124 Correspondence. 
my return I submitted my work with sections, etc., to Mr. Murray. It 
was as clear as daylight that not only the Calciferous and Levis passed 
beneath the serpentine group, but the Sillery also. The latter was 
found in several places resting quite conformably on the Levis shales 
with their graptolites, and always passing beneath the serpentines, 
dolomites, etc. while the latter were found to rest on various mem- 
bers of the lower formation quite unconformably. Mr. Murray was 
very reluctant to admit that the Sillery (always placed above the Lou- 
zon) could really hold an inferior position ; but when he became con- 
vinced of the fact and also of the unconformity, he grew quite enthu- 
siastic. Here was at all events a direct disproval of the attempt to 
place the serpentines in a far inferior position. He wrote to Sir Wil- 
liam Logan, then in England very ill, and sent my notes with the maps 
and sections. Sir William, after a careful study, was satisfied with 
the correctness of the work, and in one of the last letters he ever 
wrote Mr. Murray, he said ''you have hit the correct solution of the Que- 
bec group." The position of the Sillery beneath the Louzon and the 
want of conformity, explains many of the most knotty points connect- 
ed with this group of strata in Canada," or words to that effect. I am 
sorry I "did not think of obtaining a copy of that letter from Mr. Murray 
but I well remember his reading it for me. Of course I got no credit 
for my connection with the work. Now whatever may be the opinions 
entertained in Canada or the U. S., on this head, I am prepared at 
any time to prove my work in that section of this island, to anyone 
who will visit it with me. I think Prof. Hyatt, two years ago, bore out 
my work there. There were other parts of this island where it was not 
so easy to determine the position of the serpentines, and indeed where 
the evidences seemed to point to a different horizon. I suggested the 
possibility of there being two or even more zones of serpentinous 
strata, not confined to the same horizon, but Mr. Murray would not 
entertain that view at all. Of course it was a mere suggestion ; I had 
no evidence to bear it out, but one thing is certain, were it the case, it 
would at once remove all cause for the conflicting views held with re- 
gard to their true position. 
It is a great pity this island is not either part of the Dominion or 
United States, in which case its most interesting geological structure 
would be closely studied. I am convinced there is no place in North 
America where the Eozoic formations are better displayed, more 
abundantly supplied with organisms, and where the outcrops are so 
numerous and accessible. Now that some of your geologists are 
beginning to find out how interesting the country is, I hope we may 
be frequently honored with their visits. 
I almost forgot that while writing of the primordial rocks I should 
mention that I did not include the great formation of at least 10,000 
feet in thickness (Mr. Murray's Huronian) which lies beneath them 
here. Whether it should be included in the primordial or Taconic, I 
can not say, but certainly in Conception bay the latter rests uncon- 
