94 



is a general section of the entire series as developed in this area, in 

 descending order : — 



COMO^i SECTION. 



FEET. IN. 



G. Upper Conglomerates. ..J^.V- 1. (. 320 



F. Upper Shales , ..'-,.'... 776 6 



E. Middle Conglomerates . . , 1,100 



D. Middle Shales 76 



C. Lower Conglomerates 900 



B. Lower Shales 1,000 



A. Productive Coal Measures 739 6 



Total 4,912 



The Nanaimo Coal-field commences at a distance of about fifteen miles 

 from Victoria and reaches to Nanoose Harbour, including within its 

 boundaries a number of islands in the Georgian Strait, from the Sucia 

 Gi'oup on the south-east, to Gabriola Island on the north-west. It has 

 been found impracticable to define the upper groups of the Comox section 

 in the Nanaimo area, and the rocks of the latter have accordingly been 

 grouped provisionally, as follows: — 



NANAIMO SECTION. 



FEET. 



Gr. to C. Sandstones. Thickness estimated at 3,290 



B. Shales " " " 660 



A. Productive Coal Measures. « " " 1,316 



Total 5,266 



Fi'om this it would appear that the thickness of the formation is some- 

 what greater in the Nanaimo than in the Comox area. 



The organic remains obtained by Mr. Eichardson from these deposits 

 are, first, a small but interesting series of fragments of land jDlants, 

 which have already been partly reported on by Principal Dawson, but 

 which require further study ; and, secondly, a collection of one hundred 

 species of marine invertebrates, of which ninety-six belong to the Mol- 

 lusca proper, thi-ee to the Brachiopoda, and one to the Anthozoa. Of 

 the true Mollusca more than one-half the species are Lamellibranchiate 

 bivalves, and in the same way the Gasteroj)oda are much more abundantly 

 represented than the Cephalopoda. 

 Y In both coal fields most of the shells are fi'om Division A., but in the 

 Comox area a considerable number of species were collected from the 

 Lower Shales (Division B.) of the south-west side of Denman Island 

 and elsewhere ; also from the Middle Shales (Division D.) of the 

 west and north-west side of Hornby Island. In the Comox basin only, 



