CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM IN EASTERN CANADA. AMI. 163 



any prejudice or desire to accept one view or another, unless the 

 facts adduced proved to be wholly reliable evidence. 



Abram Gesner, Sir William Dawson, Sir Charles Lyell, Dr. 

 Jackson, Prof. Alger, Prof. J. P. Lesley, M. de Koninck, M. de 

 Verneuil, Mr. Hugh Fletcher, Dr. R. W. Ells, Mr. Henry S. 

 Poole, Richard Brown, Prof. T. Rupert Jones, F. R. S, J. W. 

 Kirkby, Mr. J. W. Salter, Dr. Henry Woodward, Dr. G. F. 

 Matthew, Prof. Bailey, Mr. A. Smith Woodward, Mr. Robert 

 Kidston, and Prof. David White, have all contributed by their 

 writings, published or in manuscript, to the literature of this 

 interesting controversy. 



I shall not attempt to review the difference of opinion which 

 may exist between what may be tunned the two schools of 

 geology as regards the constitution of the Devonian system, 

 especially as regards the uppermost members of that system, 

 The Lonsdalean School, whose characteristics of the Devonian age 

 are based more especially upon the life-zones or pal aeon tological 

 evidence which the formations hold, and the M urchisonian 

 School, which emphasizes more especially the stratigraphical 

 succession, with little reference to palseontological evidence. 



From a considerable study of the origin or genesis of the 

 various geological formations in question, or of the cycles of 

 constructive forms affecting them, the periods of erosion noticed, 

 together with the life-zones which these formations contain, and 

 characterize them, one has been able to arrive at a conclusion 

 which, it is hoped, will be in accord with the views of the rest 

 of the world, so that whatever interpretation is given to the 

 Carboniferous system in one continent, the same should likewise 

 hold good for another. The same with the Devonian system. 



Just as Time was a constant factor during the evolution or 

 history of the Carboniferous system of this world, and that the 

 amount of time involved is a definite period, so also was Life a 

 constant factor ; and the several subdivisions of the Carbonifer- 

 ous system the Eo-, Meso-, and Neo-Carboniferous, must be 

 marked by corresponding series of Life-zones of the game 

 system. 



