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the " Missouri Coteau." This forms the Eastern limit of 

 the 3rd Prairie level. The solid rocks are rarely exposed 

 across the Prairies, but may be seen in the river valleys. 

 They are mostly of Cretaceous and Eocene age, with some of 

 an intermediate age. In fact, the great gap in time which 

 in Western Europe exists between the Chalk and the beds 

 next above, is here bridged over. The beds of this doubtful 

 age contain important seams of coal, which are now being 

 largely opened out. Near Medicine Hat, the coal is bitu- 

 minous ; here it lies in a nearly horizontal position beneath 

 the drift soils of the Prairies. 



Where the Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks come to the 

 surface the soil is sometimes alkaline, and much difficulty 

 is found in obtaining pure water. But alkaline soils are also 

 formed where the drainage has been blocked by drift 

 deposits, and where evaporation has taken place, leaving the 

 solid matter of the river water in the soil. In these places 

 the Flora is very peculiar and interesting. 



(c.) The third zone is that of the "Foot-hills" of the 

 Rocky Mountains. It has no strongly marked boundaries ; 

 it shades off into the Prairies on the Eastj and into the wilder 

 regions of the Mountains on the West. The rocks compris- 

 ing it are of various ages, but are often greatly disturbed. 

 The coal is here a true anthracite, the change in character 

 being probably due to the great disturbance of the beds. 

 These " Foot-hills " contain districts of great natural beauty. 

 Scattered woodlands, open glades, meadows with rushing 

 streams, rapidly succeed each other. This is the great 

 " ranching " district of the North West. 



[d.) The last and most Westerly zone is that of the 

 Rocky Mountains, in which the scenery is exceedingly wild 

 and beautiful. The rocks, chiefly of Palaeozoic age, are 

 deeply carved into precipitous valleys and gorges. They 

 are thickly covered with forest in their lower parts, but the 

 higher regions are bare, whilst the peaks are snow covered. 



