in, 1888.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



83 



nio St. Peter's Tjv 

 u- entered the Gut 6f 

 ed at Mulgrave wharf. 



hen we supped, as it were, 

 rl of Cape Breton, was now 

 our feel upon the mainland. 

 out 123 miles from Truro to 

 rlcome hand to greet 



fomllhough there are few passengers there are many specta- 

 tors, "Steamer day" (three times a week) is an event in this 

 ctul haven. 



All abrtard, the lines are east off, and we hid adieu to this 

 haven pf rest. We watch the spectators on the wharf and 

 join in the general flirtfngbf handkerchiefs till the picture 

 legiUfi ti fade, then we tun our eyes to the scenery about 

 n-. W" are on tile Bras rJ'Or Lake, which 1 have partially 

 described in the early part of my letter. It is a most charm- 

 ing piece of water, and lie' .scenery on either hand is an end- 

 less stretch of mountain ra teres, ever changing in height: 

 ami form, so thai the eye wearies not with its beauties. 



About H P. M. we cqjered St. Peter's Canal— before de- 

 scribed— nnd passing through tit 

 wen- on the Atlanlic. About I 

 Canso. ard at (3 1\ M. we were m 



The link which we severed i 

 from the Coiitijieiit to the islfl 

 reunited as we again planted 

 Tlie snide iron track, reaehin: 

 the Gut of Canso, seemed extendi 

 us as we stepped aboard Ihe train. 



One train a day only is run: leaving New Glasgow at: 1 :30 

 P. M. and returning to New Glasgow from Mulgrave at 7 

 P. M. To New Glasgow it is eighty miles, which it takes 

 till 12:15 A. M. to accomplish. At this hour we. reached 

 New Glasgow — before mentioned — and soon found comfort- 

 able quarters at the Norfolk House, Having been traveling 

 since ;i A. M., we were glad to find our beds, which we 

 speedily did, and sleep soon held us captive. 



Saturday, June 16, at 8 A. -M., we resumed our journey, 

 and at 2:;i'r> P. M. we reached Halifax, 105 miles, where we 

 took quarters at the Halifax House, aud where we remained 

 until Monday morning. 



From Halifax to Boston there are several routes, and that 

 one is best which pleases the traveler best. Every Saturday 

 at 4 P. M. a steamer leaves Halifax for Boston direct. (Bos- 

 ton, Halifax and Prince Edward Steamship line) reaching 

 Boston Monday forenoon. Every Monday a steamer leaves 

 Annapolis for Boston direct on arrival of train, which leaves 

 Halifax at 7.45 A. M. Three days a week (Mondays, Wed- 

 nesdays and Saturdays) a train from Halifax connects at 

 Annapolis tor St. John, where one can take the cars or In- 

 ternational boats for Boston, while trains ruu daily from 

 Halifax to St. John. We took the Monday steamer from 

 Annapolis, leaving Halifax at 7:45. 



There is little to interest the traveler from Halifax to An- 

 napolis till you reach Grand Pre. when you strike poetic- 

 ground. "The Home of Evangeline," so' beautifully and 

 touchingly described in "Evangeline:" 

 "This is the forest prinneval, the murmuringpii 



Naught but tradition reroal 



It. the Acadian land, . 

 Distant,-.. 



Lay in the (fruitful va 



(Jiving the village its 



As we skirted or 



"Pleasantly glean 



e,J in tl 



nul past 

 along the c 

 ;of t sweet 



s and the hemlocks. 



le&uttful village of Brand Pre. 



le basin of Minas, 

 of Grand Pro 



>ws El retched to the eastward, 

 re to Hocks without number." 



1st, 



r the basi 



and then we wondere 

 fully and feelingly d 



having visited it. Although the poe 

 sentiment to this spol, which othe 



of Minas," 



how Longfellow could have so truth- 



"bod the country hereabouts, never 



' :nds a charm aud a 



dd not y 



yet by nature it is poetic ground. Its broad lands stretching 

 eastward from the sea, in the waving blades of greeu, its 

 protecting dikes, its distant headlands, aud the restless sea 

 itself, all combine to lend an air of poetry to the restful and 

 charming scene. As wc nearcd Lawreneetown station it 

 was remarked by Hie conductor that salmon were often taken 

 from a river hard by. In a moment Prex was in commotion, 

 and hardly had the train come to a stop ere he was upon the 

 platform in quest Of the village loafer, who should tell him all 

 about it. The first, man he ran against was the station agent, 

 who happens to be a cross, surly, self-important individual, 

 who thinks he owns the railroad. Of him Prex politely 

 riqUires if there are any salmon about here. "Yes, I believe 

 so." gruflly replied Windy. "When were any caught of late?" 

