^nOCEEDlNGS or GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
259 
thickness of sandstone, sliale, and five or six beds of limestone), witli trap-rocks, 
the section reaches tlie Upper Coal-measures (1,700 feet thick). Crossing this 
coal-hasin, tlie same Mountain-limestone beds reai)pcar in reversed order, fold over 
an axis beyond Elie, and, after minor bendings, plunge under the basin 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 much confusion. Beyond St. Monance the section becomes clear, 
and, passing tlirougli the Mountain-limestone dow-n to the level of the Burdiehouse 
beds, as at Utirntisland, exhibits n magnificent series of the I^ower Carboniferous 
rocks, consisting of frcsbwatcr or cstuarine shales and sandstones, with a few liands 
of limestone, one of wliich latter is of marine origin. Spheno2}tcris qflinis cliarac- 
terizes the upper portion of this inferior group j and Cyclopteris its lower portion. 
The Burdiebouse limestone belongs to the upper portion; and, like the other cal- 
careous bands, thins out eastwardly. The Grantham beds, on the contrary, appear 
to belong to the lower portion. 
The fossils of the four limestone-bands in the upper part of the Mountain-lime- 
stone are Zaphrentis, Ortliis filaria, Productiis punctatus, P. seniiretici/latiis, Avicu- 
lopcclen, Modiola, Loxomma riiyifera, Orthocerus, Nmitilas suhsulcatus. The fiftli 
band and its accompanying bone-bed contains Vroductus semireticidaius, Avicitlo- 
pcclen, Spirif<r duplicoslalus, Cochliodus, and Clenacanilnis. The lowest band (at 
Ardross) has Nitcula tumida, iV. allrmiata, Schizodiis sulcatus, Gonialites, Nalica, 
ScrpuUlcs, Holopt.i/chitts Hihherii, Etirypterus ? , Gampsonyx, Dithijrocaris. The 
upper half of the Lower Carboniferous series contains Sphenoptciis aj/inis, Cypris f, 
and Palwottisciis. Tbe marine band, in the middle of the series, has Encriniles, 
Feneslella, Kucida tiimida, N. atiemiata, and Producliis scmireticidatus. The lower 
half of the series has Cyclopteris, Si gmaria, Carpolithes, Cypris ?, Ptcrichthys ?, and 
Eurypteriis. 
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 devebjped in Nova 
Scotia and New Brunswick, with a clearness and fidness of detail capable of 
thro\\'iug nmch light on the dawn of the terrestrial conditions of the Coal-period, 
♦ and on the relations of these lower Ijeds to the true coal-measures. This lower 
scries comprises shales and sandstones (destitute of marine remains, but containing 
fossil plants, fishes, cntomostraca, worm-tracks, ripple and rain-marks, sun-cracks, 
reptilian footjirints, and erect trees) and great overlying marine limestones and 
gy]3sums. These are distinct from the true coal-measures by their position, mineral 
character, and fossil remains. In the western ])art of' Nova Scotia (Horton, 
Windsor, &c.) the true (or U])per and Middle) Coal-measures are not develojied ; 
and here the Lower Carboniferous marine deposits attain their greatest thickness. 
The lower coal-measures (or Lower Carboniferous freshwater or estuarine deposits) 
have here a thickness of about 600 feet. These beds arc traceable as far as the 
Shubenacadia and Stewiacke Rivers. They outcrop also on the south side of the 
Cobequid Mountains, where the marine portion is very thin, owing perhaps to the 
fact of these mountains having been land in the coal-period. 
Along the northern side of the Cobequid Bange the upper and middle coal- 
measures and the marine jiortion 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 Brun.'-- 
wick (I'etitcodiac lUver, &c.), they are remarkable for their highly Intuminous 
composition, their well-preserved fish-remains, and the almost entire absence of 
plants. To the north, at the Bay of Chaleurs, the great calcareous conglomerate, 
with sandstone and shale, 2,7CG feet thick, described by Logan, and containing a 
few plant remains, ]irobably represent the Lower Coal-measures 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, arc seen at Plaister Cove : also at Right's River, and 
St. Mary's River. 
