GLACIATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND. 4G7 



At 2 o'clock p m the Society was again called to order, and the 

 President read the following paper : 



NOTES ON THE GLACIATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND 

 IJY T. C. CHAMBERLIN 



I Abstract] 



Attention ^vas called to the geologic structure of the Avalon peuinsula of south- 

 eastern Newfoundland as allbrding peculiar facilities for determining the direction 

 and extent of drift trans})ortation. The center of the peninsula is occui)ied by 

 crystalline rocks, referred by Murray and Howley to the Laurentian age, surrounded 

 concentrically by schistose series overlaid by red sandstone. The glacial strite on 

 the eastern side of the i)eninsula indicate a movement eastward. Those on the 

 northwestern border indicate a northwesterly movement toward Concepcion bay. 

 Stria^ were found on the westward side, indicating a western movement toward 

 Placentia bay. An accunuilation of kames and moraines on the isthmus between 

 Placentia and Trinity bays sujgests a westerly movement from the heart of the 

 Avalon peninsula. The inference was therefore drawn that the peninsula was for- 

 merly covered by an independent ice-cap whose borders moved outward in all 

 directions. 



In the vicinity of Saint Johns and Petty harbor a belt of red sandstone occupies 

 the coast. Bordering this on the inland side is a tract of schists and semicrystal- 

 line rocks of prevailing dark and gray colors, rendering them readily distinguish- 

 able from the red sandstone. Back of these, in the interior, lies a nucleus of the 

 granitic or gneissic type. Along the coast tlie erratics are nearly all of the local 

 red sandstone. Only a few of the gray crystalline rocks mingle with them. Going 

 westward toward the junction of the two formations, the gray crystalline rocks 

 come in with great rapidity and soon replace the red sandstone. It is a singular 

 fact, however, that no granitic erratics from the interior nucleus, or at most ex- 

 tremely few, mingle with either of these classes near the coast. These facts indi- 

 cate an extremely local derivation and a very short transportion of the drift. 



So far as data were gathered relative to the interior of N(iwfoundland, from the 

 observations of government geologist Howley and the late Alexander jNIurray, and 

 from personal observations, the impression was gained that the glaciation of the 

 island was more probably attributable to development of local ice-sheets than to 

 an extension ot the ice fields of the mainland. 



Remarks were made upon the paper by Warren Upham and C. PI. 

 Hitchcock. 



In the absence of the author the following })aper was read by Mr 

 Upham : 



THE J'RE-CAMBL'IAN FLOOR IN THE NORTHWESTERN STATES 

 KY C. W. HALL 



Remarks were made by G. K. Gilbert. 



