Section IV., 1897. [ 107 ] Teans. R. S. C. 



III. — The Bciij of Fundy Trough in American Geological History. 

 By Professor Bailey. 



(Read June 23rd, 1897.) 



The fact that a northeastern or Acadian basin, not onl}^ physio- 

 graphically distinct from other regions of the American continent, but 

 to a considerable extent independent also a^ regards its biological pro- 

 gress, was a feature of that continent even from the earliest Palaeozoic 

 times, was tirst brought prominently to notice by the late Prof. J. D. 

 Dana, in the earliest edition (1866) of his Manual of Geology. In that 

 work the references to this subject, under the heading of " The Eastern 

 Border Eegion," Avere for the most part of a ver}^ general character; but 

 in the last edition of the same work, published thirty-one years later, the 

 same idea is elaborated in much more detail, and several successive sketch- 

 maps are presented, embodying the author's views as to the geographical 

 evolution of the region to which they refer. As these views have 

 reference to a most important subject, and are likely to be widely read 

 and accepted, any facts which may tend to confirm or to modify them 

 can hardly fail to be of value. It is the purpose of the present paper to 

 discuss some of these conclusions, especially so far as they relate to New 

 Brunswick and Nova Scotia, in view of such information as recent inves- 

 tigations of the latter are calculated to afford. 



Among the features which especially distinguish Prof. Dana's latest 

 presentation of the subject is that of the recognition, among what he 

 terms " areas of geological progress," of an "Acadian channel," this being 

 described as embracing the Bay of Fundy, and thence extending easterly 

 to western Newfoundland, and in the opposite direction along and oft" the 

 New England coast, probably as ftir as Narragansett bay. This Acadian 

 trough is further described as persisting through Palœozoic time, and as 

 being separated, at least during the earlier portion of that time, from 

 another and more northerly trough — designated " the Gaspe- Worcester " 

 or " Maine-Worcester '' trough — by a range of Archœan rocks, possibly 

 extending across the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Newfoundland ; while to 

 the south it was delimited by another Archiean range, termed the 

 " Acadian protaxis," occupying, in particular, central Nova Scotia, and 

 thence extending westerly to Long Island. Finally, in the series of 

 sketch-maps, to which reference has been made, representing the sup- 

 posed geographical conditions of eastern America in successive periods, 

 various limits are assigned to the submerged and emerged areas, the Nova 

 Scotian protaxis being retained in all. 



