258 GEORGE M. DAWSON 



micro-organisms in the bowlder clays of the plains. In con- 

 junction with Mr. B. W. Thomas, I had some years ago exam- 

 ined several of these clays microscopically, but, as pointed out 

 by Mr. Reade, the material examined in this case, was, in con- 

 sequence of the mode of preparation adopted, that resulting 

 from the elimination of all lighter particles by successive decan- 

 tations, and not likely to include any foraminiferal forms still 

 unfilled with mineral matter, which as a rule contain sufificient 

 air to float to the surface of the water employed. In respect to 

 the existence of forms contemporaneous with the deposit of the 

 bowlder clays, the results arrived at by me were scarcely more than 

 negative, but foraminifera evidently derived from the Cretaceous 

 strata of the region were found in some of the clays from the 

 Northwest.^ Mr. Wright having very kindly offered to examine 

 some of the western bowlder clays by the methods found appli- 

 cable by him to those of Great Britian, several specimens were 

 collected for the purpose and submitted to him. The results 

 arrived at form the subject of this note, which is, however, essen- 

 tially of a preliminary character, and is intended to be followed 

 by further investigation as soon as it may be possible to obtain 

 additional material. 



The specimens sent to Mr. Wright were from the following 

 places : 



Nos. I and 2. Saskatchewan River, twelve miles below Victoria, col- 

 lected by Mr. R. G. McConnell. These represent a bed of bowlder clay 

 about fifty feet thick, the first being from its upper, the second from its lower 

 part. Present height above the sea level about 1850 feet. 



No. 3. Bowlder clay from near Victoria, Saskatchewan River, one and 

 one-half miles up Egg Creek, also collected by Mr. McConnell. Height about 

 1900 feet. 



No. 4. Bowlder clay from Selkirk, Red River, Manitoba. Collected 

 by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell. Height above sea, 720 feet. 



To these specimens from the West was added one collected 

 by Dr. H. M. Ami, at Ottawa (No. 5). 



It is not certainly known whether the bowlder clay repre- 

 sented by the first three specimens is the "lower" or "upper" 



' Bull. Chicago Acad. Sci., Vol. I, No. 6 (1885). 



