132 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. vii^. 



ore the chief aiopareut difference as compared with that of Pictou 

 is in the contained species of fossils. 



Where I have examined this bed, it appears to be six teet thick 

 and enclosed in slaty rocks not dissimilar from those associated 

 with the Silurian ore of Pictou. Recent explorations at Nictaux 

 are said to have developed extensions of this deposit ; but I have 

 no details of these. As rocks of the Arisaig group are knowni to 

 underlie the Nictaux beds, it is not impossible that additional 

 beds of ore may be found in these. The normal condition of 

 the iron of the Nictaux bed is that of peroxide; but locally it 

 has lost a portion of its oxygen and has become magnetic. 

 This I believe to be a consequence of local metamorphism con- 

 nected with the immense granite dikes which traverse the Devon- 

 ian rocks of this region. 



The Nictaux ore is more highly fossiliferous than that of 

 Pictou, and contains a larger proportion of Phosphate of Lime. 

 In the attempts hitherto made to work this ore, the distance 

 from coal has been a main disadvantage, but the construction of 

 the Windsor and Annapolis railway has diminished this. The 

 Devonian beds holdino; this bed are described in "Acadian Geol- 

 ogy." An analysis of a specimen made many years ago gave 55 

 per cent of iron. 



(3) Bedded Ores of the C<-(rhoniferous System. 



The most remarkable of these is a bed of crystalline Spathic 

 iron or Siderite, occurring in the Lower Carboniferous series,. 

 near Sutherland's River in the County of Picton. As described 

 by Mr. G-. 3L Dawson, who prosecuted works of exploration in 

 it last year, it is a conformable bed, occurring in the Lower Car- 

 boniferous red sandstones, and.varymg from six feet six inches to 

 ten feet six inches in thickness. It is accompanied with smaller 

 bands of the same mineral, and at no great vertical distance from 

 it is a bed of gypsum. Its mode of occurrence is on the whole 

 not dissimilar from that of the non fossiliferous sub-crystalline 

 limestones which occur in some parts of the Lower Carboniferous 

 series associated with the gypsum. This ore is a true Spathic 

 Iron, granular and crystalline in texture, and when unweathered 

 of a light gray colour. It affords from 42 to 43 per cent, of 

 iron and contains from 2 to 8 per cent, of manganese. This bed 

 is only four miles distant from the "Vale" colliery, and is in- 

 tended to be worked in association w^ith the Hematite already 