 further queried Prex. "I don't know, maul Damn it, yon 

 ask too many questions," replied old Crusty, turning on "his 

 heel. Now Prex is not easily frightened, so for a moment 

 he looked upon him without a word: finally he reached down 

 into liis pocket, took out a penny, aud coolly offered it to him 

 for the "gentlemanly information." Old Buster fairly blazed, 

 his eyes stood out, and his face was like a fiery furnace. 



T don't want your money." he snapped out. "Yes, you 

 do," shouted Prex. throwing it after him as the train moved 

 away, amid the shouts of the train hands; "you are the kind 

 of a man Who picks up pennies." 



1 watched the old curmudgeon till the train was nearly 

 out of sight, seeing his eye was riveted on that penny, but a 

 small boy intervened, and the penny quickly disappeared. 



About* !i P. M. we reached Annapolis and immediately 

 went aboard the steamer New York, Captain Colby, for 

 Boston. An hour and fifteen minutes' sail took us to Digby, 

 where we delayed an hour and a half making the wharf and 

 getting freight aboaru. Then we steamed out through the 

 gut and were soon on the broad bosom of the Atlantic. Our 

 voyage proved both pleasant and agreeable. The officers 

 are all gentlemen and genial fellows. The route is a new 

 one and as yet an experiment, but it promises to be popular. 



I got quite well acquainted with the first engineer, Alonzo 

 Gullifer, aud found him a capital fellow. Sportsmen will 

 find this a vei-y pleasant and desirable route to Halifax and 

 points East. In the routes hereafter described the reader 

 will find particulars. 



In concluding my letter I have thought best to give in de- 

 tail the several ways of going to St. John, Halifax and Cape 

 Breton. 1 am induced to do this because I have never been 

 able to find (lie same information in any guide book; and 

 believing this land to the eastward is worth a visit by sports- 

 men, I know they w ill find the following information useful. 



First, regarding the Bras d'Or Lake steamer. Weaves Syd- 

 ney, N. S., Mondays, Wednesdays aud Fridays, 6 A. M., 

 Baddeck. N. S.. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 10 to 



II A. M., arriving at Mulgrave wharf about 7 P. 31., in 

 time to connect with evening train for New- Glasgow at 

 12:15 night. 



Steamer returns same night about 7 P. M. to Port LTawkes- 

 bury (one and a half miles), where it lies by till toward 

 morning to connect with other boats, when it' resumes for 

 Sydney, arriving at Baddeck about uoon and Sydney about 

 4" P. M. Fare, Sydney to Baddeck. $1.50, to Mujgrave 

 $3 50, Halifax $8; meals, fifty cents each. Distance, ' Syd- 

 ney to Mulgrave, about l.'o miles. 



Routes to St. ,lohn. N. B., Eastern R. R. andM. C. R.R., 



450 miles.— Leave Boston i) A. M., arrive at St. John next 

 day 7.55 A. M.; leave Boston 7 P. M.. arrive at St. John 

 next day ti P.M.; fast tram leaves Bo-ton 12:30P.M.. 

 arrives next day 7 A. M. Return, leaves Si. John 7 A. M.. 

 arrives at Boston same day 10 P. M. ; fare $8. 



Steamers (International Steamship Company, Commercial 

 Wharf).— Leave Boston 8 A. M„ Portland OP. M . every 

 Monday and Thursday until May 11. and after that every 

 Monday-, Wednesday and Friday at s:3ii A, M, and Port- 

 land 6 P. M.. arriving in St. John about 'J P. M. next day; 

 fare, from Boston, £5.50, meals and state room extra, which, 

 together, is about the same as railroad fare. 



Routes to Halifax. N. S.- Same as before to St. John, 

 thence hv Intercolonial H. R., 270 miles. Leave St. John 

 7:55 A. M., arrives at Halifax 8:15 P. M. : lem e St. .John 

 7::i5 P. M., arrives at Halifax 12:40 A. M. (This train de- 

 lays at Monetou from 11:10 P. M. until 5:40 A. M., an un- 

 comfortable train,) 



Union Line Steamers, — lu April, May aud June, leave St. 

