IN EASTERN CANADA.—-AMI. 167 
prints and trails of reptilian and other animals, such as are seen 
to occur at East and West Bay, near Partridge Island, Parrsboro, 
and point clearly to rapid deposition or accumulation of sediment 
along a fast-sinking floor. 
The main reason for introducing this argument is to combat 
the view advanced in certain quarters, that by placing the Union 
and Riversdale formations into the Carboniferous system, it 
would make the latter too cumbersome and unwieldly a system, 
and take away from an older, underlying system—the Devonian, 
and rob it of parts of its sediments. The following occur to me 
to constitute the successive series or sediments which belong to 
the Carboniferous system in certain portions of Nova Scotia. 
I.—THE Eo-CARBONIFEROUS. 
In this lower portion of the Carboniferous system, I would 
place the Union and Riversdale series of sediments, which are 
well and extensively developed in Pictou, Colchester and Cum- 
berland Counties ; at Union and Riversdale ; along Harrington 
River; on the Moose River; at East and West Bay, near 
Parrsboro ; Archibald’s Brook ; Oliver’s Mills; McKay’s, ete., on 
the East River of Pictou, and at numerous other localities. 
The expressions “ Rocks of Union and of Riversdale,” I would 
describe as formations, calling one the Union formation, the 
other, the Riversdale formation. These are easily recognized 
over wide areas, geographically, and are characterised by a well- 
defined fauna and flora, at least as far as the Riversdale 
formation is concerned, the Union formation owing to its highly 
ferruginous character proving almost everywhere to be very 
destitute of fossil organic remains. 
FOssILS FROM THE RIVERSDALE FORMATION. 
The two principal localities from which the fossils of this 
formation may best be obtained, occur in the Riversdale Station 
district, close to the boundary line between Colchester and 
Pictou Counties, and in the Harrington River district near the 
boundary between Colchester and Cumberland Counties. 
