17-i SUBDIVISIONS OF THE CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM 



including Insects, Phyllopods, Crustaceans, Amphibians and 1 

 Lamellibranchiata, are all types which are markedly akin to 

 types well known to occur in the Carboniferous of other 

 countries, and more than that, such are usually met with in the- 

 Coal Measures of the same.* 



It has been one of my constant endeavours to obtain 

 Devonian fossils from those areas of Nova Scotia ascribed to- 

 the Devonian in the Riversdale and Harrington River Sections ;. 

 but I have found only Carboniferous types. 



EVIDENCE FROM PLANT LIFE. 



Besides the above, there is the evidence adduced from the- 

 flora collected in the strata which yielded the forms of animal 

 life just cited above, and it can be truly said that it also has a 

 decided Carboniferous facies. The genera Asterophyllites, Spken- 

 opteris, Alethopteris, Cardiopteris, Stigmaria, Calamites, Poac- 

 ites, Gordaites are all represented. From communications recently 

 received from Mr. Robert Kidston, of Stirling, Scotland, the well- 

 known author of the British Museum Catalogue of Carboniferous 

 Plants, who has examined the forms sent him, we learn that he is 

 satisfied that the flora is truly a Carboniferous one. 



Quite independently. Prof. David White of the Smithsonian 

 Institution and United States Geological Survey at Washington^ 

 arrived at the same conclusion when he kindly made a prelimin- 

 ary examination of the collections from Nova Scotia cited above, 

 and then in our possession at Ottawa, and invariably referred 

 the forms detected to the Carboniferous system. 



From our own study of the numerous collections obtained in 

 the so-called disputed areas in question, from the areas of the 

 Riversdale formation, we cannot but come to the conclusion that, 

 instead of finding Devonian types of plants and animals, they 

 proved in almost every case to be Carboniferous. Neither is it. 

 to be wondered at, that, on studying the affinities and relations 

 of the fossil plants, etc., of Riversdale, McKay's Head, and Har- 



* The term " Coal Measures " is an unfortunate one to designate a Geological formation, 

 and should never be used to designate horizon. It is a purely lithological or econ- 

 omic term, and conveys no idea of the Geological position in the Time scale- 

 Productive Coal Measures can occur at any horizon in the Garbonif erous. 



