Notes on the Geology of Murray Bay, 139 



cessors might have left, and in this I was greatly aided by one 

 of my students, Mr. R. Ramsay of Montreal, who happened to be 

 spending his vacation there. 



The features of the place have been admirably described by 

 Dr. Bigsby and Sir "W". E. Logan, so that a very few remarks on 

 this subject may suffice here. In approaching the bay from the 

 west, the voyager passes along the base of lofty cliffs crowned by 

 forests and broken by a few wooded ravines, down which little 

 brooks dash to the shore. Near the termination of this wall of 

 cliffs, and at the base of a steep ascent leading to a gap separat- 

 ing the last outlier of rock from the main mass, stands the steam- 

 boat pier. Ascending the rising ground above the pier, and 

 passing to its northern side, one sees in the foreground a 

 row of cottages extending along the western side of the bay, 

 whose waters at high tide rise close to the low bank, and when 

 they recede leave an immense flat of sand and boulders, across 

 which stretch the long brush weirs of the fishermen. Beyond are 

 seen the sides of the bay rising into terraced hills and converging 

 toward the mouth of the Murray Bay River, where concealed by 

 trees are the church and village of Mai Bay ; and still farther the 

 eye can trace the deep valley of the river winding among high 

 wooded hills, that rise one over another in the blue distance. It 

 is a beautiful spot, well worthy of taking a leading place among 

 the summer resting places of our worn and wearied citizens. 



The general geology of Murray Bay may be thus sketched. 

 The higher hills consist of rocks of the Laurentian System, the 

 oldest strata known to geologists ; and in some places as at the 

 high cliffs before mentioned, and at Cape Heu on the opposite 

 side of the bay, these come boldly down to the shore. In other 

 places the coast cliffs and reefs are Lower Silurian, and abound 

 in marine fossils, and these beds in some places mantle the hills 

 to a considerable height, and run a long way up the valley of 

 the river. The terraces of sand and gravel along the sides of 

 the bay, and the deep clay of the river valley, are of Post Plio- 

 cene date, and contain shells^ identical in species with those now 

 living in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I shall notice these forma- 

 tione in their order. 



1. Laurentian System, 



These venerable rocks, ancient above all others, are admirably 

 exposed in the coast cliffs above mentioned, and in several other 



