242 Scientific Intelligence. 



the valuable Reports in this volume is one on the Labrador and 

 Hudson Bay region by Mr. Robert Bell. The author observed 

 glacial striae in many places and the following are some of the 

 facts. About the Southern Cape of Hudson's Straits the direc- 

 tion (magnetic, and the same beyond) of the striae was southeast- 

 ward — S. 35° E. — though varying among the hills with the 

 trends of the valleys ; on the north side of Hudson Strait, near 

 Cape Prince of Wales, the direction was S. 40° E. to S. 60° E. ; 

 across the south end of Nottingham Island S. 30° E. (and the 

 bowlders were largely limestone, indicative of a limestone forma- 

 tion to the westward) ; near Marble Island on the west side of 

 Hudson's Bay (where occurs quartzyte having often ripple- 

 marked surfaces), the direction of the glacial striae is S. 10° E. 

 The remark is made in the concluding summary that on both 

 sides of Hudson's Bay the movement of the ice was to the south- 

 ward and eastward ; that an extensive glacier moved eastward 

 down Hudson Strait, which had its head in Fox's Channel and 

 terminated in the Atlantic Ocean. Glaciers are said to exist 

 now in this channel and to be the source of the small icebergs 

 that float down the strait. Mr. Bell also concludes that through- 

 out the Glacial period " the top of the coast range of Labrador 

 stood above the ice and was not glaciated, especially the high 

 northern part." In the southern part of the Labrador peninsula 

 the general course of movement " appears to have been south- 

 ward, varying to the eastward and westward with the courses of 

 the valleys ;" but over Newfoundland " from the center toward 

 the sea on all sides." The rocks met with along Hudson Strait 

 and Bay were mainly Archaean. But on Mansfield Island and 

 Cape Southampton, to the west, a fossiliferous limestone forma- 

 tion was seen, which was probably Lower Silurian. 



In the report of Mr. R. W. Ells, on the Gaspe Peninsula, it is 

 stated that the later investigations show that much the larger 

 part of the island instead of being under Triassic rocks, is Permo- 

 Carboniferous, as shown by the fossil plants collected at various 

 places; and that the part of the coal formation affording the 

 great coal beds of Cape Breton, Pictou and Spring Hill is prob- 

 ably wanting. 



Mr. A. P. Low describes the rock of a ridge on the Gaspe 

 peninsula, including the prominent peak Mt. Albert, averaging 

 two and a half miles in breadth, as an olivine rock, more or less 

 changed to a dark green serpentine. Chromic iron occurs in the 

 serpentine, but not in sufficient quantities for profitable mining. 



Mr. R. Chalmers has a report on the Quaternary geology of 

 Western New Brunswick. The directions of the glacial striae 

 (corrected for variation) in Carleton and York Counties were 

 mostly between S. 15° E. and S. 30° E. The many lake-basins 

 of the region are attributed to the partial filling of preglacial val- 

 leys by drift during the Glacial period, and a subsequent scoop- 

 ing out by local glaciers and currents. Terraces, kames and 

 other glacial phenomena of the region are described. 



