714 kepoet— 1884. 



the immense thickness of the seams, they are more irregular in their dip than those 

 of Cape Breton, with an angle of from 10° to 30°. The total area is about thirty-five 

 square miles, hut owing to the extent of faults, a large portion of the coal is cut 

 off; the whole field forms an irregular basin, let down on all sides, among rocks of 

 older age. 



Cumberland County. — This important field has only recently been developed 

 on a large scale, the productive measures extend from the Joggins, on the shore of 

 the Bay of Fundy, for more than twenty miles easterly, towards the base of the 

 Cobequid Hills. On the shore of the Bay of Fundy, the exposure is of immense 

 thickness, estimated at 14,000 feet, extending from the Marine Limestones of the 

 Lower Carboniferous to the top of the Coal Formation. Its extent has not yet 

 been arrived at. 



North- West. — The ninety-seventh meridian separates pretty exactly, the coal- 

 bearing formations of America into two classes. To the east, Carboniferous ; in the 

 west, the coals and lignites are found at various horizons in the Secondary and 

 Tertiaiy rocks. Their development has only commenced ; but when it is considered 

 that outcrops of valuable seams are found eastward of the Rocky Mountains, from 

 the United States boundary, for hundreds of miles to the north, iio anxiety may be 

 felt as to their extent. 



British Columbia. — Very little exploration has been made in the mainland, the 

 coals of Vancouver Island being easily accessible and of excellent quality. The best 

 known fields are those of Comox and Nanaimo, on the eastern shore of the island. 

 The measures dip mostly under the sea ; they are variable, however, and require 

 the diamond drill to be used extensively ; the coals are bituminous and are con- 

 sidered the best on the American Pacific Coast. Two companies, the Wellington 

 and Vancouver, work extensive mines. 



4. On the Geology of Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. 

 By the Rev. D. Honeyman, D.G.L., F.R.S.C. 



Halifax Harbour owes to its geology very many of the features by which it 

 is characterised. Its formations are : 1st. Archcean. 2nd. Lower Cambrian- 

 metamorphosed. 3rd. Glacial. 



(1) Opposite McNab's Island and west of the main entrance the principal rocks 

 are Granites. Genner regarded these as primary, Professor Hind considers them 

 to be Laurentian Gneisses, the author, unstratified rocks of Archaean age. 



(2) Gneissoid Rocks and Schists. — The former, andalusitic and pyritous, are 

 associated with the granites. They are seen lying on the granites, abutting against 

 them, dipping towards them, having an east and west strike, and a southerly dip r 

 and in no case dipping away from them; some of them appear to cross the 

 harbour, outcropping near the lighthouse and on the island, and appearing at the 

 eastern passage. 



(3) The argillites of Halifax city occupy the west sideof the harbour, appearing 

 fully at Pleasant Park. At Three Gun Battery Point there is a syncline on either 

 side. The argillites have only one feeble outcrop on the eastern side. The only 

 other rocks to be seen are quartzites. These are at a considerable distance from 

 the harbour, reaching Dartmouth on the same side. The Halifax argillites are 

 seen to have crossed over in great force, and continue so until we come opposite 

 Richmond. At this place the Quartzites of Bedford Basin connect with the 

 Halifax Argillites, and also cross over to the Dartmouth side. Bedford Basin has 

 Quartzites with interbedded shales and greenish slates on all sides. Occasionally 

 they appear as ledges on the shore. The metamorphism of the Cambrian seems to 

 have been effected in Upper Cambrian and Lower Silurian times. Simultaneously 

 the harbour evidently had its beginning. 



(3) Glacial. — The argillites of Halifax and Dartmouth are universally glaciated ; 

 exposed surfaces of rocks indicate the intensity of the action and the course of 

 movement in a very striking manner. The author mentioned instances. Some of 

 the ruts show that the agent moved in a southerly direction. The general direction 



