80 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
By following up the small break at the Albion Mills 
(almost dry in summer now) you will find it presenting in 
miniature a close resemblance to the changes, cascades, etc., 
recorded by Dr. Spencer in what we may designate as “‘ the 
Barton Waterlime Niagara beds’’ which overlie the local chert, 
in other words ‘‘ the macadamizing rocks’’ of the escarpment 
to the south of the city. That the series may presenta totally 
different aspect elsewhere may be certainly expected. Is not 
this evident by comparing the Clinton Iron-band of Hamilton 
with the rocksof the same horizon at Grimsby ? ‘‘ Therecession 
of every mile,’’ remarks Hall, ‘‘ changes the whole aspect; new 
elements are brought into operation ; the nature of the strata 
varies.’’ ‘True, and we may add the mineral composition of the 
same beds also, within exceedingly short distances. The 
writer noticed this many years ago in the mountain lime- 
stones in Ireland, and the same peculiarity was observed in a 
Niagara quarry west of the Jolly Cut. The bed here, remarked 
one of the men employed there, resembles marble of the old 
country. He was quite right. These are facts which have 
not been taken into consideration by some geologists regarding 
the recession of the falls. Here I wish to call your attention 
toa prevailing error in Ontario, viz., confounding the branch 
of the science, ‘‘Paleeontology,’’ with the principal, ‘‘Geology.’’ 
A man may be a famous paleeontologist, thoroughly ac- 
quainted with the ancient organic remains and yet possess 
little knowledge of ‘‘ Field Geology.’’ On the other hand, a 
late Director General of the Irish Survey, celebrated for his 
field work, informed the writer that he knew little and cared 
less for the branch referred to, and intentionally abstained 
from its study, as he did not care to set himself up as a cock- 
shot for that blooming (he used a different term) fraternity. 
In a work by the late Sir W. Dawson, entitled ‘‘ The 
Chain of Life in Geological Time,’’ in Chapter X, the Advent 
of Man, he states the date of the glacial period is however at 
present very uncertain. On the one hand some geologists like 
Lyell have supposed it may be as far back as 200,000 years 
ago. Others, like Croll, are contented with the more mode- 
