262 rKOCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [April 28, 



II. Geology of Hastings. 



1. Recent Deposits. — Before describing the several geological 

 formations of the county, a few superficial deposits of local occur- 

 rence and of recent origin merit a brief notice, partly from their 

 geological interest and partly from their economic value. Thick 

 beds of a white shell-marl, charged with Cydas, Planorbis, and 

 other freshwater shells, are scattered here and there over the surface 

 of the county. In many of the small shallow lakes this marl is still 

 in course of deposition. The waters of such lakes otteu contain 

 carbonate of lime to such an extent that any object exposed to their 

 action is readily coated with a calcareous incrustation. From July 

 to November many of these lakes are more or less completely dried 

 up, and the marly deposits covering the bottoms are then exposed. 

 " Lime Lake," a considerable expanse of shallow water in the south- 

 east angle of Hungerford, derives its name from the calcareous de- 

 posit which it thus throws down. Marl-beds of a similar lacustrine 

 origin often attain a thickness of several feet, and sustain a rank 

 vegetation — cedar-swamps (arbor vitce), for example, commonly 

 standing upon such deposits. The occurrence of this freshwater 

 marl is well exposed on the drift forming the higher banks on the 

 west side of the river Moira above Belleville. No attention has 

 hitherto been directed to the utilization of this shell-marl ; but it 

 obviously possesses considerable value to the agriculturist as a 

 fertilizer, and may perhaps be useful to the metallurgist as a flux, 

 as well as for making the cupels or hearths used in refining auri- 

 ferous and argentiferous lead. 



In a country which possesses no workable quantity of coal, more 

 than ordinary interest attaches to the occurrence of peat. Deposits 

 of this fuel, often of considerable thickness, are extensively distri- 

 buted through the mineral regions of Canada, and must eventually 

 play an important part in the development of its mineral resources. 

 Nearly all the smaller lakes scattered over the Laurentian area 

 contain, either at their outlets or in sheltered coves along their mar- 

 gins, considerable accumulations of vegetable remains, which have 

 partly grown in their present position and partly been drifted 

 thither by winds or by the current of the river flowing through the 

 lake. Year after year these stagnant accumulations are increased, 

 and eventually become converted into a peaty substance sufficiently 

 compact to admit of a rich vegetable growth upon the surface. 



In connexion with the occurrence of peat, attention may be di- 

 rected to the deposits of hog iron- ore, which are widely distributed 

 over the surface of the country, and in certain localities appear to be 

 still in course of formation. Although bog iron-ore usually contains 

 phosphorus, it yields an iron which from its easy fusibility is highly 

 valued for castings. Bog- ore has been employed with most satis- 

 factory results at the St. Maurice and Badnor forges, both in 

 Canada East. The bog-ore of Hastings is especially abundant 

 in the township of Marmora, but has not hitherto been brought 

 into use. 



