24 L. W. BAILEY ON THE 



Quebec. 



As iu other auriferous districts, the gold of the Chaudière district iu Quebec is fouud 

 partly in the form of drift and partly as contained in quartz veins traversing the rocks of 

 the country. Except so far as its distribution affords aid iu determining its source, and 

 the productive character of the rocks from which it was derived, the former has no inter- 

 est iu the present connection. In the G-eology of Canada, 1863, the source of the gold 

 was supposed to be the crystalline schists of the Notre Dame range, though the only 

 actual find of the metal in situ was in connection with a quartz vein cutting slates then 

 supposed to be of Silurian age. These supposed Silurian rocks were found to cover a 

 large area, and were so mapped, but even at that time their general resemblance to the 

 gold-bearing rocks of Nova Scotia was recognized and pointed out by the late Sir "Wm. 

 Logau. More recently this comparison has acquired increased significance from the fact 

 that a closer study of the rocks in question, together with the discovery of characteristic 

 fossils, leaves no doubt that the greater part of them, and probably all the gold-bearing 

 portion, are not Silurian but Cambrian, and thus of the same age as those of Nova Scotia. 



An important feature in connection with the Chaudière quartz veins is the very vari- 

 able amount of gold which they contain, for while some were fouud to equal in richness 

 those of the worked veins iu Nova Scotia, others yielded a much less promising return, 

 ajid some were apparently barren. 



For further particulars relating to these rocks reference may be made to the reports 

 of the Geological Survey, particularly to those of Mr. A. Michel and Dr. T. S. Hunt 

 (1863-1866), and Dr. Selwyn, 18'70-'71, in which the results of numerous assays are given or 

 referred to. 



New Brunswick. 



We come now to consider the grounds in favour of the probable occurrence of gold- 

 fields in New Brunswick, and in doing so may first state what reliable information exists 

 as to the actual finding of the precious metal in the province. 



As before stated, reported discoveries have been very numerous, but many of these 

 are unreliable. It is, however, worthy of notice that a considerable proportion of them 

 have come from districts the known character and age of which, though unknown to the 

 reporters, are such as would be favourable to its occurrence. In these districts also 

 undoubted discoveries of the metal have been made. The finding of gold by the officers 

 of the Maine State Survey near St. Stephen, in Charlotte county, has already been referred 

 to. The rocks reported as containing it are black plumbaginous slates and quartzose mica 

 schists, forming a portion of a series which in the Canadian Survey report of IStO-Tl was 

 described as resting upon, though probably distinct from, a group of granitoid gneisses, 

 then regarded as possibly of Laurentian age. At a somewhat later period, the first named 

 rocks were held to be either Cambrian or Cambro-Silurian, and were so represented in the 

 published maps of the region. They will be again referred to in the sequel. 



A second region iu which there is good reason to believe that gold has to some extent 

 been found is that of the Nashwaak river, above the village of Stanley, in York county. 

 This region is the property of the large lumber operator, Mr. Alex. Gribsou, and it is stated 



