222 The Americafi Geologist. October, it)99 
Quebec. 
The geological survey of Canada was instituted in August, 
1842, but prior to the confederation of the provinces in 1867, 
the scope of its operations extended only over Upper and 
Lower Canada^ now known as the provinces of Ontario and 
Quebec. 
With the view of ascertaining whether the coal measures 
of New Brunswick did or did not extend into Canada, its first 
director, Sir W. E. Logan, devoted the summer seasons of 
1843 and 1844 to a geological examination of the Gaspe 
peninsula and of the country between it and the Bale des 
Chaleurs. In 1843 he surveyed the coast from Cap Rosier 
to Paspebiac, and in 1844 the exposures between Cap Rosier 
and Cap Chatte, thence following the Chatte river to the 
Cascapedia and crossing to the Bale des Chaleurs. During 
these two years the main geological features of the part of the 
province examined were, for the first time, definitely ascer- 
tained, and the absence of any productive coal measures north 
of the Baie des Chaleurs demonstrated. In 1843 the sand- 
stones and limestones of Gaspe bay, since known as the Gaspe 
sandstones and limestones, were carefully studied and their 
fossils collected. In 1844 the Gaspe sandstones were traced 
for a considerable distance up the St. Lawrence, and in the 
"Report of Progress" of the survey for 1847-48 they are said 
to extend from the very extremity of the Gaspe district to 
Matapedia lake, a distance of 150 miles, and their thickness is 
estimated at 7,000 feet. 
As early as 1845, i^ "O^ ""i 1844, the Devonian age of the 
Gaspe sandstones was recognized by Logan. In the annual 
report of the survey under his direction for 1844 (which, 
though written in 1845, was not published until 1846), these 
sandstones are said to "resemble the Chemung and Portage 
groups of the state of New York, with perhaps the addition 
of what the geologists of that state term their Old Red sand- 
stone" (i. e. the Catskill group), and to be overlaid by the 
Carboniferous series. At that time the Gaspe sandstones 
were regarded as of Upper Devonian age, but the numerous 
fossils that Logan had collected from them had not then 
been critically studied by any competent palaeontologist. In 
