Geological Society of London. 279 



Geological Society of London. — April 28tli, 1869. — Papers read : 

 1. " On the Geology and Mineralogy of Hastings County, Canada 

 West." By T. C. Wallbridge, Esq. Communicated by Dr. Percy, 

 F.E.S. 



Before describing the gold and iron-ores of Hastings, which, formed 

 the main subject of this paper, the author introduced a general 

 sketch of the geology of the county. After noticing certain local 

 deposits of recent origin, he described the extensive accumulations 

 of Drift-gravels and Boulder-clay. A single boulder near the Shan- 

 nonville railway-station was said to cover an area of about 5 acres, 

 and to have a thickness of 100 feet. The evidences of glacial action 

 over the whole country were referred to, and the direction of ice- 

 marks cited from several localities. Below the Post-tertiary deposits 

 the rocks consist, in the southern townships, of Lower Silurian lime- 

 stones, referred for the most part to the Trenton group ; and in the 

 northern townships of a large series of metamorphic rocks, supposed 

 to be of Lower Laurentian age. Bosses of syenite and gneiss pene- 

 trate the Silurian beds to the south of the main Laurentian mass, 

 and several outliers of Trenton limestone point to the former ex- 

 tension of the Silurian rocks northwards. All the minerals of eco- 

 nomic value are confined to the Laurentian area. 



Gold was first discovered in the county of Hastings in 1866. The 

 author described in detail the singular occurrence of the metal at 

 the Eichardson Mine in Madoc, where it was found in two pockets 

 associated with a peculiar black carbonaceous substance, a ferru- 

 ginous dolomite, and ochre-brown iron-ore. Assays of the sur- 

 rounding rocks showed the existence of gold even at a considerable 

 distance from the mine. Mention was also made of several other 

 gold mines in Madoc, Marmora, and Elzevir, from which specimens 

 were exhibited, and analyses of ore quoted. 



The iron-ores of Hastings occur partly as magnetic oxide and 

 partly as hematite. In addition to the well-known ''Big Ore- 

 bed " and the " Seymour-bed," the writer called attention to some 

 new localities of magnetic ore in Madoc. The deposit of heematite 

 called the " Kane Ore-bed " was discovered by the author some 

 years back ; and from ancient workings in this bed (apparently 

 those of the Indians, who may have used the ochre as war-paint) 

 he has obtained bone-needles and other objects of human workman- 

 ship. Attention was then directed to a large deposit of specidar 

 iron-ore in Hungerford, hitherto undescribed, and to the pyrrhotine 

 or magnetic pyrites of Madoc. 



The paper concluded with a notice of the galena and other less 

 important minerals of the county. 



Discussion. — Prof. Eamsay inquired as to the proof of the existence of so large a 

 boulder as one of five acres in extent. Under ordinary circumstances large boulders 

 fell fi'om higher rocks on to the surface of glaciers beneath, and were by them trans- 

 ported to the places where now found ; but the fall of such a mass seemed almost 

 incredible. He suggested that possibly it might be an outlier of the Lower Lau- 

 rentian beds. 



