46 B GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Queen Charlotte Islands, — it is highly probable that rocks of this age 

 may come to the surface in some places. Mr. "Whiteaves, who has 

 examined the fossils, does not find any clearly Triassic forms among 

 those from Eose Harbour, the old copper mine in Skincuttle Inlet, and 

 the south end of South Island in Skidegate Inlet. The limestones of 

 these localities may therefore possibly be of Carboniferous age, and if 

 so a large portion of the associated rocks of volcanic origin must be 

 attributed to the same period. As it is at present impossible to unravel 

 the structural complexity of the sub-Cretaceous rocks of the islands, 

 it has been thought best to colour them together on the map as Triassic, 

 in correspondence with their characteristic fossils. 

 Triassic fossils Though no report is here made on observations in the northern part 

 ver island. of Vancouver Island, it may be mentioned, that Triassic forms identical 

 with those from one of the localities on Houston Stewart Channel^ 

 have been obtained on Forward Inlet and Browning Creek, Quatsino 

 Sound. 

 Contemporan- Any unconformity which may have existed between different beds 

 matter! cam ° of this sub-Cretaceous mass of rocks, may now be masked by their 

 complete folding and the great disturbance and fracture to which they 

 have been subjected. The occurrence of great masses of contemporan- 

 eous volcanic material during both the Triassic and Carboniferous 

 periods, in British Columbia, has been demonstrated in former reports; 

 and in the event of the lower and possibly Carboniferous rocks proving 

 to be really Triassic, their general character would accord closely enough 

 with that of those known elsewhere. 

 Rocks of Logan The rocks characteristically represented on Logan Inlet, and extend- 

 vicinity. ing northward and southward from it in a narrow trough, are evidently 



newer than the greater part of the series of the islands, and their 

 lithological resemblance to those contained in the Cretaceous coal- 

 bearing series of Skidegate is so great that it is not improbable that 

 they may be of the same age. As no beds holding Cretaceous fossils 

 have been found in association with these rocks, it has been thought 

 best to include them for purposes of description with those mentioned 

 above. The area which they occupy is, however, distinguished on 

 the map from that of the older rocks, in so far as my observations 

 enable me to define it. 

 Disturbance . After the deposition of the rocks coloured as Triassic, and before the 



closing Triassic ■*-. . 



newer series with which the coal is associated began to be formed, a 

 period of some disturbance must have intervened, to which a great 

 part of the granitoid intrusive rocks of the region are possibly refer- 

 able. Portions of these older rocks were raised above the sea level at 

 this time, and the deposition of the Cretaceous coal-bearing rocks was 

 inaugurated. This did not proceed uninterruptedly, however, for we 



