










B. N. A. BOUNDARY COMMISSION. 
Hall; Orthis Macfarlanei, Meek ; Orthis Towensis ? Fall. 
dissimilis ? Hall. Two other imperfectly characterized species of 
ducta. Chonetes pusilla, Hall; Rhynchonella castanea, Meek; Pentam 
borealis, Meek; Atrypa aspera, Schlotheim; Atrypa reticularis, Lin 
Cyrtina Billingsi Meek; Cyrtina Hamiltonensis, Hall; Cyrtina panda, M Dt 
Spirifer Kennicotti, Meek; Spirifer compactus, Meek ; Spirifer (Martinic aoe 
sublineatus, Meek; Spirifer (Martinia) Richardson, Meek; Spirifer — 
(Martinia) Marintolins, Meek; Spirifer (Martinia) Franklinii, Meek; a 
Rensseleria levis, Meek ; a Pleurotomaria ; and Gyroceras Logani, Meek. (3: x" ee 
26. A more extended exploration of the -Devonian rocks of the ei 
North-west is much to be desired. Their prospective value as a salt- : a 
bearing group is great, not only in the southern part, but far to the north Cm a 
on the Mackenzie River, where Richardson describes very copious brine 
springs. Their northern extension is also everywhere associated with 
bituminous deposits, from Methy Portage to the Arctic Ocean. Sir J. 
Richardson especially mentions certain localities on the Athabasca 
River, near the position of a former trading establishment, now known as 
Ta vieux Fort de la Riviére Rouge, “a copious spring of mineral pitch 
issues from a crevice in a cliff composed of sand and bitumen. It lies 
a few hundred yards back from the river in the middle of a thick wood.” | 
Of another locality he writes : ‘The whole country for many miles is so_ 
full of bitumen, that it flows readily into a pit dug a few feet below the — 
surface,’ * and similar references abound in his Journal. Where 
bitumen exists in such abundance on the surface, there is every 
probability that flowing oil wells might be obtained without going : 
to any great depth, the bitumen being generally but the inspissated 
residue of lighter oils beneath. i 
The bituminous limestones and shales have, as already stated, been 
referred, by Prof. Meek, to the Hamilton and Genesee epochs. The “Black 
Slate” of the Western and Southern States, has been shown to be the 
equivalent there, of the latter. It “holds exactly the same position with 
relation to the Hamilton beds as the clear water and Athabasca shales” 
of the Mackenzie River region} and is very frequently connected with oil 
and brine springs. This being the case, it is highly probable that the same 
formation in the intermediate region south of Methy Portage and in Mani- — 
toba, where it is to a great extent covered by Cretaceous rocks, would, if 
properly explored, be found to yield mineral oil as well as salt. 

; . 
* Journal of a Boat Voyage, vol. L, pp. 125 and 126, + Trans, Chicago Acad, Sci., vol. L., p. 65, 
