152 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
t 
General Remarks and Conclusions. 
The Upper Devonian terrane in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia 
thus possesses three floras of different aspect; Ist, that of the Passa- 
maquoddy or Perry Basin accepted as Devonian by palæophytologists; 
2nd, that of the Quaco Basin with plants of a decidedly Carboniferous 
(i.e. deltaic) facies; 3rd, that of the Kenebecasis—Petitcodiac valley 
with plants of a Pocono or “Culm” facies. With the second should be 
associated the plants of the Riverdale stage in Nova Scotia, and with 
the third those of Gaspereau and Horton sandstones in the same pro- 
vince. The first two groupings are found in the lower division of the 
terrane, the third in the middle division as shown in the synopsis of the 
groups as presented by Messrs Bailey and Ells in their report on the 
Albert shales.* How are we to account for this reversal of the accepted 
order of the appearance of the ancient floras? the author would suggest 
the following hypotheses in explanation of the supposed anomaly. 
1. That the floras regarded as Carboniferous were growing in an 
earlier geological age in areas that have not been explored, or having 
been explored these terranes were assumed to be Carboniferous on 
account of the flora; in cases where the age of a terrane could not be 
established by intercalated marine deposits, the plants would be relied 
upon as a guide. In this region we have not found Devonian marine 
faunas in the plant beds, but these are in many places immediately 
overlain by Lower Carboniferous limestones, and hence are presumably 
Devonian. 
2. The fact that the Perry Basin contains a flora which is ad- 
mittedly Devonian may be accounted for by supposing that this basin 
was in a dry and elevated district, and so was brought under conditions 
of temperature etc., that resembled those of the northern range of 
terranes described in the first section of this paper. 
3. The aspect of the flora of the Kenebecasis sandstones, and 
Albert shales is due to other causes; this is a later flora than that of 
Quaco or Perry, and its composition would point to a dry climate with 
a brief season or rains or moist weather, hence the great number of 
plants with acicular leaves and of others with rhizomes that are found 
in its shales; the absence of Calamites and ferns (excepting the genus 
Aneimites generally found in association with Lepidodendrids) should be 
noted. It is to be observed that this fauna both in New Brunswick 
and Nova Scotia is found on the north side of old pre-Devonian ridges, 
and if the Atlantic ocean existed then as now, the moist winds from it 
* Rep. Prog. Geol. Surv. Can. 1876-7 (1878) p. 355. 
