54 



KUomlters. neaf ly everywhere traversed by deeply incised 

 valleys, yet, in general, the upland surface is of 

 the nature of a rolling plateau. At widely 

 separated intervals the foreshore is formed of a 

 narrow fringe of Palseozoic strata, but, else- 

 where the Pre-Cambrian rocks directly border 

 the river. 



The following note relating to the Glacial 

 and post-Glacial features of the district traversed 

 by the railway between Levis and Riviere du 

 Loup has been furnished by J. W. Goldthwait. 



"In the vicinity of Levis the eastern edge of 

 the St. Lawrence plain or lowland lies about 

 13 miles (21 km.) to the southeastward. Beyond 

 this the land rises in a series of ridges which to the 

 northeast gradually approach the St. Lawrence 

 shore. This line of ridges during the period of 

 submergence following the Glacial period formed 

 the shore against which the sea formerly rested. 

 At times a distant view of these hills from the 

 train discloses horizontal benches and lines of low 

 cliffs on the wooded slopes, not unlike certain 

 wave cut benches around the extinct Great Lakes 

 in Ontario. The benches which overlook the 

 marine plain, however, are outcropping rock 

 escarpments, along which proofs of wave action 

 are generally lacking. It is doubtful whether 

 the sea stood long enough at any one time pre- 

 vious to the Micmac stage to cut such sea cliffs. 

 The altitude of the upper marine limit has been 

 satisfactorily determined however, by means 

 of fragmentary benches which harmonize with 

 a gently inclined plane dipping towards the 

 northeast as the following measurements show: 

 St. George eight miles south of St. Charles 

 Junction, 630 feet (192 m.) ; Montmagny, 543 feet 

 (165.5 m.); LTslet, 514 feet (156.7 m.); St. Jean 

 Port Joli, 513 feet (156.4 m.). In places, at 

 least, below the level of marine submergence, 

 glaciated surfaces indicate an ice movement 

 straight up the estuary south westward. The 

 surface of the plain is strewn with crystalline 

 boulders from the Laurentian mountains. 

 Above the level of marine submergence, ground 



