80 HONEYMAN ON GEOLOGY OF GAY'S RIVER GOLD FIELD. 



Silurian was the formation in which gold was chiefly found in 

 workable quantities — assuming that this was the geological 

 character of the Nova Scotia rocks under consideration. I 

 argued from the discovery of gold at Tangier, that a proper 

 examination might prove these rocks to be extensively auriferous. 

 The discovery of gold the second time at another locality in 

 Tangier ; the numerous discoveries made in rapid succession of 

 auriferous deposits in other localities ; and the productiveness of 

 these gold fields, shew that the inference was a legitimate one. 

 These results corresponding so strikingly with Sir Roderick 

 Murchison's observations, may therefore be adopted as a vice 

 versa argument in establishing the age of the geological forma- 

 tion in question. 



The aid of palseontology is much desiderated for the purpose 

 of a conclusive decision of the question. Afewj^ears ago I met 

 with a piece of dark shale containing a reticulated organism, 

 which, at the time, I considered as derived from the dark slates 

 which had been quarried in the region. I submitted the speci- 

 men to a distinguished naturalist. Prof. Wyville Thomson, of 

 Belfast, and it was considered to be a leaf, imbedded in black 

 carboniferous shale. As the specimen was not found in situ, I 

 am persuaded that this opinion is correct. 



Another desideratum is regularity of succession. After a 

 lengthened and extensive investigation, I have not found these 

 rocks overlaid conformably with rocks of a more recent period. 

 When in contact, or nearly so, it is invariably with carbonifer- 

 ous strata unconformable in position, — yet another is relative 

 m^er-position. I give an example in explanation. It is an 

 example already referred to in my paper on the Geology of 

 Antigonish County. In Lochaber we find devonian strata, 

 metalliferous, &c., to a certain extent metamorphic, owing to the 

 influence of trap-eruption. As far as I have yet examined them, 

 they are destitute of fossils, and isolated would be of doubtful 

 age. These rocks, however, are found perfectly conformable, 

 with strata containing organisms equivalent to D of Arisaig, 

 i. e., equivalent to the Lower Helderberg, United States, or to 

 the Upper Ludlow of England, and also they are succeeded by 

 lower carboniferous sandstone and limestene. 1 therefore con- 



