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PROCEEDINGS OE THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



[Apr. 10, 



vessel, neither of the lignites yielded a coherent coke, the residue 

 retaining as nearly as possible the shape and bulk of the original 

 particles. The gas which was expelled during the process possessed 

 but feeble illuminating powers. Both samples contain a large per- 

 centage of water that can be expelled with a temperature of 100° C. 

 This appears to be a characteristic feature in the composition of 

 lignites." 



The gravel- and shingle-deposits are seen to rest on the cut edges 

 of the coal-bearing beds, and are therefore of more recent date. 

 They contain fragments of the nodules derived from the underlying 

 strata, along with pebbles of quartz and other rocks, that must have 

 been derived from elsewhere. Also large fragments of silicified wood 

 are found in the subsoil at Edmonton, the same as that found in 

 the upper part of the lignite-group on Eed Deer River, as will be 

 described. 



At the bend of the river below the fort, and on the same side, 

 the bank looks as if broken tiles had been strewn over it. This 

 arises from the coal having at one time been completely burnt out, 

 only being represented now by a thin layer of ash, while from the 

 baked clays above and below the red tile-like material has been 

 derived. Amongst these fragments I obtained impressions of the 

 same Yew-like leaf that Sir John Richardson found in the beds at the 

 Mackenzie River under similar circumstances, but along with dico- 

 tyledonous leaves, of which I however found no trace. 



For ninety miles up to the North Saskatchewan, above Fort Edmon- 

 ton, the grey arenaceous clays prevail, forming the banks of the river, 

 which are high and precipitous, the valley for that distance making a 

 succession of abrupt bends after eveiy few miles of a straight course, 

 its main direction being to the north. 



The secondary banks are also gradually lost, until at length, from 

 the valley narrowing, the river occupies its full width. Above this 

 point, however, the valley suddenly widens and preserves on the 

 whole a straight course from the west, independent of the windings of 

 the river itself, which has a very tortuous course between secondary 

 banks, crossing from side to side of the great valley round heavily 

 timbered flats. Where the river sweeps under the high banks, sections 

 about 200 feet high are exposed of white variegated marls, which are 

 cut in the most regular manner by gulleys into pyramids, with a most 

 artificial appearance as seen from the river, their bright chalky sur- 

 faces being thrown into strong relief by the dark-green pines that 

 clothe the ravines. These marls have much the look of those of 

 group C. 



Fifteen miles below the mouth of Brazeaus River, which is a large 

 tributary to the North Saskatchewan from the west, we again meet 

 Avith the lignite-bearing arenaceous strata, and from this point they 

 were traced uninterruptedly to the base of the mountains. The forma- 

 tion now presents very different characters from those at Edmonton, 

 having more the appearance of a shore-deposit. The mineral compo- 

 sition is very varied, and large deposits of sandstone occur, which is 

 fine- or coarse-grained, but never makes any approach to a conglome- 



