52 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol X. 



times could have sufficieot strength or velocity to produce these 

 rids-es. 



For these reasons, as also from the fact that uo fossil remains 

 have yet been ibuud in these beds, the theory of marine currents 

 does not appear to be applicable to the solution of the problems 

 presented by the kame deposits in this region. 



But, apart from these considerations, no evidence has beei> 

 obtained in the course of my investigations to show that currents 

 having any power or velocity traversed any part of the area un- 

 der examination in a south-westerly direction, if we except the 

 transport of a few of the larger erratics which may have been 

 carried about by floating ice. On the contrary, all the data 

 hitherto collected point to the fact of currents moving in an op- 

 site course. The stossing of the hills and exposed rock-masses 

 on their western sides ; the direction in which the boulders met 

 with in the sand and gravel series seem to have been transported; 

 the position of the ^' till" in the lee of elevations; the denuded 

 condition of the region generally as regards surface deposits; 

 the crag and-tail phenomena exhibited in the case of isolated 

 ridges and peaks, notably at Sugar Loaf Mountain near Camp- 

 bellton, which has its west end worn bare and steep down to th& 

 level of the valley, while at its eastern end a ^' tail " stretches 

 away several hundred yards, the crest of which stands 300 or 

 400 feet above tide level — all go to demonstrate that the great 

 denuding and transporting agents proceeded from the west. 



On an examination, therefore, of all the facts at hand relating 

 to the position, the materials and the mode of occurrence of the 

 kame described, it appaars to me that the theory which explains 

 the origin of similar groups of deposits from the action of glaci.il 

 rivers or floods during the dissolution of the ice-sheet will ac- 

 count for the phenomena in question more readily than any 

 other. It is a mooted question yet, however, whether these- 

 glacial rivers flowed in channels under the ice, or on its surface^ 

 although several geologists of note have quite recently adoptec^r 

 the hypothesis of their being super-glaciil. They are supposed 

 by these geologists to have formed channels on th3 surface of" 

 the ice- sheet, carrying detritus from higher levels and depositing; 

 it at their mouths in a partially stratified condition as the 

 glacier melted and withdrew. Kivers analogous to these are 

 said to have been observed on existinj; glaciers iu the arctic 

 regions during the summer montlis. 



