MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



91 



the products of sublimation and of galvanfc segregation of the metal 

 from vapor." He defined the ash bed as a " comparatively soft scoria, or 

 rotten amygdaloid, formed by the mixture of molten trap-rock and fine 

 sandstone, which have been, as it were, melted together into a very 

 spongy kind of scoria, the aqueous vapor having rendered it remarkably 

 vesicular."* He regarded the trap as having been "poured out, at dif- 

 ferent times, through a fissure, and spread over the materials of the 

 sandstone and conglomerate at the bottom of the sea, thus producing 

 alternating beds of these rocks," while in July, 1856, he seems to have 

 regarded the trap as forming dikes in the sandstone, and combining with 

 its ingredients to form the zeolites.f Prof. L E. Kivot t regarded the 

 traps as interstratified sedimentary beds metamorphosed in situ. The 

 sandstone formed the upper portion of, and was conformable with, 

 the copper scries ; all to the Sault St. Marie making one geological 

 horizon, including the granites and iron-bearing rocks. All were taken 



to be of the Potsdam age. The veins were considered to have been pro- 

 duced by elevation and fracture since the deposition of the entire scries, 

 and tlie copper deposited in the wet way. 



In 18,?6 a " Report on the Exploration of Lakes Superior and Huron," 

 was presented to the Legislative Assembly of Canada by Count de 

 Eottermund. It probably proved satisfactory, as we do not learn that 

 the Assembly asked for any further information from him. Li the nar- 

 rative portion we are informed : "I procm-ed a boat with four hands 

 and proceeded to Portlock Harbour. ... I met Mr. Salter with whom 

 I returned to the Bruce Mines. There we parted our provisions and 

 separated." {L c, p. L) 



He attempts a classification of the formations visited, and states that 

 " this classification demands great attention, and very minute discrimi- 

 nation, to avoid the solecism of giving names according to individual 

 fancy, not used in the scientific world. Such are the names applied to 

 formations m Canada of Huronian, Sillery, Laurentine, Pichclicu, pecu- 

 liar to tiie localities which they indicate, substituted for Jurassic, Car- 

 boniferous, Cambrian, Devonian, etc., which arc so well classified, defined, 

 and admitted throughout the scientific world." {I c, pp. 4,5.) 



His theory of tiie origin of the copper is too lengthy for'inscrtion ; it 

 nnist be read to bo appreciated. The result is summed up as follows : 

 ''On Lake Superior the copper, in its native state is due to the de- 



* Proc. Bost. Soc. ^^at. Hist., 1855, V. 279-281; 1850 VII 31 

 t Ibid., VI. 23, 24. 



\ Auiialos dcs Minos, (5,) 1855, VII. 173-328 j^lSSG, X. 364-474. 



E^ 



