GILPIN — PORPOISES AND DOLPHINS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 21 



through a period when life was rare and doubtful, we entered on a 

 period which is termed Primordial, Lower Silurian, an age of crus- 

 taceans and mollusks, principally the former, having forms peculiar 

 to extreme antiquity, living and enjoying life, where now we have 

 the busy harbours of Saint John and Kennebeckasis, the choice 

 waters for modern aquatic contests. We have also roamed among 

 the coral reefs of Upper Silurian seas, with their abounding 

 trilobites, cephalopods, brachiopods and favosites. These and 

 their tombs give geological interest to the Bay des Chaleurs. We 

 have wandered among Devonian fields examining their peculiar 

 vegetation, among which sported the earliest winged insects — the 

 remains of these are found at Courtenay Bay. From these we 

 passed easily and naturally into the carboniferous region — the period 

 of luxuriant ancient vegetation. In this period we saw submarine 

 volcanoes in vigorous operation, shaking and rending the Upper 

 Silurian foundations of the carboniferous period in the north — the 

 ancient coral reefs being elevated, parted and broken — the coral 

 polypedoms and their tombs are seen dropping into the molten lava, 

 and narrowly escaping destruction. 



A great leap brought us into the Post Pliocene period, with 

 ice sheets — glaciers and icebergs — the debris of rocks accum- 

 ulated in the railway path attesting their existence. 



A later stage of the same period brought us into seas with their 

 walruses, seals and cetaceans and molluscs, with specific names that 

 chill, Grcenlandica, of Greenland, the land of ice. These at the 

 same time introduce us to the molluscs of the time in which we live. 



Art. II. — On the Smaller Cetaceans inhabiting the Bay 



OF FlJNDY AND SHORES OF NOVA SCOTIA. By J. BER- 

 NARD Gilpin, A. B., M. D., M. E. C. S. 



{Read Jan. 11, 1875.) 



In making out five distinct species of this order, I have had 

 much difficulty from the want of material. Some species abound 

 in our waters, but being useless, are rarely taken, and are thus 



