QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. 67 B 



though belonging to the volcanic portion of the series, appear to be 

 separated from the larger mass of these rocks on Maude Island by an 

 overlapping edge of C. This partial unconformity is, however, believed Partial uncon- 

 to be essentially unimportant, and only such as might be anticipated 

 at the junction of two classes of deposits so dissimilar. The apparent 

 unconformity has probably been further accentuated by movements 

 occurring between the already hard beds of D. and the as yet partially 

 consolidated beds of C. during the flexure of the strata. The occurrence 

 of fossils identical with those of subdivision C. in beds below the 

 volcanic horizon, with the inclusion of marine forms in some parts of 

 the upper portion of the rocks of volcanic origin (at points on the east 

 side of Alliford Bay), serve to show the continuity of the conditions 

 of deposit. 



The passage beds have been observed in a number of localities to be Passage beds, 

 coarse felspathic or tufaceous sandstones, generally pale in colour, and 

 formed apparently by the rearrangement of the still unconsolidated 

 materials of the upper beds of D. These vary in thickness, but are 

 generally associated with black carbonaceous argillites, which are some- 

 times shaly, and at the Cowgitz Mine hold the seam of anthracite coal. 

 These are those to which Mr. Richardson refers as being quarried by 

 the Indians at a spot some miles up Slate Chuck Creek, and though 

 they there hold no distinct coal seam, films of anthracite are still found. 

 JSTine miles east of the mine this horizon is again recognised, and pretty 

 well exposed on the east end of Maude Island, near Eobber Island. 

 Coarse agglomerates are here overlain by beds which may be called as 

 above, felspathic sandstone. Their material is evidently derived from Felspathic 



xi in- , • sandstone. 



the underlying agglomerate and ash beds, and composed in great part 

 of felspar in partly rounded grains. It is generally pale greyish or 

 greenish in color, and is here well bedded, and appears to decompose 

 readity, exfoliating in concentric layers. The higher beds hold thin 

 layers of conglomerates, with well-rounded pebbles, and occasional 

 streaks of coaly matter representing plant fragments, but nothing 

 like a true coal seam. Above these are beds still evidently in great 

 part of similar material, but darker in tint, and holding fossils, of 

 which a coral is the most remarkable. These are followed by soft 

 argillaceous sandstones and shales, in the upper part of which are 

 dark carbonaceous argillites, charged with great numbers of marine 

 fossils in good preservation. Above these are the sandstones of Eobber 

 Island and the north-east part of Maude Island, in which small trunks 

 and branches of trees are very frequently found converted into coal. 



One-third of a mile from the head of Alliford Bay, at a small point Coaly layers. 

 on the south shore, thin carbonaceous layers occur in sandstone very near 

 the base of Subdivision C, and though quite unimportant in themselves, 



