- three feet, and as 

 the distance in both cases is nearly a mile, it is one common on rail- 

 ways. On account of this gradient, it is important that the bridge 

 (should be straight ; and starting from the governing point — the navi- 

 gable channel alluded to,— a straight line which will avoid deep water, 

 the canal, and buildings of the city, must cross the river somewhat 

 diagonally and strike Point St. Chailes. This line, although oblique 

 with reference to the general trend of the shores, is in reality at right 

 angles to the channel. The biidge location follows the shoal water and 

 the line of the " trap floor " through which the river has cut a pas- 

 sage at the navigable channel (as usual at right angles) — the course 



* Extract from the Report of T. C. Keeler, Esq., C. E. 



