Geological Society of London. 281 



Those who like their science and religion mixed will be grateful 

 for a book in which a little Theology is given, but the mixture is 

 very incomplete, hardly penetrating beyond the opening and the 

 end chapters ; and so little is said of the Divine beneficence and 

 wisdom, that no help — new or old — is given to those who endeavour 

 to see it in the fratricidal struggle for existence. To attempt this 

 task and the like, and yet to shrink from grappling with the logical 

 difficulties in the path, will not soothe the troubles which may afflict 

 the mind when matters of belief are mixed indifferently with matters 

 of argument. And although by the terms of the bequest of which 

 this book is a fruit, the task may be attempted only every seven 

 years, we trust that the wisdom and goodness of the Almighty may 

 another time be the pervading theme, or else that science may hold 

 a place that will make it clear that the scientific and theological 

 methods are not one and the same. H. G. S. 



I^EZPOI^TS -i^ITID JPiaOGIEilEZDin^OS. 



G-EOLOGiCAL Society of London. — March 25th, 1874. — John 

 Evans, Esq., P.E.S., President, in the Chair. The following com- 

 munications were read : — 



1. " On the Upper Coal-Formation of Eastern Nova Scotia and 

 Prince Edward Island, in its relation to the Permian." By Principal 

 Dawson, LL.D., E.E.S., F.G.S. 



The author described the Carboniferous district of Pictou county 

 as showing the whole thickness of the Carboniferous system arranged 

 in three synclinals, the easternmost consisting of the Lower series 

 up to the Middle Coal-formation, and including all the known work- 

 able Coal-measures in the district, — the second towards the west of 

 the middle and the lower part of the Upper Coal-formation, — and 

 the third showing in its centre the newest beds of the latter. On 

 the north the bounding anticlinal of the first depression brings up 

 the New-Glasgow Conglomerate, which contains boulders 3 feet in 

 diameter, often belonging to Lower Carboniferous rocks, and repre- 

 sents the upper part of the Millstone-grit or the lower part of the 

 Middle Coal-formation. The author regards this as representing an 

 immense bar or beach, which protected the swamps in which the 

 Pictou main coal was formed. 



The succession of the deposits above the Conglomerate was 

 described in some detail as seen in natural sections. The Upper 

 Coal-formation, as shown in the section west of Carribou Harbour, 

 consists of, 1. Ked and grey shales, and grey, red, and brown sand- 

 stones ; and 2. Shales, generally of a deep red colour, alternating 

 witb grey, red, and brown sandstones, the red beds becoming more 

 prevalent in the upper part of the section. In Prince Edward Island 

 beds apparently corresponding to these are found, and also gradually 

 become more red in ascending. These are overlain, apparently con- 

 formably, by the Trias. 



