[ells] CANADIAN GEOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE 7 



The earliest reports of Bigsby appeared in the journals of the Geo- 

 logical Society of London in 182 and 1823. The nomenclature em- 

 ployed by him in the west was also that adopted largely by Gesner in the 

 east, and, in fact, by most workers in the field of geological research for 

 some years. Gradually, however, the original classifications of Werner 

 gave place to other views of nomenclature, and a new arrangement was 

 proposed, in which the whole series, from the oldest to the newest, was 

 arranged under the heads Primary, Secondary and Tertiary, In this 

 echeme the Primary rocks corresponded closely with those which had 

 been styled Primitive in the original scale; while the Secondary included 

 those of the original division of that name, together with nmch of what 

 had been styled Transition. 



As regards the rocks included in the Primar}^, they are stated to 

 closely resemble in character those which pertain to volcanic masses, and 

 to indicate that they were elevated from the interior of the earth in a 

 state of fusion, or in a fluid and elastic condition ; while of the Secondary 

 rocks, in addition to their position as always above the Primary, they were 

 supposed to have a regular and parallel arrangement. Some portions 

 contain pieces of pre-existing rocks, while the strata often hold organic 

 remains, the whole series showing that they were deposited by the 

 agency of water. In this old classification the Secondary included all 

 from the summit of tlie Primary to the top of the Chalk group; while 

 the Tertiary included all above that division, in which the remains found 

 presented a general similarity to the animals now occupying the earth. 



In addition to these three great divisions, a fourth was instituted 

 and styled the Isolated rocks, in which group were placed the masses of 

 uncertain origin, including many of the greenstones, basalts, &c. This 

 scheme of nomenclature may be said to represent our knowledge of this 

 branch of the subject for the first third of the century. 



NOVA^SCOTIA. 



Presumably the first description of the rocks of Nova Scotia, from 

 the scientific standpoint, is contained in a somewhat lengthy paper, pub- 

 lished by Messrs. Jackson and Alger, in the American Journal of 

 Science, in 1828-29. This was illustrated by a sketch map, showing the 

 distribution of certain groups or formations, principally of the northern 

 and western portions of the province, and this is probably the first geo- 

 logical map issued for the eastern provinces. Especial attention was 

 directed to the trap formation of the Bay of Fundy, but much informa- 

 tion was also given regarding the coal measure rocks of Cumberland and 

 Pictou counties, and the gypsum deposits of the south side of the 

 Basin of Mines, while a good description of the deposits of iron ore in 



