IPHOCEEDINGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 



259 



thickness of sandstone, shale, and five or six hods of luneston(^), with trap-rocks, 

 tlie section reaches the Upper Coal-iueasiires (1,700 feet thick). Crossing this 

 eoal-hasin, the same Monntain -limestone hcds rea^jpear in reversed order, fold over 

 an axis heyond Elie, and, after minor hendings, plunge under the hasin of St. 

 Monance, and rise again to the east. Between Elie and St. Monance the strata 

 are singularly contorted ; and an important fault runs nearly parallel with the 

 coast, causing nnich confusion. Beyond St. IMonanee the section l)ecome.s clear, 

 and, passing through the Mountain-limestone down to the level of the Burdiehouse 

 beds, as at Burntisland, exhibits a magnificent series of the Lower Carboniferous 

 rocks, consisting of freshwater or estuarine shales and sandstones, with a few l)ands 

 of limestone, one of which latter is of marine origin. Spheiioptcris aj,iitis vlvdv&c- 

 terizes the iipper portion of this inferior group ; and Cyclojoteris its lower portion. 

 The Burdiehouse limestone belongs to the upper portion; and, like the other cal- 

 careous hands, thins out eastwardly. The Grantham beds, on the contrary, appear 

 to Ijelong to the lower portion. 



The fossils of the four limestone-bands in the upper part of the Movmtain-lime- 

 stone are Zaphrentls, Orilds filaria, Productus 2'mMtat\is, P. scmircticu'latus, Avicu- 

 lo2)eden, MocJiola, Loxoncma ri(gifcra, Ortlioccras, Naulilns suhsulcalus. The fifth 

 band and its accompanying bone-bed contains Produclus seminiiculaiiis, Aviculo- 

 jpcclen, Spirif'.r diipIicostaUts, Coc/iliudi/s, and Ctenacanthits. The lowe.--t Ijand (at 

 Ai'dross) his Xucida iunnda, X. ali niiala, Schizodus suhatus, Goniadtes, Xalica, 

 SerpuKlcs, Holopfj/c/iius Ifiobcrd, Eurypierus ?, Gampsonyx, Dithyrocaris. The 

 upper half of the Lower Carboniferous series contains Spkcnoptcris affinis, Cypris ?, 

 and Palceoniscus. The marine band, in the middle of the series, has Ena iniies, 

 FeneslcUa, Xucula iwnida, X. aitemiata, and Prcductiis scmireiiculatus. The lower 

 half of the series has Cyclopteris, St gmaria, CarpoUlhes, Cypris?, Ptcrichthyst, and 

 Eurypterus. 



3. " On the Lower Carboniferous Coal-measures of British America." By J. W. 

 Dawson, LL.D., F.G.S. 



Deposits indicating the existence of the Coal-flora and its associated freshwater 

 fauna at the beginning of the Carboniferous period are well developed in Nova 

 Scotia and New Brunswick, with a clearness and fulness of detail capable of 

 throwing much light on the dawn of the terrestrial conditions of the Coal-period, 

 and on the relations of these lower beds to the true coal-nieasures. This lower 

 series comprises shales and sandstones (destitute of nv.u-ino remains, but containing 

 fossil plants, fishes, cntomostraca, worm-tracl.s, ripple and rain-marks, sun-cracks, 

 reptilian footprints, and erect trees) and great u\orlNlng marine limestones and 

 gypsums. Tlicso ;n-e distinct from the true coal-measures by their position, mineral 

 character, and fossil remains. In the western part of Nova Scotia (liortun, 

 Windsor, &c.) the true (or Upper and Middle) Coal-measvires are not dev eloped ; 

 and here the Lower Carboniferous marine deposits attain their greatest thickness. 

 The lower coal-measures (or Lower CarboniferoiTS freshwater or estuarine deposits) 

 have here a thickness of about GOO feet. These beds are traceable as far as the 

 Shubenacadia and Stewiacke Elvers. They outcrop also on the south side of the 

 Cobequid Mountains, A\hcre the marine portion is very thin, owing perhaps to the 

 fact of these mountains having been land in the coal-period. 



Along the nortliern side of the Cobequid Eange the upper and middle coal- 

 meas\ires and the marine portion of the Lower Carboniferous series are of a great 

 thickness. The freshwater beds are absent here, though brought up on the 

 northern side of the coal-trough of Cumberland, where, as well as in New Bruns- 

 Avick (Petitcodiac Elver, <S:c.), they are remarkable for their highly bituminous 

 composition, their well-preserved fish-remains, and the almost entire absence of 

 jilants. To the nortli, at the Bay of Chaleurs, the great calcareous conglomerate, 

 with sandstone and shale, 2,76G feet thick, described by Logan, and containing a 

 few plant remains, probably represent the Lower Coal-measxires of Nova Scotia. 

 In eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton the Middle Coal-measures are found at 

 Caribou Cove and elsewhere ; the marine limestones and gypsums, and the under- 

 lying sandstones and shales, are seen at Plaistcr Cove ; also at Eight's Elver, and 

 St. Mary's Elver. 



