180 BELL ON THE SUPERFICIAL GEOLOGY 



Tellina proximo, were found in sand at about fifteen feet above 

 high-water mark. The gravel beds which have been already men- 

 tioned as existing along the river valleys, are sometimes arranged 

 in terraces. One of the most striking examples of this, is met with 

 six miles up the York River. Here a regular terrace about thirty-five 

 feet high comes to the north side, and runs almost straight for 

 about three miles, cutting off the bends of the river. About twenty- 

 five miles up the same stream, and more than 400 feet above the 

 sea, the gravel is almost destitute of vegetation, and is worn into a 

 number of terraces and mounds. Terraces were observed not far 

 from the shore at Grand Pabos and on the west side of Mai Bay. 

 Three of the most conspicuous at the last mentioned locality were 

 estimated at eight, fifteen and fifty feet above the sea. On the south 

 side, of the northwest arm of Gaspe Bay, an ancient beach, 154 

 feet above the water, is marked by a sudden step along a hill- 

 side, and traces of other beaches are found at lower levels. On the 

 north side of the peninsula a terrace is met with in many localities 

 at an average height of fifty feet. At the mouth of the Matan 

 Eiver, the upper six feet of this terrace is of fine sand resting upon 

 bluish clay ; at their junction are found Natica clausa, Mya are- 

 naria, Tellina Gramlandica, Mytilus edulis, and Mesodesma Jau- 

 resii, together with Balanus crenatus. West of Matan a well 

 marked terrace of the same height occurs one mile below the 

 Metis River. Eight miles up this river, Balanus Hameri, Natica 

 clausa and Saxicava rugosa are found at the height of 245 feet 

 above the sea ; and two miles west of the mouth of the same river, 

 Saxicava rugosa and Mya arenaria occur in sand at the height 

 of 130 feet. 



An upheaval of the land appears to be going on, along the 

 south side of the lower St. Lawrence. At Riviere du Loup, 

 Tellina Gramlandica, and a large variety of Mya arenaria 

 are imbedded in great numbers, in the sand and disintegrated 

 shale of raised beaches along both sides of a rocky ridge 

 running eastward from the Government Quay, and varying 

 from about five to about fifteen feet above the highest tides. 

 To the east of Riviere du Loup, narrow terraces or raised beaches 

 are met with in many localities, favorable to their preservation, 

 along the coast as far as Cape Gasps'. They are found at nume- 

 rous heights from the present sea level to fifteen feet above it. A ter- 

 race about five feet above the high-tide mark, and averaging 100 

 yards in breadth, extends from Rimouski to Whale Cape,with the 



