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HONEYMAN ON GEOLOGY OF GAYS RIVER GOLD FIELD, i Y< 



as this is maiulj derived Irom the underljiug and assocuitcd 

 rocks. 



The degree of richness of the conglomerate described is 

 liliely soon to be thoroughly tested, as a crushing mill, in course 

 of erection in the locality, is expected soon to be in operation. 



These observations conclusively show that the gi'eat upheaval. 

 of the granite, quartzite, argillite and auriferous quartz,, was an 

 event prior to the formation of even the lowest member of our 

 carboniferous system. This fact is established by the evidence 

 of composition of the lower carboniferous eonglomerate, and 

 its unconformability with the underlying argillite. Now the 

 geological age of the former is established by the fossiliferous 

 limestone of the section. What, may be asked, is the geologi- 

 cal age of the argillite ? Does it belong to the age immediately 

 preceding the lower carboniferous, or is there here a break in 

 succession ? We are accustomed ever since Dr. Dawson wrote 

 his classical work, Acadia Geology, to style the argillite in 

 question, and its associate quartzite, as lower silurian. Is this 

 incontrovertibly the age of these sedimentary strata ? Compara- 

 tive lithology has hitherto been the only method of determination 

 available, and Dr. Dawson has certainly very ingeniously applied 

 the method. On examining Prof. Ramsay's admirable catalogue 

 of the rocks of Great Britain, in the Museum of Practical 

 Geology, Jermyn St., London, and comparing our own with the 

 descriptions there given, I have for some time arrived at the 

 conclusion that as far as mineral structure is concerned, our 

 rocks in question, may either be devonian or lower silurian. If, 

 however, Prof. Jukes has succeeded in his recent attempt to 

 demonstrate that the so called devonian rocks of England, which 

 have given the term to geology, are after all silurian. Dr. Daw- 

 son's comparison may be considered as legitimate and conclusive. 

 I would adduce another argument in confirmation of the opinion 

 that the formation in question is lower silurian. Being persuaded 

 of the correctness of the opinion expressed, I took occasion in 

 the month of February, 1861, when advocating the establishment 

 of a geological survey of the Province, before a Committee of 

 the House of Assembly, to quote from Murchison's Siluria, the 

 confidently expressed opinion, that the metamorphic lower 



