﻿Book Notices. 199 



Province of Quebec, comprising the Island of Montreal and a part 

 of the " Eastern Townships" to the south and east. Mr. Chambers 

 then describes the superficial geology of the Provinces of Njew 

 Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, while in the 

 concluding reports Dr. Hoffmann and Mr. Ingall treat of the chemical 

 work of the Survey on the mineral statistics of the Dominion 

 respectively. Dr. Dawson's report contains an excellent description of 

 the Interior Plateau of British Columbia from both a geographical and 

 geological standpoint. The very extensive development of the 

 Cambrian in this part of the Dominion is noted, as well as the continued 

 volcanic activity from Cambrian to recent times, the volcanic materials, 

 at a very moderate computation, having a thickness of 20,000 feet. 



The map accompanying the report of Dr. Ells and Dr. Adams will be 

 of the greatest value to all naturalists working in the vicinity of 

 Montreal, combining, as it does, a presentation of the topography 

 of the district with all roads, etc., on a s5ale of four miles to one inch, 

 with that of the geological structure of this portion of the province 

 which is well brought out by the colors in which the map is printed. 

 The map comprises an area of about 7,500 square miles, extending from 

 about Ste. Agathe on the north-west to Lake Memphremagog on 

 th-i south-east. A more extended notice of it will be given in the next 

 number of The Recokd of Science. In an appendix to the report. Dr. 

 Ami gives a most welcome list of all the fossils hitherto recognized in 

 the various geological formations occurring in the area, a list which 

 will be of much service to the Society in future geological excursions. 



The Geological Survey is doing excellent work for the Dominion 

 of Canada in many ways, and it is to be especially regretted that 

 the priceless collections illustrating the natural history of the 

 Dominion and its economic resources, which have been gradually 

 accumulated through a long series of years, are so miserably housed, 

 being stored in a building which is not only not fireproof, but is 

 in continual danger of collapse through the weight of the specimens 

 which it contains. It might be destroyed in an hour, and the 

 Dominion would thus be deprived of treasures, many of which could 

 never be replaced. The offices, also, are inadequate and inconvenient, 

 and the space available in the museum has become too restricted. 

 The advantage to Canada of an adequate display of its mineral 

 resources can scarcely be exaggerated, and that the museum, even in its 

 present state, possesses much interest to the general public is evidenced 

 by the fact that more than 26,000 visitors have registered during the 

 past year. The Government should see that a suitab?e building is 

 provided for this important department of the public service, as the 

 present one is nothing sliort of a disgrace. 



