282 Reports and Proceedings — 



The autlior gave a tabular list of 47 species of plants found in tine 

 Upper Coal-formation of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, 

 and stated that all but about ten of tbese occur also in the Middle 

 Coal-formation. The number of species decreases rapidly towards 

 the upper part of the formation ; and this is especially the case in 

 Prince Edward Island, some of the beds in which are considered by 

 the author to be newer than any of those in Nova Scotia. The 

 plants contained in the upper deposits were compared with those of 

 the European Permian, and a correlation was shown to exist be- 

 tween them, so that it becomes a question whether this series was 

 not synchronous with the lower part of the Permian of Europe, 

 although in this district there is no stratigraphical break to establish 

 a boundary between Carboniferous and Permian. The author there- 

 fore proposes to name these beds Permo-Carboniferous, and regards 

 them as to some extent bridging over the gap which in Eastern 

 America separates the Carboniferous from the Trias. 



Discussion. — Prof. Ramsay agreed with the author in thinking that these Upper 

 Carboniferous rocks represented the Permian, and that there is a gradual passage 

 from the Carboniferous to the Permian. In North Staffordshire there is some 

 evidence of this passage, but not in other parts of England. Mr. Binney had argued 

 that the Permian is the uppermost part of the Carboniferous series ; but this is not 

 true in the English area, although it is true if we consider the globe in general. 

 The Coal-measures are grey, black, and blue ; but in the upper portion they change 

 to a red tint. During the Coal period we have evidence of estuarine conditions, but 

 subsequently the access of the sea was cut off, and the Permian rocks were formed in 

 vast inland lakes. 



. Prof. Hughes remarked that the group referred to by Principal Dawson under 

 the head of Permo-Carboniferous could not be considered as in any way proving a 

 passage from Carboniferous to Permian, seeing that the Permian was altogether 

 wanting in Eastern America, unless the fossils approached those of undoubted Permian 

 in Europe. But he pointed out that many large portions of the so-called Permian of 

 Europe had been already proved to be only stained Carboniferous. The fossil lists 

 were founded on a wrong classification of the rocks, which had not yet been set right. 

 Believing, therefore, that the Permian system must be broken up and part given back 

 to the Lower New Eed and Magnesian Limestone series, previously so well 

 established, and part to the Upper Carboniferous, he was inclined to refer the Permo- 

 Carboniferous of Principal Dawson to the latter, the difference in the plants being 

 only such as might reasonably be expected between the newer and older portions of a 

 series representing immense lapse of time and changing conditions. Principal Dawson 

 had shown that the beds in question were similar in almost aU but colour, and con- 

 formable to the underlying undoubted Carboniferous. If, therefore, they were higher 

 than any Carboniferous beds of England, they must be synchronous with the lower 

 part of the unrepresented time between the Carboniferous and so-called Permian ; 

 but being more closely connected with the lower rocks, he saw no necessity in the 

 present state of our knowledge for such a term as Permo-Carboniferous. 



Prof. Ramsay could not agree with Prof. Hughes in his opinion as to the value of 

 the term Permian. The staining of rocks occurs in two ways, namely, by infiltration 

 from above through overlying beds, and by direct deposition. Silurian rocks are 

 often stained in the former manner. 



The President remarked that this paper had given rise to an interesting discussion. 

 The fact of two deposits being conformable in one place and unconformable in 

 another, does not necessarily convert them into one system. He thought there were 

 symptoms that the Permian would eventually be reckoned Upper Carboniferous. 

 He believed that there was a third mode in which rocks were stained, namely, by 

 the oxidation of iron already existing in the beds. 



2. " Note on the Carboniferous Conglomerates of the Eastern Part 



