JVorth American Tttterf/lacial Deposits. — Uphavt. 275 
noteworthy exception seems to be found in the Toronto and 
Scarboro sections; but no interglacial fossils (excej^ting- near 
the coast in New Hampshire) are known farther eastward in 
New York and New England, which are traversed by numer- 
ous prominent moraines. 
Early Interglacial Lignite on the 31 issinaitji and Kenoganii 
ricers. — The most noteworth}^ interglacial beds known in 
North America, among those which must probabl}^ be referred 
to the time of prevailing ice accumulation, are the layers of 
lignite, between deposits of till, observed by Dr. Bell in sev- 
eral places on the Missinaibi, a branch of the Moose river, 
and again on the Kenogami, a branch of the Albany, both 
tributary to James bay.* During the glacial retreat at the 
end of the Ice age that area was probably at first occupied by 
a great glacial lake, receiving for some time the northeast- 
ward outflow- of lake Agassiz and itself outflowing succes- 
sively to lakes Warren and Algonquin by channels across the 
watershed dividing the Kenogami and Missinaibi rivers from 
lake Superior, to the lake St. Lawrence by the pass near lake 
Abittibi, and latest by the same pass to the sea in the St. 
Lawrence and Ottawa valleys. After the sea gained admission 
to the basin of Hudson and James bays, the ice being then 
melted from Hudson strait and bay, the glacial lake of the 
Kenogami, Missinaibi and Abittibi region was succeeded by a 
less extended marine submergence, which yet covered some of 
the lower localities of the interglacial lignite. It seems well- 
nigh certain, therefore, that those lignite layers, varying 
in thickness up to eight feet, belong to a time of oscillation 
of the ice-sheet interrupting its accumulation rather than its 
departure. 
Thin seams of interglacial lignite also occur on the head 
streams of the South Saskatchewan, as reported by Dr. Geo. 
M. Dawsonf and Mr. J. B. Tyrrell ;+ but, although these may 
be referable to approximately the same time as the Missinaibi 
lignite, they may perhaps belong to a much later stage of re- 
cession, followed by reiidvance, of the ice-sheet during the 
middle or the closing part of the Glacial period. 
*Geol. Survey of Caiiiula, Roport of Progress for 1877-78, p. 4C; and 
Animal Report, new series, vol. ii, ]88(), \,. IJ8G. 
fGeol. Survey of Canada, Report of Projrress for 1882-8:{-84. \i. 144('. 
iflbid., Annual Report, new series, vol. ii, 188(), p. 143E. 
