SKETCH OF DR. JOHN W. DAWSON. 233 



lectures on natural history and geology in the Pictou Academy, and 

 in Dalhousie College, Halifax, and reported to the Nova Scotia Gov- 

 ernment on the coal-fields of Southern Cape Breton, 



In 1852, in company with Sir Charles Lyell, he- made a reexami- 

 nation of the Joggins section, and visited the remarkable deposit of 

 Albertite at Hillsborough, New Brunswiclv. A paper soon appeared 

 on the Joggins section, giving a more fall exposition than any previ- 

 ous one of the structure and mode of formation of a coal-field. The 

 Albert Mine was also made the subject of a paper. In the further 

 study of the Joggins section, microscopic examinations were made of 

 coal from all its beds, as well as of coal from other sources, the results 

 being published in papers on the " Structures in Coal," and on the 

 " Mode of Accumulation of Coal." 



It was during the visit to the Joggins, just referred to, that the 

 remains of Dendrerpeton Acaclianurri and Pupa vetusta were found. 

 With the exception of Haphetes planiceps^ which Dr. DaAvson had 

 discovered the year previous at Pictou, but not described, Dendrer- 

 peton Acadiannm was the first reptile found in the coal formation of 

 America, while Pupa vetusta was the first known Palaeozoic land- 

 snail. These discoveries were followed by the finding and describing 

 of several other reptiles, and of the first carboniferous millipede 

 [Xylohliis sigillarloe). About this time, also, a second report on the 

 Acadia mines was prepared, and an elaborate series of assays of coal 

 made for the General Mining Association. 



In 1855 he published the first edition of his "Acadian Geology." 

 In 1856, though now trammeled by the arduous duties incumbent 

 upon the principal of a university, he still continued his geological 

 work in his native province, and prepared a description of the Silu- 

 rian and Devonian rocks. During the same summer he visited Lake 

 Superior, and wrote a paper and report on the copper-regions of Ma- 

 main se and Georgian Bay. 



In the two following years he made a number of contributions to 

 the Canadian Naturalist and the Journal of the Geological Society^ 

 and commenced the study of the Post-pliocene deposits of Canada. 

 In 1859 his " Archaia," or studies of creation in Genesis, appeared, 

 a work showing not only a thorough knowledge of natural history, 

 but also considerable familiarity with the Hebrew language. 



In 1860 Dr. Dawson issued a supplementary chapter to his "Aca- 

 dian Geology." He also continued liis work in fossil botany, and in 

 the Post-pliocene, publishing several papers on these subjects, as well 

 as desultory researches on such subjects as the " Flora of Mount 

 Washington," " Indian Antiquities at Montreal," " Marine Animals 

 of the St. Lawrence," " Earthquakes in Canada," " Classification of 

 Animals," etc. 



In 1863 he issued his " Air-Breathex'S of the Coal Formation," a 

 complete account of the fossil reptiles and other land animals of the 



