V. — Notes on Recent Sedimentary Formations on the 

 Bay of Fundy Coast.— By R. W. Ells, LL. D., 

 F. R. S. C, &c. 



(Rtad May 14th, 1S94.) 



Ever since the commencement of the study of the rock 

 formations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, nearly sixty 

 years ago, the red sandstones and associated trap rocks, more 

 especially seen along the south side of the Bay of Fundy, have 

 been regarded as the newest member of the geological scale, 

 and presumably of Triassic age. Along the north shore of the 

 Bay, in New Brunswick, small isolated areas of .similar rocks 

 occur at several places, hut the red cliffs of Cape Blomidon, and 

 the several points in eastern Kings County which project into 

 the waters of the Basin of Minas may be taken as typical of 

 the sedimentary portion of this formation for this area. 



On the north side of the Basin scattered outliers of Triassic 

 sandstone also appear from Partridge Island eastward. As we 

 approach the upper part of Cobequid Bay these become more 

 extended and form a band along the north shore of several miles 

 in breadth which extends from the head of the Bay along the 

 valley of the Salmon River for some distance east of Truro- 

 The most prominent feature connected with this formation how- 

 ever is the great ridge of trappean rock, which, rising like a 

 wall, several hundred feet in height, cuts off the lovely valley of 

 the Cornwallis and Annapolis Rivers from the waters of the 

 Bay of Fundy. The debris of these trap rocks, when mingled 

 with the red loam of the valley, has produced a soil especially 

 favourable to tlie growth of apples and other fruits, and the 

 same peculiar soil is found in the tinest orchard centres of 

 the Province of Quebec, such as the district surj'ounding the 

 trappean mountains of Montreal, Abi otsford, St. Hilaire and 

 Rigaud, the soils of these localities from the destruction of 



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