202 Field and Forest Rambles. 



April and May, and the return takes place before the rivers 

 are frozen over, there is a general and continuous passing up 

 and down throughout the year, as obtains in the Old World 

 rivers ; moreover the shrouding of the Canadian fresh waters 

 in ice for lengthened periods, makes it difficult quite to settle 

 the up and down courses of migratory species.* 



I started with my friend Professor Loring Bailey, of the 

 University of New Brunswick, in the month of August, 1866, 

 on an excursion to the great chain of lakes, on the south- 

 western frontier of the province, known as the Schoodic 

 Lakes, which drain into the St. Croix River. One of the 

 objects of my journey was to ascertain the truth of certain 

 reports made to me in connection with a belief which 

 prevailed in the district, to the effect that the salmon exist 

 in these inland reservoirs, and their effluent and influent 

 waters, but is so much stunted in growth, that its average 

 weight seldom exceeds three pounds, the largest rarely attain- 

 ing seven pounds. This so-called pigmy race is supposed by 

 European fishermen to have been brought about by a constant 

 residence in fresh water, the individuals having been prevented 

 from getting to sea by dams and artificial barriers, and having, 

 as it might be, lost themselves among the network of lakes 

 which covers the frontiers of Maine and New Brunswick. 



The scenery between Fredericton on the St. John, and St. 



Stephen on the St. Croix, n othe western frontier of New 



Brunswick, presents a monotonous sameness. The country 



* Some idea of the extermination of the salmon through human agency 

 may be gathered from the following data in connection with this region . 

 It is in the recollection of persons now living that the Kennebeckasis, a 

 large influent of the St. John, literally swarmed with salmon ; now it is 

 rare to find a single fish. Mr. Vinning, in his report to the Local Govern- 

 ment, says : " The inhabitants appear to be actuated by an insane desire 

 to destroy every salmon that appears in its waters." The same may be 

 said of other branches of the St. John, such as the Oromocto, Nasha- 

 waak, etc., once famous salmon waters, now without a single fish, in 

 consequence of the mill dams which stretch across them, and the wholesale 

 destruction of the fish on its spawning beds. 



