THE GEOLOGICAL MAI'. 13 



to the Lower Carboniferous or Gypsiferoiis series, and tlicy no doubt 

 form a portion of a rim of these rocks, limiting the Carboniferous 

 area of the Acadian Bay, and extending from Northern Cape Breton 

 toward tlie Baie des Chaleurs. 



The south-western corner of JSTcwfoundland, extending into the 

 map, includes part of the Coal-field of St George's Bay, and of a 

 Laurentian area which bounds it on the east. These formations have 

 recently been described by Murray in his Reports on the Geology of 

 Newfoundland, and have been represented on his beautiful map of 

 tlie island. Specimens in my possession show that the Carboniferous 

 limestone- of Newfoundland includes abundance of the characteristic 

 fossils of that fornuation, and tliat its fossil plants are principally such 

 as in Nova Scotia occur in tlie Millstone-grit.* 



3. THE MODERN PERIOD. 



Changes of Level. — In the surveys for the Baie Verte Canal, made 

 by Mr Page uiuler authority of the Dominion Government, I find it 

 stated in the Report of Mr Baillarge, that between the Missaquash 

 River and Cumberland Creek, to the north of the point where I 

 observed the submarine forest of Fort Lawrence,-]- stumps of trees 

 were seen rooted in eai'th for more tlian half a mile along the 

 shore, and extending from low- water mark to the bank. They are 

 stated to be from 32-8 feet to 22"3 feet below the level of the highest 

 tides. The surveyors recognised spruce, beech, pine, and tamarac, 

 all in a fxir state of preservation, and rooted in a vegetable mould 

 underlaid by a sandy subsoil. In my Report on Prince Edward 

 Island I have noticed evidence of similar modern subsidence, thougli 

 to a less amount. These facts place themselves in connection with 

 the probability that in America, as in Europe, a period of continental 

 elevation succeeded the great Post-pliocene subsidence, and has been 

 followed by a depression in more modern times. This consideration 

 seems to account for some otherwise anomalous facts in connexion 

 with the distribution of modern marine animals. I referred to tliese 

 points in my annual address to tlie Natural History Society of 

 Montreal in 1874, and may here repeat the substance of what was 

 then said. 



The Acadian Bay in relation to Modern Subsidence. — If we draw 

 a straight line from the northern end of Cape Breton through the 

 Magdalen Islands to the mouth of the Bay des Chaleurs, wc have 



* Kepnrt on Fossil I'lauts of L. Carboniferous and Millstone-grit, 1873, 

 t Ac. Gcol., p. -20. 



