THE 01L-FIEIJ).S OV EASTERN CANADA. ELJ>S. GOT 



In tile Atlantic provinces of Canada exploratio'ns for 

 petroleum have been carried on at iiatervals for many years, 

 in Xova Scotia, ISTew Brunswick and Quebec as well as in 

 Newfoundland. So far only negative results have been obtain- 

 ed, but a study of the several fields in which operations have 

 been conducted will present some features of general interest. 



In contrast with the oil-fields of western Ontario or of the 

 eastern States, in both which areas the oil-bearing rocks lie 

 in nearly horizontal layers, either of sandstone, limestone or 

 shale, the rocks of the eastern areas in Canada are more or less 

 disturbed, being thrown into folds with their accompanying 

 faults and dislocations. 



Although the island of JSTewfoundland is not politically a 

 part of Canada, geologically speaking its oil-fields are related 

 and may be considered in this place. Of these there are at 

 present but two in which operations have been carried on, viz., 

 at Port au Port bay, north of St. George's bay, and on the west 

 coast further north, at Parson's pond. 



In the article on petroleum published in the .Vnnual 

 Bulletin of the United States Geological Survey, these occur- 

 ences are assigned to Cambrian rocks. The reason for this is 

 not very clear, for dviring a visit to the former locality, several 

 years ago, a brief study was made of the district by the writer 

 which led to very different conclusions. 



The two principal geological formations found around the 

 shores of Port au Port bay from the Gravels east and west, are 

 1st., a series of fossiliferous limestones of the Levis or Cal- 

 ciferouis formation, a part of the old Quel)ec group 

 of Canada, and 2nd., an un conformably overlying series 

 of fossiliferous shales and limestones of Low^er Car- 

 boniferous and Upper Devonian age, ])ortions of which 

 are faulted down into the Calciferous division which 

 forms prominent ridges along the shores of the bay. Towards 

 the inner end of the long point, on which the borings are situat- 