 John for Annapolis every Monday, Wednesday and Satur- 

 day, 8 A. M., returning same day. In July, "August, and 

 September, everv Monday. Wednesday, Friday and Satur- 

 day, returning every Tuesday, Thursdays Friday and Satur- 

 day, connecting at Annapolis with W. & A. Railway, arriv- 

 ing at Halifax 8 :30 P. M. Fare, $5. In pleasant weather 

 much the pleasant er route (Evangeline District, etc t. 



Steamers from Boston to Halifax (Boston, Halifax aud 

 Prince Edward Island Steamship Line). — Carroll, 1.400 tons. 

 Capt. Brown; Worcestei. 1,400 tous, Capt, Blankinship, 

 leave Nickerson's Wharf, Boston, alternately every Saturday 

 during the season at 12 uoon, arriving in Halifax at daylight 

 Monday morning, Port Hawkesbury early Tuesday morn- 

 ing, Pictou Tuesday forenoon, and Charlot'tetown, P. I';. L, 

 Tuesday afternoon." Returning, leave Chariot tetown every 

 Thursday at 5 P. M., Port Hawkesburv every Friday at 7 

 A. M., Halifax every Satimlay at 4 P. M.. arriving in Bos- 

 Ion early Monday morning. 



This is a very desirable route to Cape Breton for those 

 fond of a sea vogage. The steamers are screw propellers 

 and advertise excellent passenger accommodation, Fares, 

 from Boston to Halifax, SO; to Port Hawkesbury. $7; to 

 Baddeck, $!); to Chariot tetown, $8i extra staterooni to 

 Halifax, $1; J\ II. & C., S2 extra; extra meals, breakfast 

 aud supper, 50 cents; dinner. 75 cents. 



These steamers connect at Port Hawkesbury with steamer 

 for Baddeck, but the Friday steamer from Baddeck does not 

 arrive at Port II. in time for the Boston boat (7 P. M.), but 

 by taking the cars for Halifax at Port Mulgrave you arrive 

 at Halifax, Saturday 2:30 P. M., in ample time to Gatcn the 

 boat there at 4 P. M. 



Second Route, Boston to Halifax (Annapolis Line). — 

 Steamer New York. Capt. Colby, leaves T wharf, Boston, 

 every Thursday 8 A. M., arriving at Annapolis about noon 

 next" day. and Halifax same evening. A very comfortable 

 and pleasant route. Fare to Halifax, S7.50; staterooms, $1 ; 

 dinner, 75 cents; breakfast and supper, 50 cents. 



A serious objection to this route to travelers desiring to go 

 to Cape Breton direct is, that he must stop over Sunday at 

 Halifax or some other point, as the trains do not connect, 

 aud t e Bras d'Or Lake boats only run Mondays, Wednes- 

 days and Fridays. If this line were to leave Boston Vy"cd- 

 nrsday instead of Thursday, travelers could reach points on 

 Cape "Breton Saturday afternoon. This company will do 

 well to look to this, as'the route promises to be a populai 

 one. Returning by this line, the New York leaves Annapo 

 lis every Monday about 2 P. M., on arrival of train which 

 leaves Halifax at 7:45 A. M. 



A third route from Boston is by the Nova Scotia Slei 

 ship Company's boats New Brunswick and Dominion. which 

 leave Boston every Tuesday and Saturday mornings at, 8 A. 

 M. for Yarmouth N. S., reaching there in about 20 hours' 

 sail, returning e.veiy Wednesday and Saturday night. Fare, 

 about §5. 



From Yarmouth: Western Counties Railway daily for 

 Digby at 7:30 A. M,, arriving at 11:30 A. M. Returning 

 3:30 P. M., arriving at Yarmouth at 7:30 P. M., distance 67 

 miles. 



These 1 believe are all of the regular routes. Befor \ con- 

 cluding this article I should say a word about the stages 

 on Cape Breton. They are mostly two-horse wagons with 

 two seats, sometimes three, and sometimes only one borse. 

 and not convenient for large parties. If there are three or 

 four in party it is usually more comfortable and just as cheap 

 to hire a private team to carry you, then you can choose 

 your boursof travel, and take your time along the road, While 

 these mail stages ruu right along without regard to night, 

 wind or weather. 



These Royal Mail stages run also only two or three times 

 a week, hence you cannot always make your connections by 

 them. They, however, usually" connect with the bouts and 

 cars. 



