GEOLOGICAL INTEREST NEAR MEDICINE HAT. 159 



any bones inibeddetl in tlie sandstone. This is a striking contrast to 

 the condition of fossils found in some of the Cretaceous clays of the 

 North-west, where they possess all the lustre and beauty, which 

 characterize some shells of modern seas. On some of the elevated 

 shelves, excellent fragments were found, which the weather, through 

 long periods had jn-epared. Almost anywhere in this vicinity upon 

 the ironstone bands, fragments of bone could be secured. There was 

 no longer doubt in our minds, that the remains of extinct animals 

 Avould be found among the deposits of this wild and di'eary place, 

 that the bones belonged to creatures of immense size and that they 

 thronged the Ci-etaceous seas in wliicli these deposits had been formed. 

 We felt amply repaid for all our exertions in this wild, rough and 

 lonely spot, although we found no skull bones or teeth. Some of the 

 bones were very large, apparently portions of thigh bones and 

 vertebrae ; all of which were presented to the Historical and 

 Scientific Society of Winnipeg, with the exception of the specimens 

 ]>laced before you, for examination at the close of the evening's 

 proceedings. 



At one place, in particular, where the escarpment was very marked? 

 large quantities of petrified wood lay about at the base and boi-e a 

 marked resemblance to a pile of ordinary wood, so much so that at 

 first sight, an ordinary observer would naturally consider it such ; 

 portions of the trees from which these had been derived could be 

 seen in the sandstone. As this place the sti'ata were so well defined, 

 that a sketch was taken, a vertical section of which may be repre- 

 se .ted as follows ; but it must be remembered, that this is not a 

 uniform condition in the ravine, for the strata vary much in diiferent 

 ])ai'ts : while a general airangement may be observed, such as sand- 

 stone, ironstone, clay and seams of coal, yet a wonderful difference 

 occurs, when you compare one series of deposits with those in other 

 parts. 



