IN EASTERN CANADA. AMI. 167 



prints and trails of reptilian and other animals, such as are seen 

 to occur at East and West Bay, near Partridge Island, Parrsboro, 

 and point clearly to rapid deposition or accumulation of sediment 

 along a fast-sinking floor. 



The main reason for introducing this argument is to combat 

 the view advanced in certain quarters, that by placing the Union 

 and Riversdale formations into the Carboniferous system, it 

 would make the latter too cumbersome and unwieldly a system, 

 and take away from an older, underlying system the Devonian, 

 and rob it of parts of its sediments. The following occur to me 

 to constitute the successive series or sediments which belong to 

 the Carboniferous system in certain portions of Nova Scotia. 



I. THE EO-CARBONIFEROUS. 



In this lower portion of the Carboniferous system, I would 

 place the Union and Riversdale series of sediments, which are 

 well and extensively developed in Pictou, Colchester and Cum- 

 berland Counties ; at Union and Riversdale ; along Harrington 

 River ; on the Moose River ; at East and West Bay, near 

 Parrsboro ; Archibald's Brook ; Oliver's Mills ; McKay's, etc., on 

 the East River of Pictou, and at numerous other localities. 



The expressions " Rocks of Union and of Riversdale," I would 

 describe as formations, calling one the Union formation, the 

 other, the Riversdale formation. These are easily recognized 

 over wide areas, geographically, and are characterised by a well- 

 defined fauna and flora, at least as far as the Riversdale 

 formation is concerned, the Union formation owing to its highly 

 ferruginous character proving almost everywhere to be very 

 destitute of fossil organic remains. 



FOSSILS FROM THE RlVERSDALE FORMATION. 



The two principal localities from which the fossils of this 

 formation may best be obtained, occur in the Riversdale Station 

 district, close to the boundary line between Colchester and 

 Pictou Counties, and in the Harrington River district near the 

 boundary between Colchester and Cumberland Counties. 



