378 



THE A20IC SYSTEM AND ITS SUBDIVISIONS. 



morphic series, but I do not regard the evidence of this, either from fossils, 

 mineral character, or superposition, as conclusive, and must refer for it to the 

 memoirs of these gentlemen in the transactions of the Nova Scotia Institute, 

 and the Journal of the Geological Society of London. I must, in like manner, 

 decline to receive as of Laurcntian age the felsitic and other rocks of Cape Bre- 

 ton, reftirred to this system by Mr. Fletcfier in the latest Eeport of the Geo- 

 logical Survey. I would except those of St. Anne's Mountain, the lithological 

 resemblance of which to the Lower Laurentian of Canada is indisputable, and 

 the evidence that they may be of this age has certainly been much strength- 

 ened by the recent observations of Mr. Fletcher. Specimens, and the observa- 

 tions of Mr. Brown and Mr. Campbell and others, induce me also to believe 

 that in the little island of St. Paul, and in some parts of Northern Cape Bre- 

 ton, we may have a continuation of the rocks referred by Mr. Murray to the 

 Laurentian in Newfoundland. With these exceptions, I have not seen in 

 Nova Scotia, unless in travelled boulders, any rock that I could believe to be 

 lithologically equivalent to the Laurentian of Canada, nor have I ftnind any 

 stratigraphical evidence of the occuirence of such rocks." (I. c, pp. 80, 00.) 



The condition of the question in Nova Scotia can bo briefly sumyicd 

 up as follows. In one locality it is probable that some rocks — of, in 

 part at least, doubtful origin — are of Lower or Pre-Silurian age.. There 

 is no evidence showing that they should be subdivided into any of the' 

 supposed prc-Palcoozoic systems, other than lithological, and the finding 

 of some pebbles iu a limestone, supposed (not proved) to be the same as 

 the rocks it was desired to place in an inferior position. In fact, beyond 

 the evidence of the pebbles, no proof has been furnished that would 

 justify us in placing any of the rocks of Nova Scotia below the recog- 

 nized fossilifcrous portions. 



NEWFOUNDLAND. 



The first report of the Geological Survey of Newfoundland made 

 under the general direction of the head of the Canada Survey, Sir 

 William Logan, bears date April 11, 1865. Previous to this, however, 

 Prof. J. B. Jukes made a geological reconnaissance of the island, under 



f 



governmental authority. This was during the years 1839 and 1840. 

 As Professor Jukes made no attempt to assign names, other than local, 

 to the formation below the Carboniferous, it will not be necessary to 

 take his work into consideration in the present connection. 