I add hereto, for the convenience of the reader, a sum- 

 mary of our trip as wc actually made it. Should you make 

 the trip cut it out and place it in your pocketbook," you will 

 find it convenient for reference. 



This, patient reader, is what our trip of nineteen days actu- 

 ally cost us each, from Boston, and no more. I make this 



statement in this etnpl 

 meats of necessary expenses 

 who "estimates" his expense 



mate. I make it also in the ii 



goa-fishirsr. It should be 1 



while expenses of travel in Nc 



arc moderate, accommodation* and food s 



inferior to what we in the States are ac 



iuer as heretofore my state- 

 have been questioned by one 

 and then "doubles" Ids esti- 

 terest of the craft who like to 

 irne in mind, however, that 

 ra Scotia and New Brunswick 

 respondingly 

 1 l.o. 



If you love your stomach more than you Eve the art of 

 fishing, fake my advice and don't go to the Provinces, but if 

 you an- a true Sportsman., and can put up with all kind- of 

 accommodations, aud plain but wholesome food, pure air 

 and sunny skies, sparkling waters anil fragrant woods, then 

 you may safely drop a line in these Acadian streams. 



Geo. A. Fat. 

 Merlden, Conn.. July 21. is-:;, 



[The mean temperature of Cape Breton is not 89"' but 80'. 

 There arc no "Mltrgarse-" Forks in C. B.. but there are 

 MargaTee Forks. Port Hankesbury is also unknown to my 

 geography, but an important station is called Purr nawkes- 

 bury, There is no Vlabon, but a. Mabou. George R, Curtis 

 is not treasurer of the ' Peons) Ivania Company" but of the 

 Mcrideu Britannia Company, and bow your proof-reader 

 could torttire my poor writing into another State, I caunot 

 comprehend.— G. A. F.] 



fyhujfil ]§i§torjj. 



HABITS OF THE ANT-LION. 



THE ant-lion is the larva of a neuropterous insect, Myr- 

 mckon obsolete which somewhat resembles a dragon-fly. 

 The Rev. Dr. H. C. McCook, whose observations on ants are 

 so well known, has recently given in the Proceedings of the 

 Philadelphia Academy a very interesting account of the habits 

 of this species: 



Several of these grubs had been taken from the sandy soil 

 of New Jersey daring the month of July, and brought to the 

 Academy at Philadelphia in a large bowl. Their pits were 

 of the usual character — an inverted hollow cone— but were 

 sharper at the apex than usually represented. The pit is 

 sometimes made by a backward movement of the grub upon 

 a Spiral line which gradually closes upon the center. The 

 body is just under the sand during this movement; and the 

 grains of sand which fall upon the head are continually 

 thrown upward by a sharp jerk of the head; this motion is 

 somewhat lateral! not unlike the "butting" of a sheep or 

 goat. 



A pit is also formed by the grab while, stationary, the 

 violent ejection of the sand' by the toss of the head, causing 

 a vortex toward which the surrounding sand runs from all 

 sides, thus uaturaily forming the concavity. Within this 

 the creature lies concealed, and at once begins to toss the: 

 sand when the surface at the margin is agitated by a crawl- 

 ing insect. Sometimes the head and jaws are exposed; they 

 are laid Hat (as observed in these cases at least), extending 

 horizontally and not vertically upward as i.s usually shown 

 in figures. " The habit may vary in this respect. 



Dr, McCook believed that the popular impression that the 

 grub throws sand after or at an ant when it appears to be 

 escaping from the pit is without, foundation in fact. The 

 sand is thrown up, more or less violently; so vigorously at 

 limes that it. appears to boil. This motion causes agitation 

 of the superincumbent sand, which begins to move toward 

 the center, carrying the ant with it into the jaws of the 

 grub. The sand was tossed up with force enough to throw 

 it out of the bowl to the distance of seven inches on the. 

 table, even pellets as large as grains of rice being thus 

 ejected: but it, Hew in all directions, on the side opposite 

 file ant, or upon the ant quite indiscriminately, 



The smallest ants introduced had great difficulty in mov- 

 ing over the wall of the pit, as the sand crumbled and rolled 

 away from beneath even the light emmet tread. One ant 

 which escaped had a little ball of minute pellets attached to 

 a bind foot, as though caused to adhere by mointure or some 

 viscid substance within the pit. Others had minute grains 

 adhering to the delicate Lairs of the body at many points. 

 The inquiry was suggested whether there is any secretion or 

 excretion from the grub which may produce this effect and 

 so contribute to secure the victim. 



