CANADIAN PLEISTOCENE FLORA AND FAUNA. 



11 



It)la, Qufrcvs ohJongifolia, Asimina triloba, Climnnecyparis sphaeroidea, 

 .■mil Frn.rinus qnnilraii'/nlald points witliout question to the prevalence of 

 a ujuch warmer climate than now prevails, while, on the other hand, the 

 ftjually abundant occurrence of boreal types at Scarborough points to 

 tlie existence of a colder climate at the time tliese deposits were laid 

 down. It is therefore clear that in the region of Toronto during Pleisto- 

 cene time thei'e were at le;ist two distinct periods, characterisrd, on the 

 one hand, by a climate equivalent to that of the nuddle United States at 

 the present »Iay, and, on the other hand, a climate equivalent to that of 

 northern Quebec and Labrador. According to stratigraphical evidence 

 obtained by Professor Coleman, these changes followed the recession of 

 the ice sheet in the order given, from which we are to conclude that the 

 climate of the Don Valley is now intermediate b:>tween that of the first 

 and second pe?-iods, approaching the former. 



On the other hand, again, tlie flora of Green's Creek and Besserer's, 

 as also that of ^Montreal, is practically identical with that now existing in 

 the same localities. It thus represents a climate colder than that of the 

 Don period, but somewhat warmer than tliat of the Scarborough period, but 

 present evidence does not enable us to ascertain if these deposits were 

 laid down before or after the Scarborough deposits. The following sum- 

 mary will probably assist in conveying a clearer idea of the distinctive 

 differences in the vegetation of these three periods. 



Abies balsaraea 

 Acer pleistocenicum . 

 Acer saocharinuiu 

 Acer spicatum 



Algae sp 



Alnus sp. . 

 Asimina triloba . 

 Betula lutea 

 Brasena peltata . 

 Bromus cillatus . 

 Carex aqiiatilis . 

 ,, niacjellanica 

 reticulata 

 Cara alha .... 

 Cliamaecyparis sphaeroidea 

 Crataegus punc ata . 

 Cyperaceae sp. . 

 Drosera rotundifolia . 

 Klodea canadensis 

 Encyonema pro.';tratum 

 Equisctum liraosum . 



„ scirpoides . 



„ sp. . 



„ sylvaticum 



Eriocaulon sp. . 

 Fontinalis sp. . 



