Sir J. W. Dawson. 145 



pages, accompanied by a colored geological map of Nova 

 Scotia, which has passed through four editions. In 

 writing to Sir William in 1868, Sir Charles Lyell says of 

 this work, " I have been reading it steadily and with 

 increased pleasure and profit. It is so full of original 

 observation and sound theoretical views that it must, 

 I think, make its way, and will certainly be highly prized 

 by the more advanced scientific readers." It is the most 

 complete account which we have of the geology of Nova 

 Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, 

 although since it appeared large portions of these pro- 

 vinces have been mapped in detail by the Geological 

 Survey of Canada, and Sir William's conclusions modified 

 in some particulars. In carrying out this work Sir 

 William paid especial attention to the Palaeontology of 

 the Carboniferous system and to the whole question of 

 the nature and mode of accumulation of coal. He subse- 

 quently studied the PaUeontology of the Devonian and 

 Upper Silurian Systems of Canada, discovering many new 

 and important forms of plant life, as well as that of the 

 Tertiary of Southern British Columbia, the results of 

 these studies appearing in the publications of the Canadian 

 Geological Survey. He also contributed a volume entitled 

 *' The Geological History of Plants " to " Appleton's Inter- 

 national Scientific Series." In 1863 he published his Air 

 Breathers of the Coal Period, in which were collected the 

 results of many years' study in the fossil batrachians and 

 the land animals of the coal measures of Nova Scotia. 

 The earliest known remains of microsauria were then dis- 

 covered by him in the interior of decayed tree stumps in 

 the coal measures of South Joggins. The results of his 

 later studies in these creatures were embodied in a 

 series of subsequent papers which appeared from time to 

 time. 



On taking up his residence in Montreal his attention 

 was attracted to the remarkable development of pleisto- 



