Reviews — Geological Survey of Canada. 235 



as compared with the Alps, Himalayas, and other ranges, which are, 

 indeed, all newer than the London Clay. Phrases such as these 

 convey the idea of geological time better than ciphers. 



In the later chapters we seem to be walking by the side of the 

 writer by rivers, lakes, and sea-shore ; over downs, fens, moors, and 

 commons. Everything he tells us is full of interest, and he leaves 

 nothing untouched. Geology, scenery, animal life, botany, history, 

 ancient laws and customs, anecdote, poetx'y, all are there. As to 

 illustration, the book may be considered as a small but very choice 

 photographic album of English scenery. We introduce two only, out 

 of nearly 200 pictures, but they are all so excellent in their several 

 ways that one needs the book itself to realize how good they are. 



In his preface the author says : " If the book be half as interesting 

 to read as I have found it to write, I may venture to hope that it 

 may serve as an introduction to this fascinating branch of science."' 

 It is not only interest that Lord Avebury introduces into his subject, 

 but enthusiasm. J. A. W. 



II. — GrEOLOGICAL SuRVEY OF CaNADA. G. M. DaWSON, C.M.G., 



LL.D., F.R.S., Director. Annual Report (New Series), Vol. XI : 

 Reports A, D, E, G, J, L, M, R, S. Plates and Maps. (Ottawa : 

 S. E. Dawson, 1901.) 



BEFORE beginning this notice of the work of the Canadian 

 Geological Survey the writer, as an old friend and former 

 colleague of the late Director, craves permission to record his 

 deep regret at the great loss suffered by the Survey in the death 

 of their chief, a loss which seriously affects alike geological science 

 at large and that of the country which was the field of his labours. 



The Summary Report (A) by the late Director need only be 

 briefly touched upon, as it relates, for the most part, to work which 

 has already been passed under review in this Magazine. It concerns, 

 as usual, the explorations and surveys in progress at the time, the 

 publications connected with the museum, and the work carried on 

 there and in the offices attached to it. Perhaps the most interesting 

 observations are those relating to the Klondike Gold District by 

 Messrs. R. G. McConnell and J. Burr Tyrrell. We learn from them 

 that the productive area traversed by the gold-bearing creeks is 

 1,000 square miles. The gold occurs in the gravel flooring at the 

 bottom of the valleys, and in stream-terraces lining their lower 

 slopes. The gravels rest on an irregular floor of decomposed mica- 

 schist and quartz-schist, underlying which is a quartzose, micaceous, 

 and sericitic schist (the rock of the district), of sedimentary or 

 volcanic origin, highly altered by dynamic agencies. This rock 

 is of early Palaeozoic, probably Cambrian age. 



The great richness of the Klondike placer ground depends, first, 

 on the presence of a highly gold-bearing rock, and secondly, on 

 the occui'rence of a set of conditions peculiarly favourable to the 

 concentration of the precious metal. 



Mr. D. B. Dowling's report (F) treats of the geology of the west 

 shore and islands of Lake Winnipeg, the notes prepared by Mr. J. B. 



