33 
The flora of the region was studied about thirteen years ago by several 
American botanists who spent some time on Tabletop. There seems 
to be no full account of their work, but M. L. Fernald, in an article on 
“Soil preferences of certain alpine and sub-alpine plants,” mentions that 
mount Albert is 3,300 feet in height, and Tabletop 3,500 to 4,000d Their 
visit has left one name commonly known in the region — though not on the 
maps — lac aux Ameri cains. 
The Geological Survey map is very vague as to the details of Tabletop, 
but gives the name Richardson peak, 3,700 feet, with little to show exactly 
where it is intended to be. Low did a good deal of triangulation to fix the 
position of summits but his results were not incorporated in the map. 
The Bonaventure topographic sheet, recently issued at Ottawa, gives the 
name Tabletop mountains, 4,000 feet, and a little farther south places 
Richardson peak, 3,700 feet. 
It is rather surprising that the highest group of mountains in eastern 
Canada should have been so neglected. There is no map which gives 
anything of real use for the traveller who visits Tabletop mountain. 
Two visits were made to Tabletop (montagne k Table of some of the 
guides), one of six days in 1918 and another of fourteen days in 1919. 
About half of the time was lost in each case by dense fogs and rain; judging 
from the writer's experience fine weather is the exception rather than the 
rule, but Fortin, an intelligent man, says that occasionally there are weeks 
of fine summer weather. 
General Features of Tabletop 
The group of mountains on Tabletop (Figure 5) differs from the 
other parts of the Shickshock range in being the result of a batholithic 
injection of granite, probably introduced toward the close of the orogenic 
movements forming the Appalachian chain, since Devonian sedimentary 
rocks have been disturbed by it. The adjoining rocks were transformed 
partly into schists, and near the edges of the group these schists are of 
importance, though the highest summits and all the interior consist of 
granite. The area mapped as granite is, however, considerably more 
extensive than the mountain group. 
As shown on the geological map, which is reasonably correct, the 
batholith is arranged transversely to the range and the arrangement of the 
summits roughly corresponds to this direction, the higher points being 
included in an area 8 or 9 miles long by 5 miles wide. All of this area is 
above 3,000 feet and the greater part above 3,500. Nine points rise 
distinctly above 3,500 feet, six of them a little above 4,000. The highest 
are domes of granite. 
The whole surface studied shows evidence of decay in place, all the 
higher parts being strewn with loose granite blocks with rounded edges 
and corners due to weathering. Frequently large blocks are still in place, 
but separated by decay along joint planes. The lower ground, where 
not hidden by lakes or swamps, is covered with granite debris, coarse 
or fine, often in the form of a gritty sand with unrounded particles. 
Solifluxion, shown in polygons separated bj^ narrow depressions, is some- 
times found as in Arctic regions. 
1 Rhodora, vol. IX, Sept., 1907 (new ser., No. XXXV) p. 174, 
