64 McKELLAR ON THE ANIMIKIE AND 



5. The Laurentian system. 



Although it is not my intention in the present paper to discuss the question of the 

 relations of the Laurentian and Hurouian systems, I may remark, in passing, that these 

 formations are folded together and appear conformable, yet it is quite probable that 

 uncouformabilities do exist within this great body of rocks ; of which I have noticed 

 apparent indications in several places as, for instance, south-east of Wabigoon Lake, 

 south of Owl Lake, and in the vicinity of the Little Pic River, etc. 



The Huronian rocks of the different areas north of the great lakes differ more or less 

 from one another, both as to the presence or absence of some of their lithological consti- 

 tuents and in the relative volumes or proportions of certain kinds of rocks which may 

 be present ; but in the main, the general lithological difference betwen these areas may 

 be considered as of degree and not of kind. No good reason has yet been shown for con- 

 sidering any of them as entitled to a separate classification. To attempt to separate them 

 in the present state of our knowledge, would only lead to confusion. The so-called 

 " Typical Huronian of Lake Huron," contains the same kinds of rocks as the " Huronian 

 areas " of Lake Superior, although the c[uartzites are in relatively larger volume, and 

 possibly part of the former series may prove to be a little newer than most of the latter. 



If the Lake Huron cjuartzites and their associated rocks could be shown to belong to 

 a formation distinct from all the rest of the rocks which have been classified as Huronian, 

 it might then become difhcult to prove their chronological relation to the Auimikie for- 

 mation. Stratigraphy would give but little aid in ascertaining their relative positions, if 

 their ec[uivalency with the Huronian schists of Lake Superior were in doubt. But I 

 believe that almost all geologists are agreed, Prof L-viug among the number, that 

 they belong to the same system. The somewhat lower angles of dip than the average, 

 in part of the Lake Huron region, and the relatively large development of the quartzites, 

 are the circumstances which have caused doubts in the minds of some, who have but 

 limited personal knowledge of the Huronian system, as to their equivalency with the 

 rocks of this age on Lake Superior, which are generally more schistose. But many other 

 examples could be given of low dips in admitted Huronian regions. Again, the cjuartzites 

 of Lake Huron are conformably associated with great volumes of crystalline schists, 

 apparently identical with those of Lake Superior. The white and grey quartzites, with 

 jasper pebbles of the former region, are also found on the east shore of Lake Superior, 

 and quartzites of different shades are met with in the Hurouian bands north of Michi- 

 picoten, at Red Lake (to the north of Lake of the Woods) and elsewhere. Dr. Bell has 

 shown that they exist in great force among rocks of the ordinary Huronian types on the 

 north-west coast of Hudson Bay. My personal knowledge of the rocks of Lake Huron 

 is not so complete as of those of Lake Superior ; but from the descriptions of Sir William 

 Logan and others, and from what I have myself seen of the Lake Huron strata, the green- 

 stones and schists of the formation there appear to me to be precisely the same in 

 character as their supposed equivalents on Lake Superior and not in the least like the 

 rocks of the Auimikie formation. Even the veinstones of the former region are markedly 

 of the Lake Superior Huronian type,saud quite different from those of the Auimikie series. 

 My impression is that the original Huronian of Lake Huron can never be shown to be 

 equivalent to the Animikie, any more than can the Huronian of Lake Superior. They 

 must either be classified with the last mentioned or as an iutermediate formation. 



