342 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [May 21, 



There are here abundant features which would support the con- 

 clusion that granite is, in this district, rather the residt of an exces- 

 sive amount of metamorphic action, than a plutonic rock, as regards 

 its origin. 



While the metamorphic rocks of the Highlands and of the North 

 of Scotland have a prevalent S.E. inclination, the Lower Silurians of 

 the South of Scotland have equally prevalent N.W. dips ; and they 

 are equally devoid of plutonic axes. 



Although the rocks m these two areas of Scotland diifer widely in 

 their lithology, they have a very intimate relation in the striJce of the 

 beds; and such fossils as have been obtained from the Worth of 

 Scotland and from the southern range indicate a great affinity in 

 geological age. That the rocks in these areas are part and parcel of 

 the same series has been inferred by Sir Roderick Murchison ; and 

 that they have been elevated at the same period may be concluded 

 from the agreement in the arrangement of their respective strikes. 



2. On the Geology of the Gold-eields of Nova Scotia. By the Eev. 



D. HoNEYMAN, Corr. Mem. Nat. Hist. Soc. of Montreal, &c. 



(Communicated by the President.) 



[Abridged.] 



The observations which are the subject of this memoir were made 

 at the request of the Provincial Government Commmission for the 

 International Exhibition. "While engaged in their service, procuring 

 a representation of the geology and mineral resources of the Province, 

 I was specially directed, about the end of November last, to give 

 some attention to the illustration of the geology of the gold-fields. 

 The field of observation being very extensive, and the time fit for 

 the work short, I deemed it most expedient to select, from the many, 

 that locality which might appear to be the most interesting and in- 

 structive, and to examine it as thoroughly as time and circumstances 

 would permit. The gold-fields known as "^Allen's" and " Laidlaw's" 

 appeared best to meet the above conditions. They are interesting 

 beyond a doubt, and are contiguous to excellent sections of rocks on 

 two lines of railway, and are therefore somewhat favourably situated 

 for the purpose of observation. (See Map.) 



In describing these gold-fields, we shall begin with the position 

 that is lowest, geologically and otherwise ; this is Allen's field. The 

 rock in situ is dark-coloured clay-slate; it is often talcose. This 

 contains abundance of crystals of mispickle. It is pervaded by a 

 number of vertical veins of auriferous quartz. These are exposed 

 on the sides and bottoms of pits and trenches. It is only from 

 report that I can say that they are auriferous ; I could not get any 

 information on the spot. The top of the slate-rock was glacier- 

 scratched ; and in some cases from 7 to 10 feet of drift had been 

 penetrated before the strata had been reached. Crossing the canal 

 and main road, and climbing a hill, we come, in a few hundred yards 



