ARTICLE I. 
NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY AND PHYSIO- 
GRAPHY OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 
By W. F. Ganong. 
ioi. — On the Physiographic Characteristics of the 
Tabusintac River. 
Read December 4, 1900. 
Of the several small rivers draining the northeastern district 
of New Brunswick, the largest is the Tabusintac. I was able to 
give it some study during a canoe trip along most of its course 
an August last, with the following results. 
But first we note the development of our knowledge of the 
river. Its earliest known appearance is upon the Jumeau map 
or 1685, where it is shown as a small stream with the name 
Tabochimkek* It persists, with sundry variations, through all 
the maps of the French period, and also, with more or less 
erroneous additions, into much later times. The first survey, 
including the lower settled part, was made by D. Campbell in 
1804; then in 1830 James Davidson surveyed it from near the 
head of tide up to above the Maliaget, and up Big Brook to near 
the head of its three large branches ; but the river through the 
Indian Reserve has not been surveyed, but only sketched by 
various surveyors. From these sources, supplemented by some 
later timber-line and railroad serveys, are constructed our 
present maps of the river, including that accompanying this 
paper. 
* This word is Micmac Indian, pronounced in that tongue Tab-oo-sim-kik. 
It means “place of two,'’ from taboosim — meaning two, and the location kik. I 
have been told by an old resident, and I believe the explanation is correct, that 
the name is descriptive of the fact that, to one ascending the river, French Cove 
and the main stream seem to be two large and equal rivers. The other Indian 
names marked on the accompanying map are all in local use ; their significance 
is uncertain. 
A history of the settlements of the Tabusintac is expected to appear in 
Acadiensis for July or October, 1907. 
