122 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Yol. vii. 



In his report upon the geological structure of the country, Mr. 

 Selwyn gives the following as a proyisional classification of the 

 rocks : 



I. Superficial Deposits. 



II. Volcanic Series and Coal and Lignite '^Group of the 31an-land ; 

 and the Coal-rocks oj Vancouver Island. 



III. Jackass Mountain Conglomerate Group. 



IV. ZTpper Cache Greek Group (^Marble Canon Limestones). 

 V. Lower Cache Creek Group. 



VI. Anderson River and Boston Bar Group, and Upper Rocks of 

 Leather Pass and Moose Lake. 

 VII. Cascade Mountain and Vancouver Island Crystalline Series. 

 VIII. Granite, Gneiss and Mica-schist Series of North Thompson, Al- 

 breda Lake and Tete Jaune Cache, including the micaceous 

 schists of the Cariboo district. 



Each group is then described in detail, and amongst other 

 points it is interesting to note the highly crystalline character of 

 many of the rocks which are shewn from their fossils to be of 

 comparatively recent date. Mr. Selwyn's report contains a num- 

 ber of valuable facts with reference to the soil, forests, game, &c., 

 of British Columbia, and concludes with the following remarks : 



'' Tliough British C(/lumbia possesses considerable tracts of fine 

 " agricultural and pastoral land, amply sufficient to produce all the 

 ^' food her own population is ever likely to require, yet it is not 

 " probable that she will ever hold a prominent position as an exporting 

 '' agricultural country. ^Her chief resourses are her forests, her fisheries 

 " and her mines ; and these are capable of almost unlimited develop- 

 ^' ment. Her gold-fields, her silver veins and her coal-mines are yet 

 " in their infancy ; her timber trade is in a similar condition, and her 

 " fisheries, which may fairly be expected to rival those of the Atlantic 

 " Provinces, have not yet extended beyond the supply of local reqire- 

 <' ments. 



" There can scarcely be a doubt in the mind of any one who has 

 " visited the country, that a bright and prosperous future is in store 

 '^ for the Alpine Province of the great Dominion ; only to be realised, 

 " however, when the iron road shall have brought her into closer com- 

 «' munion with her elder sisters in the east. " 



Mr. Richardson's report contains much useful information 

 about the coal-fields, as well as about the crystalline rocks, super- 

 ficial deposits, crops, &c., of Vancouver Island. It is followed 

 by a note by Dr. Dawson on the fossil plants collected by Mr. 

 Richardson, and by analyses and notes, by Dr. Hunt, upon sam- 

 ples of coal and crystalline rocks from Vancouver Island. 



