Prof. Milne and Alex. Murray — Rocks of Neufoundland. 259 
a fractured surface. However, wken one is obtained, tke interior of 
tbe rock is seen to be chloritic. 
Still further to tbe south, abont Bluff Head and Louis Hills, we get 
a series of weathered araygdaloidal rocks, wbicb may be defined as 
melaphyres. Tbey bave generally an argillaceous smell, and are 
calcareous, especially in tbeir joints and amygdules. Under the 
microscope tbere can be seen, a finely granulär ground mass, a much 
kaolinized felspar apparently labradorite, and sometinaes a mineral 
wbicb brilliantly polarizes, wbicb may be olivine. On tbe wbole, 
they are like altered dolerites, and all of tbem bave a more or less 
cbloritic look. In places disseminated tbrough tbe mass tbere is a 
bituminous mineral, and very often specks of native cöpper. Tbese 
minerals are chiefly found in tbe more decomposed portions of tbe 
rock. Up Louis Brook some true serpentines are to be found, and also 
a dolomite. Comparing tbese rocks on tbe west side of tbe island 
witb tbose of similar age upon tbe east, they only seemed to me 
to differ in tbe degree of alteration wbich they had undergone. 
And tbose upon tbe west in tbis way tend to confirm tbe idea of tbe 
volcanic origin of tbe greater part of tbis series, as exposed in New- 
foundland. 1 
Southern and Central Exposures . — In tbe Southern and central 
exposures of this series, about Bay East Biver, we get serpentines, 
cbloritic and talcose slates, felsites and micaceous slates. The rocks 
on the whole having a litbological likeness to tbe otber members of 
tbe same series. 
Taking a general review of tbis formation, as presented to us in 
patches, some of whicb are more than 100 miles apart, one cannot 
but be struck witb tbe great litbological similarity wbicb runs 
througkout the whole. In comparing lists of specimens taken from 
different localities, it is found tbat some are almost identical. The 
rocks everywhere contain serpentines and cblorites, are magnesian 
in their ckaracter, and always contain more or less of some valuable 
mineral matter like ores of copper. Sometimes their nature is at 
once to be seen, whilst in other cases it is only witb difficulty to be 
recognized. Everywhere tbey sbow traces of having been derived 
from volcanic rocks, and in all cases tbe alteration to wbicb tbey 
bave been subject is similar, and bas only differed in amount. 
Looking at tbe vast hills wbicb yet remain of tbese rocks, tbey appear 
as relics of large and powerful volcanos which were in activity 
belcbing out showers of asbes and pouring fortk great streams of 
lava in Mid-Silurian times. 2 
If tbis view is a correct one, then there was a period wben 
quiescent, dreary Newfoundland was like a modern Iceland. Since 
tbat time, however, great cbanges bave bappened, and processes of 
1 I have already alluded to the probable age of the igneous rocks, and to tbe 
geological position of tbe serpentines on the west coast of the island. — A.M. 
2 This view is not improbable, but I am inclined to think, from tbe undisturbed 
state of tbe rocks already spoken of at Long Point, Port-a-Port Pay, tbat tbe time of 
greatest volcanic activity must have been at an earlier date, probably witbiu tbe 
Chazy or Treuton periods. — A.M. 
