210 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
Superior, and is composed of metamorphic rocks and granite of the Lanrentian 
series. To the west of this follows a belt where the floor of the plateau is 
exposed, consisting of Lower Silurian and Devonian rocks. On these rest 
Cretaceous strata, which prevail all the way to the Rocky Mountains, overlaid 
here and there by detached tertiary basins. 
The Rocky Mountains are composed of Carboniferous and Devonian lime- 
stones, with^nassive quartzites and conglomerates, followed to the west by a 
granitic tract which occupies the bottom of the great valley between the Rocky 
and the Cascade Mountains. The Cascade chain is volcanic, but the volcanos 
are now inactive ; to the ^\ est of it, along the Pacific coast, Cretaceous and 
Tertiary strata prevail. The description of these rocks was given with con- 
siderable detail on account of their containing a lignite, which for the first time 
has been determined to be of Cretaceous age. This lignite, which is of very 
superior quality, has been worked for some years past by the Hudson Bay 
Company, and is in great demand for the steam-navy of the Pacific station, and 
for the manufacture of gas. Extensive lignite-deposits in the Prairie were also 
alluded to ; and, like that above mentioned, were considered to be of Creta- 
ceous age; but, besides these, there are also lignites of the Tertiary period. 
The general conclusion was that the existence of a supply of fuel in the 
Islands of Eormosa and Japan, in Vancouver's Island, in the Cretaceous strata 
of the western shores of the Pacific, but principally within the British territory, 
and in the plains along the Saskatchewan, will exercise a most important in- 
fluence in considering the practicability of a route to our eastern possessions 
through the Canadas, the Prairies, and British Columbia. 
2. " On Elevations and Depressions of the Earth in North America." By 
Dr, A. Gesner, F.G.S. 
After some observations on the differences between volcanic uplifts of the 
land and the slow upward and downward shiftings produced by changes in the 
position of great parallel areas during long periods of time, the author proceeds 
to enumerate evidences of local elevation and subsidence that he has observed 
along the coast from the northern part of Labrador to New Jersey. 
In the south-eastern part of New Jersey, at Nantucket, Martha's Yineyard, 
and Portland, submergence of the land is proceeding, locally at the rate of 
probably four feet in sixty years. In New Brunswick, at St. John's the land 
has been elevated ; at the Great Manan Island and the great Tantaman Marsh 
there has been subsidence. At Bathurst and on the opposite coast of Lower 
Canada the land seems to be rising. In Nova Scotia, near the Bay of Eundy and 
Mines Basin, there is subsidence ; on the southern side, however, there are 
signs of elevation. The sea rapidly encroaches upon Louisberg in Cape Breton, 
and in Prince Edward's Island, also, at Cascumpec, submergence of the land is 
taking place. 
Geologists' Association.— At the Monthly Meeting held at 5, Cavendish 
Square, on Monday, April 8th, tlie following papers were read : — 
"On the Geology of the We of Portland," by W. Grey, Esq. 
" On the Pearls of the Greensand Sea," 7 x? -rr c i t? 
« On Eossil PediceUarise," j ^^''^ ^^^1^^' 
On Tuesday, the 9 th of April, anExcm'sion was made to Reigate, under the 
guidance of the President, Prof. Tennant, and Mr. Bensted. The party pro- 
ceeded to examine various sections showing the chalk, greensand, &c. ; and 
then viewed a remarkable bed of EuUer's Earth, which is worked near that 
town. 
Li\t;iipool Geological Society, March 12th, 1861. 
The following paper was read '^On the Pleistocene formation of the district 
around Liverpool." By George H. Morton, Esq., E.G.S. 
