328 REPORT— 1900. 



GancuUan Pleistocene Flora and Fauna. — Re})ort of the Gommittee, 

 condstiwj of Sir J. W. Dawson {Chairman), Professor D. P. 

 Penhallow, Dr. H. Ami, Mr. G. W. Lamplugh, and Professor 

 A. P. Coleman (Secretary), reappointed to continue the investiga- 

 tion of the Canadian Pleistocene Flora and. Fauna. 



PACK 



I. 071 the Pleistocene near Toronto. By Professor A. P. Coleman . . . Z2% 

 II. On the Pleistocene Flora of the Don Valley. By Professor D. P. Penhallow 384 



During the past year the Committee has suffered a severe loss through 

 the death of its distinguished chairman, Sir J. W. Dawson, but the work 

 has been continued by three of its members. Dr. Ami has taken charge 

 of the Ottawa valley deposits, Professor Penhallow has examined the 

 fossil flora from both Ottawa and Toronto, and the Secretary has con- 

 tinued his investigations near Toronto. The following report on the 

 Pleistocene near Toronto has been prepared by the Secretary, and that 

 on the Flora of the Don Valley by Professor Penhallow. 



1. On the Pleistocene near Toronto. By Professor A. P. Coleman. 



Since the preparation of the last report two new localities near 

 Toronto have proved of interest, one near a bend of the Don a little east 

 of the well reported on last year, the other a series of sand deposits in 

 the western part of the city. The outcrop at the bend of the Don just 

 north-west of Toronto was discovered years ago by Dr. G. J. Hinde, who 

 had described so excellently the section at Scarborough Heights, and who 

 has been good enough to hand over his material to the Secretary. Until 

 last year, however, it was not certainly proved to be interglacial. The 

 section at the bend of the Don is of special interest, since it occupies an 

 interglacial valley about 700 feet wide, having steep walls of Hudson 

 River (Cambro-silurian) shale, rising 8 or 10 feet on the eastern side and 

 16 feet on the western. The section is as follows : — - 



4. Coarse gravel with boulders and no shells, 4 to 8 feet . . 37 to 40 

 3. Brown clay with sandy layers containing unios, &c., 4 or 5 feet 33 or 34 



2. Blue clay with sandy layers containing shells and wood, 6 feet 29 

 1. Coarse shingle with clay and peaty layers, 4 feet . . .23 



River Don, above level of Lake Ontario ... .19 



The lowest layer goes below the level of the Don, so that the bottom 

 ot the section is not exposed. The third layer corresponds exactly in 

 materials and fossils with the unio beds referred to in last year's report, 

 which are in place 100 yards to the west, and there overlie a thin sheet 

 of boulder clay resting on a cliff of shale 16 feet in height. Beds 1 and 2 

 contain trees of a warm climate, as determined by Professor Penhallow, 

 and twelve species of freshwater shells, according to determinations 

 kindly made by Dr. Dall of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 

 two of the shells, Unio (Quadrula) pyramidata and Anodonta grandis, 

 being new to the Toronto formation. 



The most important feature of this section is the evidence afforded tliat 



