Mr Jukes on the Geology of Newfoundland. 109 



George's Bay, through the beds of red marl and sandstone. 

 It is certain, however, that, in Newfoundland, the beds con- 

 taining coal are above these red marls and sandstones, with 

 gypsum and salt springs, the whole composing but one forma- 

 tion, which it is impossible to subdivide by any but the most 

 arbitrary line of separation. The total thickness of this for- 

 mation must be very considerable : I by no means have any 

 reason to suppose that I have as yet seen its highest beds, 

 while the thickness which I have seen must amount altogether 

 to at least 1000 or 2000 feet. 



The group of rocks which I believe to be next below the coal 

 formation, is one that I shall call — 



2. The Port au Port Shale and Gritstone. — This is a very large 

 formation, something similar in character to that which, on the 

 eastern side of the island, I have called the Belle Isle shale and 

 gritstone ; and it is perfectly possible that the two may be dif- 

 ferent portions of the same beds. The Port au Port beds, how- 

 ever, are not so regularly bedded as those of Belle Isle, the shales 

 are less micaceous and more sandy, and many of the gritstone 

 beds are laminated and schistose. The total thickness of the 

 beds seen must exceed 1500 feet. 



3. The Humher Limestone. — This group of rocks lies below 

 the Port au Port shales and gritstones, and in the Bay of Is- 

 lands it is the one next inferior ; I cannot say whether the one 

 graduates into the other, or whether other beds may not be in- 

 terposed between the two in other localities. The highest part 

 of the Humber Limestone which was visible, was a thin 

 bedded mass, about thirty feet thick, of a hard slaty limestone 

 of a dark grey colour, with brown concretions that, on a surface 

 which had been sometimes exposed, stood out in relief. Be- 

 low this are some beds of hard subcrystalline limestone, the 

 colours of which are white or flesh coloured with white veins. 

 These would take a good polish and would make very orna- 

 mental marbles, and from the thinness of the beds, are espe- 

 cially adapted for marble slabs. This series of beds has a thick- 

 ness of about 200 feet. Below these are a few feet of similar 

 beds of black marble, which rest on some grey compact lime- 

 stone, with bands or thin beds, and irregular nodules of white 

 chert; and these latter beds pass down into a large mass of simi- 

 lar limestone, without chert, and in very thick beds. This masg 



