47 



sion existed in regard to the true position of the lead-bearing rock ; and 

 only so lately as 1850 was it determined by a proper examination of its 

 fossils that instead of being in the Niagara group, as formerly sup- 

 posed * * * it belonged to the Lower Silurians." Since this dis- 

 covery, miners search for lead in those rocks only where the charac- 

 teristic fossils occur. 



" Miners of coal and other products recognize the surrounding 

 strata, and determine their proximity to the productive by the presence 

 of certain fossils well known to them at sight." 



The formation of the Geological Survey of Canada put a stop to 

 much useless expenditure in the same way, and proofs of the non- 

 existence of workable beds of coal throughout (he old provinces of 

 Upper and Lower Canada, due to the labours of the Survey, put a stop 

 to many futile researches after that mineral and the consequent waste of 

 money. At Gaspe and at Owen Sound in those early days parties were 

 prevented from sinking shafts in bituminous shale by Mr. Logan, whose 

 knowledge of the fossils told him there could be no coal there ; although 

 practical colliers had declared in favour of its occurrence. Such instances, 

 however, could be multiplied but our time does not permit. 



Besides enabling us to determine the relative age and position of 

 each deposit in which we find them, they enable us to arrive at the 

 mode of deposit and the condition of the district or region at the time 

 of its formation. If it contains the remains of animals such as now 

 inhabit rivers, we know that it must have formed part of a river bed or 

 been deposited by the overflow of a stream ; if it contains remains of 

 molluscs, fish or crustaceans such as inhabit lakes, we know it was 

 deposited beneath a lake ; and if it contains marine animals or seaweeds, 

 we know it was a sea bottom. 



We may go more minutely into the matter than this, for if the fossils 

 resemble those now inhabiting shallow seas, or if they are rolled and 

 broken and accompanied by remains of land organisms, there can be 

 little doubt they are a shore deposit or were laid down in a shallow sea 

 in the vicinity of the coast ; but if the remains are those of deep sea 

 organisms mixed sparingly with extraneous forms, a deep sea origin 

 may be decided upon. In some cases we find an ancient coral reef, in 

 others a bed of social shells like the oyster, each case telling a tale not 



