Permian Moraine in Prince Edward Island. 343 



the summit of the Permian, are very devoid of organized 

 remains ; but as we descend in the system, life becomes 

 more abundant, until in the lower Permian we find the 

 brown and grey rocks filled with the remains of a luxu- 

 riant vegetation, of which tree ferns and coniferous trees 

 of the gefius Dodoxylon formed an important feature. 



The middle portion of this system of deposits, so devoid 

 of organisms, forms a broad belt of red rocks widely dis- 

 tributed over the Tsland, forming its most characteristic 

 red sandstone scenery, and appears to represent a period 

 of depressed temperature in the past, which found its 

 climax in a glacial period at the time of the formation of 

 the ancient moraine. This line is specially interesting as 

 being also the line of division between the Permian and 

 Trias, where such a marked change in life is known to 

 have taken place. Our ancient moraine, then, standing- 

 grim and sphinx-like by the glassy flow of the quiet Mill 

 Eiver, probably contains in its dark bosom the secret of 

 that great change in life, viz., an era of glacial cold. 



The Permian in England and in India bears evidence of 

 extensive ice action, and it is exceedingly interesting to 

 find the same in the Permian of Eastern Canada. In 

 Europe the lower Permian shows generally a warm 

 climate, though at its base is a line of drift material. The 

 same line of drift material occurs at the base of the Per- 

 mian in Prince Edward Island, followed by the same 

 evidence of long-continued warm climate. The upper 

 Permian in Europe indicates, by the absence of corals and 

 the character of its mollusca, a cool climate. In Prince 

 Edward Island we have seen that there is evidence of the 

 same depression of temperature, which culminated in an 

 era of ice and drift. 