The ants show a strange fascination for the pit. even after 

 they have escaped. A large Carpenter ant (Cfimponofus 

 ylmnicus), was seized, escaped, rushed out of the hole, 



Boston to Bangor.. 



Conveyance. 

 )E.,orB AM Rl . 

 I R. ,V jr. f'.K.K , , 



:m. c. r. e 



Bangor to Vanceboro 



Vanceboro' to Mc Adam .i. 



McAdam J. to St. Steph'n.U. B. RaUway_ . 



St. Stephen to Calais Coaeb 



Calais to Princeton St.O.&P. R.fi 



Princeton to foot Grand I „ . . 



Lake Stream ( sllllmu 



Foot of G. h, S. to foot / TBnm 



Grand Lake (team 



Return to Calais and Si.s Steamer and R. 



St. Stephen to St. John . . .G. S. R. R 



St. John to Moncton Intercolonial R, 



Mnucton to Truro. . .... 



Truro to New Glasgow- 

 New Glasgow to Pictou 



Pictou to Port Hood 



Port Hood to Mabon 



Mabon to McLean's 



McLean's to Broad Cove I 



Marsh i 



B. C. Marsh to Margaree I 



Forks f 



Margaree Forks to Bad- 1 



..H&O.B. R. R... 



ded 



Truro to Halifax . . . . 



Holi:. :■: to Annapolis 

 Annapolis to Digby. 

 Digby to Boston 



All other actual 



- 1 



. Time, 

 h. in. 



11.45] 

 ■1.45 [ 



1.80 



4.00 



3D 



5.10 



too 



3.45 

 5.35 1 

 2.-17 > 

 45) 

 6.00 



2 00 

 2.00 



a.flp 



2.00. 

 6.30 

 5 45 

 5.0O I 

 3.85 



3 36 j 

 5.45; 

 1 13'- 



20.00 \ 



1.75 

 2 50 

 SS.87 



6.00 



2.00 

 4.60 



7.50 



ad 1 

 Titer. 



•ound it 



!;] 

 dazed. 



nature, but the 91 !-. B He D 

 walk into the pit. They stop 

 reached it in course of their 1 

 up their antennas and wan 

 stretched a fore-foot over tl 

 sometimes turned and bega 

 The agitation upon thi 

 always) 



1 and again, as though \ 



f the "Paul Pry" in thcemme't 



irelv observed to deliberately 



ped upon the edge, when they 

 ■ambles about the bowl, threw 

 •d them restlessly, sometimes 

 ie brink, sometimes retreated, 

 D to circumambulate the pit. 

 slight as it was, generally (not 

 i the grub to action, and by the process 

 already described the sand was withdrawn from beneath the 

 feet of the insect, who slid along with the tiny B&nd-avi- 

 laucbe into the apex. There it was seized, unless, as some- 

 times occurred, it was fortunate enough to make its escape. 

 The use of the long hooked mandibles of the grub appeared 

 in the act; of seizure; the ants were held oil "at arm's 

 length," so to speak, aud the grub thrashed or jerked them 

 violently until they were exhausted. Meanwhile, the efforts 

 at defense were, made futile by the distance from any vital 

 point at which the victim was "held. Tetramoriurn n ,•■■! 

 the Pavement ant, which h.tsasharp sting, and tried eagerly 

 to use it, was thus prevented from doiug so and made quite 

 defenseless, Ho also the formidable oincer mandibles of tne 

 Carpenter ant, by which she excavates her wooden galleries 

 and decapitates her victims with the facility of a guillotine, 



are rendered entirely 1 

 ploted by the position of the 



ized 



This defenselessness ia com- 

 giu : beneath the sand. A Car- 

 by a hind leg bowed her body 

 but her jaws grasped only the 

 ICtl covered 'the ant-lion's head and 

 >oks alone projected, 

 t importance which Dr. McCook 

 lation of the statements of Al. Bonet, 

 of the grub when its movements aie 

 obstructed by pebbles loo large to be tossed out by till head. 

 This statement baviflg been seriously questioned,* the mat- 

 ter was tested by first dropping three pebbles, each larger 



penter worker-minor t 

 under to snap at her en 

 gritty pellets oi sand n 

 out of which the long 1 

 The point of great' 

 observed was the confir 

 concerning the behavh 



Ram 



. Insi 



pausing before giv 



■s full f 







be pardoned for 



