Bagster, C. Birch (1861) The Progress and Prospects of Prince Edward Island. John Ings, Charlottetown, P.E.|. 139 pp. + Appendix: xxxvi pp.

Cornelius Birch Bagster lb. 78 76‘, d. .7 l was an Englishman who spent a number of years on Prince Edward Island, marrying an island woman, and living (at least for a time) at Mil/vale. At some stage he returned to England where he raised his family. On the title page of his book, he states that he had been ”connected during 20 years with the Island interests”, and that his book was written ”during the leisure of a visit in 786 7 He also states that he wrote the book in order to ”supply information upon which enquiring emigrants may rely, and actual settlers adopt as the basis of a wider knowledge of their beautiful Island home”. His book is thus intended partly to be an immigrant’s handbook. At the same time, he has, with the help he says of John Lawson, ”begun a botany for the Island" and he gives Latin names for the plant species in his list. This is the first attempt since Stewart I 7806}, to apply Latin binomial names to island plants. I have selected from his plant list all of the tree and shrub species — interesting/y, we have the first and only mention of ironwood (i. e. hop hornbeaml in early island records. I have also extracted his extensive description of the island’s mammalian fauna.

REFERENCE: Hunter, D. (2003) The descendants of Thomas Hyde. www.islandregister.comlhyde.html.

The W000'S 0’7 St. Peter's Island is settled on all sides and has thick woods in its interior. various islands. Governor's Island is a low but wooded place . The two little places called Wood Islands, will soon have no wood on them; [Murray Harbour] contains five wooded islands. Panmure Island is chiefly wooded. [pp. 55-571 Were some of the agricultural returns [recorded in the census] really true, Prince

Edward Island might well blush through her red clay, and tremble, as her poplars before the breadth of honest enquiry. [p. 81]

It is always a noteworthy sign of progress in a new province, when the cares of fresh settlement will suffer relaxation, and objects of natural history are allowed a place in

the thoughts of the household. [p. 83] Mammals: _ The day when CARIBOO and MOOSE deer ranged the forest, and planted their tracks Caribou upon the unshorn interval pastures of Prince Edward Island might long since have long gone.

become a paragraph of the vestiges of creation, or passed from the memory, but that there are occasionally found palmated horns; and there was a time when the Micmac’s flinted arrow satisfied the wants of the Wigwam from their dainty haunches, made moccasins from their soft skin, and drew out their tough sinews for millinery .

The BLACK BEAR is not yet extinct in Prince Edward Island, but the few that remain The beat seem to know the value of secrecy, for they seldom show themselves except pressed by want, or when their protective instinct towards their young cubs, is called, by intrusion, into exercise. They are very destructive upon sheep when they emerge from their hibernation, and before their young family become self-reliant. The Black Bear is both carnivorous and corn-ivorous. On the approach of winter the Bear imprisons himself without food As the snow covers him up, a small opening thaws gradually, and forms a chimney outlet for breathing purposes, His skin is a useful and highly ornamental covering for the sleigh, and makes an excellent travelling robe. Bear hams are esteemed by some and despised by others, but there is no one in Prince Edward Island, influenced by motives of either fear or interest, that is not glad to hear

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