GEOLOGY. 



By T. STERRY HUNT, LL.D., F.R.S., 



Professor of Geology, Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass. 



GEOLOGY OF NEWFOUNDLAND. 



The progress of geological investigation in North America 

 may be conveniently introduced by considering some of the 

 results of the labors of Mr. Alexander Murray in Newfound- 

 land, which is geologically as well as geographically a con- 

 tinuation of the Atlantic belt of continental North America. 

 Mr. Murray's geological map of the island, published within 

 the last year, together with his annual reports, and some re- 

 cent notes of Mr. Milne, edited by Murray, give the following 

 facts not generally known. 



Besides the considerable areas of Laurentian gneiss long 

 since recognized, accompanied in some places by the charac- 

 teristic crystalline limestones, are areas of Norian or labra- 

 dorite rocks. In addition to these, there is met with a great 

 series, which, holding a position between the Laurentian and 

 the Cambrian rocks, was by Murray designated as the Inter- 

 mediate series, and regarded by him as equivalent to the 

 Huronian, which he had formerly studied on the shores of 

 lakes Huron and Superior. These rocks are most widely 

 developed in Newfoundland in the peninsula of Avalon, and 

 are principally crystalline schists with quartzites and con- 

 glomerates, including what have been called cherty and jas- 

 pery beds. These latter, in some instances at least, the writer 

 has found to be petrosilex rocks, like those of the continental 

 portion of the Atlantic belt noticed in the report of last year 

 (page xcvi). This Huronian or Intermediate series has been 

 described by Murray as carrying in Newfoundland organic 

 forms Arenicolites, and a patella-like shell (Aspidella). These 

 are, however, found in beds referred to the summit of the 

 series, and perhaps belong to the overlying Lower Cambrian 

 strata, which rest upon the crystalline rocks in patches of 

 varying extent, and consist of sandstones, conglomerates, and 



