80 



THE LOWER SILUKIAX. 



which, while they ally this series with that of Northeni New Brunswick 

 and of the Kingston peninsula, separate it from the typical Huronian. 

 I am therefore inclined to believe that it will ultimately be found that 

 there are three barren series of mixed volcanic and aqueous deposits 

 in the Acadian Provinces, separated by fossiliferous deposits, viz., 

 (1) The Huronian, over which lie the fossiliferous Cambrian (Acadian) 

 beds ; (2) The Cobequid series, over which lie the fossiliferous Middle 

 and Upper Silurian ; (3) The Mascarene series, belonging to the 

 Upper Silurian. In some districts, as in Southern New Brunswick 

 and Cape Breton, where these series, or some of them, approach 

 closely to each other, and are much disturbed, it may be difficult to 

 disentangle these deposits ; but I believe the distinction will be found 

 to hold good, and will no doubt be facilitated by the discovery of 

 additional fossiliferous beds. 



Fig. 15.— General Structure of the Cobequid Bange. 



(a) Massive Syenitic Granite. 



(6) Lower Cobequid Series, Felsite, Porphyry, Agglomerate, &c. 



(c) Upper Cobequid Series. Ferriferous Slates and Quartzite. 



(d) Wentworth Fossiliferous Beds. — Upper Silurian. 



(e) Carboniferous. 

 (/) Triassic. 



(x) Veins of Syenite and Diabase. 



In the meantime, I have no doubt of the identity of the greater 

 part of the altered and volcanic beds of the hilly country extending 

 through Pictou and Antigonish counties, and underlying the Upper 

 Silurian, with the Cobequid series. Further, large suites of specimens 

 placed in my hands by Albert J. Flill, Esq., leave no room to doubt 

 the similarity of the greater part of the rocks in the district extending 

 from St Peter's to Scatari in Cape Breton to the Cobequid deposits ; 

 though, as will appear in the sequel, there is reason to believe that 

 older rocks occur both in this district and in Northern Cape Breton, 



Mr Selwyn, who has studied these rocks in Southern Cape Breton 

 and in Eastern Nova Scotia, but has not yet published his results, 

 takes, I believe, similar views of their probable age, and compares 

 their lithological character with that of the contemporaneous trap-ash 

 beds and similar volcanic deposits in South Wales. Their resem- 

 blance to the Borrowdale and Skiddaw series in England, as described 

 by Ward in his Report on these formations, is also remarkable. 



