[BAILEY-MATTHEW] NEW BRUNSWICK GEOLOGY 117 



case with the Lower Devonian fossil-bearing beds found by Chas. 

 Robb in the Nashwaak district, but the occurrence of limestones 

 carrying Silurian corals as observed by the writer in the settlement 

 of Waterville, of double graptolites, also found by the writer in Kings- 

 clear, and of plant remains by Reed on Spring Hill Brook near Frederic- 

 ton, all widely separated points, seem to render this idea improbable. 

 Indeed one would be disposed at first to think that the whole area is 

 Silurian instead of Cambrian or Quebec, as once supposed, were it 

 not for the fact that this conclusion is negatived by the finding of Cam- 

 brian graptolites in slates of this belt near Bathurst, and of Dictyonema 

 sociale in similar black slates at Benton, York Co. (Bailey). 



Nothing but an extended and painstaking survey can unravel 

 all the intricacies of this puzzling complex, and this is the more de- 

 sirable, as it has in later years been found to be the carrier of most 

 important metallic ores, including Antimony, Copper, Lead, Zinc, 

 Tungsten and Molybdenum. 



Another area to which the term Cambro-Silurian has been applied, 

 and which is so represented in the Geological Map, but whose real 

 age is still a matter of doubt, is that which, along the north side of 

 the Nerepis granite batholith, lies between the latter and supposed 

 Devonian strata. It consists mainly of dark argillites, in which as 

 yet no fossils have been found. With these, about the town of St. 

 Stephen are considerable areas of stratified dioritic and horneblendic 

 rocks, which are traversed by veins of serpentine and like the beds of 

 Sudbury, Ontario, hold extensive deposits of nickeliferous pyrrhotite, 

 but the facts so far gathered in relation to these rocks are not sufficient 

 to admit of their profitable discussion. 



Silurian 



No geological formation in New Brunswick is more widely spread 

 than the Silurian or presents more varied aspects. In general the 

 abundance of recognizable fossils removes all doubt as to the age 

 and distribution of the rocks containing them, and where these are 

 absent their relations to the fossiliferous rocks can usually be made 

 out without much difficulty. The problems arising out of the con- 

 sideration of this group, with two exceptions to be presently noticed, 

 have chiefly to do with the palaeogeography and climate of the era, 

 the source of its materials, the distribution of its volcanic activities, 

 and the evidences afforded by it of diastrophic movements. A few 

 remarks may be made upon each of these subjects. 



(a) The character of the Silurian fossils where found, affords 

 abundant evidence of the presence of the sea during the deposition 



