592 [April 2. 



from the cliff from the effect of the severe frosts of winter. It 

 occurs in a horizontal bed or stratum, about ten feet thick, form- 

 ing, together with the incumbent basalt, a tabular oval mass, about 

 three quarters of a mile in diameter, with cliffs 40 or 50 feet 

 high, resting on granite. Both its irregularly prismatic and par- 

 tially crystalline structure seem due to the effect of the basalt 

 which has flowed over it. There is also an altered sedimentary 

 rock under the basalt of Chatian Bay, where the change from 

 sandstone into a ferruginous shale has been nearly completed. 



These isolated patches of basalt and conglomerate, capping gra- 

 nitic hills at the same elevation, and at the distance of fifteen 

 miles apart, appear to be the denuded remains of an extensive 

 formation. 



In the mica schist which occurs on the north side of Henley 

 Island, near the basalt just mentioned, there occurs a large vein, 

 containing a beautiful aggregate of green and white felspar, with 

 quartz, oxide of iron, mica, and garnets. Chlorite, with specular 

 iron and hornblende, occurs in the same locality. 



It would swell this paper to an inconvenient length to en- 

 ter into a particular description of the primary and trap rocks of 

 the region, or the minerals which they contain ; but we may men- 

 tion briefly that mica-schist prevails most near St. Paul's Bay, 

 where it abounds with garnets, and where chlorophane was found. 

 Further eastward hornblende and felspar predominate, forming, 

 with or without quartz and mica, various compounds. Between 

 the Seven Islands and Mingan, bronzite or hypersthene, hornblende, 

 felspar, and the magnetic black oxide of iron, form a rock which 

 occupies many miles of coast.* Shorl, epidote, garnets, and mica- 

 ceous iron were noticed in the various granitic compounds which 

 occur on this long line of coast. 



Having thus, very generally, traced the line of junction, doubt- 

 less once continuous, of the transition strata with the primary rocks, 

 from the head of Lake Superior to the Strait of Belle Isle, and 

 having pointed out the occurrence of Silurian limestone at the 

 northern extremity of Newfoundland, and shown that the interven- 

 ing rocks up to the coal may probably be found along the western 

 coast of that island, I shall conclude with some brief and very 

 general remarks on the ascending succession of the rocks of eastern 

 Canada, as exhibited along the shores of the district of Gaspe. 



At Cape Rozier the grauwacke and slate rocks which were 

 observed forming the southern shore of the St. Lawrence below 

 Quebec, at every point where we had an opportunity of landing, 

 are succeeded by the Cape Gaspe limestone, forming cliffs 900 feet 

 high, and dipping conformably at an angle of about 25 degrees to 

 the S. S.W. It contains Orthoceratites, Producta, Encrinites, and 

 corals, of which I regret that the specimens have been lost. Thin 

 veins of galena and blende also occur in it, but are not worth the 

 working. 



* The felspars are often striated, and sometimes opalescent. 



