46 BEVIEWS — ACADIAN GEOLOGY. 



so largely developed in the province, are not only of the greatest 

 economic value, but also of the highest interest in a purely scientific 

 point of view. The following synoptical arrangement of the rocks 

 of this group, as occurring in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, is 

 given by Principal Dawson : 



SYNOPSIS OF THE CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 



UPPER OR NEWER COAL FORMATION. 



Grayish and reddish sandstones and shales ; with beds of conglomerate, and a few 

 thin beds of limestone and coal, the latter not of economic importance. — Thick- 

 ness 3,000 feet or more. 



Characteristic Fossils. — Coniferous ]Vood, Calamites, Ferns, &c. 



Localities. — Cumberland north of the Cobequid mountains, Northern Colchester, 

 Pictou. Weil exposed in the Joggins coast, and in the coast of Northumber- 

 land Strait west of Pictou Harbour. 



LOWER OR OLDER COAL FORMATION. 



Gray and dark-coloured sandstones and shales, with a few reddish and brown beds ; 

 valuable beds of coal and ironstone ; beds of bituminous limestone, and nume- 

 rous underclays with Stigmaria. Thickness 4,000 feet or more. 



Characteristic Fossils. — Stigmaria, Sigillaria, Lepidodendron, Poaches, Cala- 

 mites, Ferns, d'c. Erect trees in situ. Remains of Ganoid Fishes, Cupris, 

 Modiola, and Reptiles of three species. 



Localities. — Cumberland north of Cobequid mountains; Pictou, especially East 

 River; Port Hood, Inhabitants Basin, and other places in Inverness and Rich- 

 mond ; Eastern part of Cape Breton ; parts of Colchester south of Cobequid 

 mountains. Finest exposures: South Joggins, and near Sydney, Cape Breton. 



LOWER CARBONIFEROUS OR GYPSIFEROUS FORMATION. 



Great thickness of reddish and gray sandstones and shales, especially in upper 

 part; conglomerates, especially in lower part; thick beds of limestone with 

 marine shells, and of gypsum. Thickness 6,000 feet or more. 

 Characteristic Fossels. — Pfoductus, Terebratida, Encrinus, Madrepores, and other 

 marine remains in limestones. Coniferous Wood, Lepidodendron, Poacites, 

 <kc, in shales and sandstones. Scales of Ganoid Fishes very abundant in shale, 

 associated with lowest beds, in which are also small coaly seams and bitumi- 

 nous beds. 

 Localities. — Northern Cumberland, Pictou, Colchester, Hants, Musquodoboit in 

 Halifax county, Guysboro' in part, parts of Inverness, Richmond, Cape Breton, 

 and Victoria. 



The actual superposition and arrangement of all this great thickness of beds 

 are ascertained by the examination of coast and river sections, in which portions 

 of the series are seen tilted up, so that they can, by proceeding in the direction 

 toward or from which they incline, be seen to rest on each other. There is one 

 coast section in the province so perfect that nearly the whole series is exposed in 

 it. On the other hand, there are large areas in which the lower portion alone 

 exists, and perhaps never was covered by the upper portions ; and there are other 

 areas in which the upper members have covered up the lower, so that they appear 

 only in a few comparatively limited spots. 



The area occupied by carboniferous rocks in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is 

 very extensive ; and in Nova Scotia it is divided by ridges of the old metamorphic 



