185 



and wood of coniferous and other trees. Upon the whole nearly 50 

 species of plants have been detected, more than two-thirds of which 

 are not distinguishable from European species, while the rest agree 

 generically with fossils of the coal formation in Europe. 



The internal cylindrical axis of petiitied wood in the Stigmaria of 

 Nova Scotia exhibits the same vascular structure, and the same 

 scalariforra vessels, as the English specimens. 



Mr. Lyell next describes the gypsiferous formation, especially the 

 marine limestones of Windsor, Horton, the cliffs bounding th« estuarv 

 of the Schubenacadie river, the district of Brookfield, and the cliffs 

 at the bridge crossing the Debert river, near Truro. Several species 

 of corals and shells are common to all these localities, and recur 

 in similar limestones in Cape Breton. In this assemblage of organic 

 remains we find a Crustacean intermediate between the Trilobite and 

 Limulus, Orthoceras (two species), Nautilus, Conularia, Encrinus^ 

 Cyathophyllum, besides some species of the carboniferous limestone 

 of Europe, such as Euomphalus Icevis, Pileopsis vetustus?, Avicula 

 antiqua, Pecten plicatus, Isocardia unioniforrnis, Producta martim, 

 P. scotica ?, Terebratula elongata, Fenestella metnbratiacea ?, Certo- 

 pora spongites, Goldf. For assistance in determining these, the 

 author has been greatly indebted to M. de Verneuil. 



The plants associated with these limestones consist of several 

 species of Lepidodendron, Calamites, and others agreeing with car- 

 boniferous forms. With these Mr. Lyell found in Horton Bluff 

 scales of a ganoid fish, and in the ripple-marked sandstones of the 

 same place, Mr. Logan discovered footsteps, which appeared to 

 Mr. Owe-n to belong to some unknown species of reptile, constitu- 

 ting tlie first indications of the reptilean Class known in the carbo- 

 niferous rocks. Several of the shells and corals of this group have 

 been recognized by Messrs. Murchison and de Verneuil as identical 

 with fossils of the gypsiferous deposits of Perm in Russia, and it had 

 been successively proposed* to refer these gypsiferous beds of Nova 

 Scotia to the Trias, and to the period of the magnesian limestone. 

 That they are more ancient than both these formations, Mr. Lyeli 

 infers not only from their fossils, but also from their occupying a 

 lower position than the productive coal-measures of Nova Scotia and 

 Cape Breton. In proof of this inferiority of position three sections 

 are referred to, first, that of the coast of Cumberland, near Minudie, 

 where beds of red sandstone, gypsum and limestone, are seen dipping 

 southwards, or in a direction which would carry them under the pro- 

 ductive coal-measures of the South Joggins, which attain a thickness 

 of several miles. 



Secondly, the section on the East river of Pictou, whei^e the pro- 

 ductive coal-measures of the Albion mines repose on a formation of 

 red sandstone, including beds of limestone, in which Mr. J. Dawson 

 and the author found Producta martini, and other fossils common 

 to the gypsiferous rocks of Windsor, &c. Some of these limestones 

 are oolitic like those of Windsor, and gypsum occurs near the East 



* See Proceedings, vol. iii. p, 712, and vol, iv. j).. 125). 



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