142 SUPERFICIAL GEOLOGY OF DUNDAS VALLEY. 



evidence to offer, and can only feel that if the evidence I have here 

 produced has any effect towards settling the question of the origin of 

 Dundas valley my object has been attained. 



THE FORMATION OF BURLINGTON BEACH. 



BY P. S. VANWAGNER. 



When the grand and distinct changes which mark the different 

 epochs in the earth's geological history had ceased, and left its surface 

 in comparative repose, we may conjecture from certain indications 

 observable a few miles east of Hamilton, that a large stream receiving 

 the waters shed by that portion of country now drained by the Grand 

 river, flowed through the passage which, at present, is in part occupied 

 by Big creek. The channel of this ancient river can be traced for some 

 distance upward from the Albion mills. Down this incline towards 

 the close of its career, it hurried with increasing velocity to the smooth 

 level rock at the foot of the Lover's Leap. From this rock it leaped 

 in a broad sheet with a fall of fifty feet, and entered the wild gorge 

 below. Seething and foaming with mad fury it rushes between the 

 high frowning walls, and emerging into the light on the lower 

 level, flows swiftly onward through a crooked channel. Less than a 

 mile south of the railway embankment on the Big creek, we see on 

 the west side of the old river bed, unmistakable indications of the 

 river having worn away the perpendicular walls of shelly red rocks. 

 From this point it flowed slowly onward, carrying with it the drift 

 from the cutting above; and discharged its waters into the lake through 

 a wide mouth, now known as Lottridge's pond. 



Through the sinking of the ocean beds (these depressions being 

 compensated by upheavals in other portions of the earth's crust), 

 the waters had already retired to nearly their present level, leaving 

 Lake Ontario as the lowest basin in the chain of broad lakes. The 

 westerly limit of this great water was Burlington Heights, besides 

 which, as we have been recently informed by a scientific writer, flowed 

 at a still more remote period, a great river. Having premised the 

 foregoing, we will now consider the probable manner in which the 

 Burlington Beach was formed. I am not aware that this subject has 

 been treated by any previous writer, but, if so, I wish it to be under- 



