GEOLOGICAL AREAS OF CANADA. 117 



sandstones, limestones, &c., with thick and widely-extended beds of 

 pink and white gypsum. A slight development of the Middle Car- 

 boniferous series occurs in tlie more northern portion of the area, 

 between the Pomket and Tracadie livers, and extends under St. 

 George's Bay; but only a few thin seams of coal appear to be present 

 in its strata. 



8. The Guyshord Area. — This area lies around the north-west 

 shore of Chedabiictoo Bay, and extends westward, in a gradually 

 narrowing belt from the soutli entrance of the Gut of Canseau, en- 

 tirely across the county of Gifysboro' and along the valley of the west 

 branch of the St. Mary's River. It is bounded on the south by the 

 eastern extension of the Atlantic crystalline area, and northwards by 

 the southern slopes of the Cape Porcupine and Egerton syenitic and 

 metamorphic region. Its strata appear to belong entirely to the 

 Lower Carboniferous division, and they are destitute of coal. They 

 consist, in the more eastern portion of the area, very largely of dark 

 and other limestones, traversed here and there by thin veins or 

 strings of specular iron ore, and accompanied by various sandstones 

 and conglomerates, the latter occupying the chief portion of the area 

 westward. In many places, especially around the town of Guysboro', 

 these Lower Carboniferous strata dip at high angles, and present a 

 more or less altered aspect. 



9. The Southern Area of Cape Breton. — This area ranges from Isle 

 Madame across St. Peter's Bay, and along the entire south coast of 

 Cape Breton. It may be defined in general terms as occupying all the 

 more southern portion of the Island, or those portions of the counties 

 of Richmond and Cape Breton which lie to the south and south-east 

 of the Great Bras d'Or and the Mire River. Its geology to some 

 extent has still to be worked out, but the area is occupied essentially 

 by masses of porphyritic syenite and related rocks, associated with 

 slates and other apparently altered strata, for the greater part of 

 Palaeozoic age, but including, probably, a few subordinate represen- 

 tatives of Pre-Silurian epochs. 



10. The Western Area of Cape Breton. — This division lies immedi- 

 ately east of the Strait or Gut of Canseau. It extends from St. 

 Peter's Bay over the western half of Richmond county, and north- 

 wards over the Bras d'Or Lake or Great Bras d'Or, and over the 

 more western portion of the Little Bras d'Or. From these points it 

 stretches to St. George's Bay and along the Gulf to beyond the Mar- 



