6^ HONEYMAN — ON THE GEOLOGY OF NOVA SCOTIA. 



Record of Observations on the Geology of Nova Sco- 

 tia, SINCE 1865. By Rev, D. Honeyman, D. C. L., 

 F. G. S., <&c., Director of the Provincial Museum, 



In the spring of 1869, I surveyed for the Geological Survey 

 of Canada, Middle and Upper Silurian and Lower Carboniferous 

 areas underlying the Pictou Coal Field. I commenced operations 

 at Spring ville, East River, Pictou, where I had already spent no 

 small amount of time. I now succeeded in extending the known 

 area of Silurian rocks very considerably, and in developing the 

 structure of this very interesting field. I advanced the Aymestry 

 limestone rocks with their fossils into the river, and found them 

 overlaid directly by black lower carboniferous limestone, as in 

 Holmes' Brook : vide Acadian Geology, 1st ed., p. 243 ; 2nd ed., 

 p. 316. Here we have the upper silurian and carboniferous 

 limestone in contact, without any strata intervening, as at 

 McAra's Brook, Arisaig, shewing that these upper silurian rocks 

 were exposed at the bottom of the sea of the carboniferous era, 

 when the limestone was formed upon it. I shall yet have occasion 

 to notice other cases of a similar kind in this district. I have not 

 observed similar occurrences in any other part of the Province. 

 I also extended the same lower than formerly, by finding Arisaig 

 Medina sandstone fossils in an old clearing N. of late Rev. A. Mc- 

 Gillivray's, underlaid by a band of quartzite, which is possibly 

 the Arisaig Oneida conglomerate. This is the only locality where 

 I have succeeded in finding this formation out of Arisaig. 



The extension (?) of this Oneida conglomerate and Medina sand- 

 stone underlies the limestone (new ore) bed at Fraser's, one mile 

 and three fourths above Springville Presbyterian church. The ore 

 being included in the Clinton, between the formations just mentioned 

 and the Niagara limestone equivalent. This series has been thrown 

 into its present position by a great dyke of greenstone, which is 

 seen outcropping largely a little farther up the river. On the other 

 side of the river, S. side, are lower carboniferous strata, having a 

 considerable breadth of gypsum funnels. These extend to McDon- 



