20 



Huronian, also, has heretofore, wherever its foundations could 

 be clearly made out, been found resting on a Laurentian floor. 

 The Norian and Hm'onian have never been observed under con- 

 ditions favorable for the accurate determination of their mutual 

 stratigraphic relations, and hence these are not positively known. 

 Prof. Bailey and Mr. Matthew, however (in the Geological 

 Survey of Canada, Report of Progress for 1870-71, p. 41), 

 report the occurrence, seven miles east of St. John's, in the 

 Province of New Brunswick, of a small area of crystalline, 

 anorthic, and hypersthenic rocks, which are regarded as Norian 

 by Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, after an examination in situ; and 

 ocncerning the geognostical relations of which they say, " On 

 the north side these anortholite rocks are met by red gneiss and 

 granite, similar to the Laurentian gneiss at Indiantown, and 

 on the south are covered by conglomerates and diorites of the 

 Huronian series." 



This language is explicit, and indicates that here, at least, 

 the normal position of the Norian is below the Huronian. Yet 

 it seems doubtful if this can be regarded as proved by the 

 facts observable at this place ; for, according to Dr. Hunt, 

 these Norian rocks are, apparently, devoid of stratification, and 

 may belong to an extravasated mass ; while the adjoining 

 Huronian beds are vertical. The mere occurrence, however, of 

 these Norian outcrops between ledges of Laurentian and 

 Huronian rocks, suggests that this is their normal position, and 

 if -their geognostical relations to the Laurentian and Huronian 

 beds are regarded as due to the action of eruptive agencies, it 

 is hardly conceivable that they have come from any horizon 

 above the Huronian. Although conclusive proof that the Norian 

 system is older than the Huronian has not been afforded us by 

 a study of their relations at the only point where they are 

 known to occur together i^i situ, yet the bulk of the evidence 

 points in that direction ; and the general facts , that the Norian 

 rocks are usually more crystalline, have in every respect a more 

 ancient aspect, and always exhibit less unconformability with 

 the Laurentian than the Huronian, increase the probabihty 



