walcott.] NEW BRUNSWICK AND CAPE BRETON. 59 



general aspect, and in the succession of the beds the whole series in 

 Nova Scotia closely resembles the Cambrian and Lingula-flag series 

 of North Wales." 1 



Dr. J. W. Dawson reviews his studies of the Atlantic coast belt of 

 Nova Scotia in the supplement to the second edition of the Acadian 

 Geology, 2 and places the slates and quartzite in the Cambrian. He 

 states that the evidence of fossils in determining the precise age of these 

 rocks is unfortunately as yet somewhat imperfect, and quotes Prof. 

 Hind as saying that the entire thickness of the series is 12,000 feet; 

 of this the lower or quartzite and slate division comprises about 9,000 

 feet, and the upper or ferruginous slate division about 3,000 feet. 



On the colored geological map of the Dominion of Canada, pub- 

 lished in 1882, the Cambrian rocks of Nova Scotia are made to extend 

 from near the northeastern point of the peninsula south to Sable River, 

 where they are interrupted by a mass of granite that extends to Har- 

 rington Harbor. From this point around the western slope to Annapo- 

 lisijasin they occupy a wide strip along the shore. As represented on 

 the map they occupy nearly one-half of the area of Nova Scotia. 



In 1888 Sir William Dawson reviewed the rocks referred to the Cam- 

 brian group on the Atlantic coast of Canada, 3 stating that the Atlan- 

 tic coast or gold series of Nova Scotia in their western extension 

 appeared to rest on rocks of Huronian aspect. He also says : 



It has unfortunately afforded no well-characterized fossils. The markings called 

 Eophyton and certain radiating bodies (Astropolirhon) found in it are, however, sim- 

 ilar to those occurring elsewhere in Lower Cambrian rocks. Murray was disposed to 

 regard this formation as corresponding to his Huronian in Newfoundland; but it 

 docs not agree with this either in mineral character or in fossils, and is perhaps 

 rather to be regarded as a great development of the lowest member of the Cambrian, 

 an exaggerated equivalent of the Harlech grits and Llanberris slates. In this case, 

 however, it may be expected that it will yet afford true Cambrian fossils. 4 



NEW BRUNSWICK AND CAPE BRETON. 



In the report for 1842 on the geology of New Brunswick Dr. Abra- 

 ham Gesner 5 uses the term " Cambrian system. w He says : 



This name has been applied to a group of rocks situated beneath the " Silurian" 

 strata, from which it is not always separated by any very distinct Hue of demarca- 

 tion, so far as its lithological character is concerned. The few organic remains, how- 

 ever, found in this group are sufficiently characteristic to make it appear that the 

 forms of animal life during the period of the accumulation of its strata were different 

 from those found in the upper Silurian rocks. 



1 Op. cit., p. 271. 



2 Supplement to the second edition of Acadian Geology, containing additional facts as to the geolog- 

 ical structure, fossil remains, and mineral resources of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince 

 Edward Island, London, 1878, pp. 81-83. 



3 On the Eozoic and Palaeozoic rocks of the Atlantic coast of Canada, in comparison with those of 

 western Europe and of the interior of America. Quart. Jour. Geol.Soc. London, 1888, vol. 44. pp. 804-807. 

 Canadian Record of Science, vol.3, 1888, pp.182, 183, 230, 231. 



4 Op. cit., p. 805. 



6 Report on the geological survey of the Province of New Brunswick, with a topographical account 

 of the puhlic lands and districts explored in 1842. St. John, 1843, p. 72. 



