NEW    BRUNSWICK,    NOVA    SCOTIA,    NEWFOUNDLAND,    ETC.       515 
alternations  increase  in  frequency,  until,  after  passing  over  the  edges 
of  many  beds,  the  red  and  flesh-colored,  perfectly  crystalline  granite, 
with  no  appearance  of  any  lamination  or  bedding  whatever,  is  im- 
perceptibly reached.  In  the  granite  itself,  for  some  distance  from  the 
junction,  nodular  masses  of  black  rock,  consisting  of  minute  scales  of 
mica,  were  observed.  In  other  places  the  mica  slate  and  gneisses  alter- 
nate with  each  other  and  are  cut  by  distinct  granite  veins. 
The  cleavage  of  the  slate  rocks  is  frequently  parallel  to  the  planes 
of  stratification,  but  often  cuts  them  at  all  angles.  The  strike  of  the 
cleavage  is  in  a  great  majority  of  instances  parallel  to  the  strike  of 
the  beds,  but  not  invariably  so.  The  cleavage  is  much  more  constant 
as  regards  strike  and  .dip  than  are  the  beds.  The  dip  of  the  cleavage 
is  never  at  a  less  angle  than  45°,  while  in  the  majority  of  instances  it 
is  nearly  perpendicular.  Its  strike  was  not  in  any  instance  found  to 
vary  more  than  10°  or  15°  from  a  north-northeast  and  south-south- 
west bearing.  Certain  of  the  granites  are  newer  than  the  mica  slate 
and  gneiss.  Also  some  of  the  porphyritic  granite  is  more  modern 
than  some  of  the  shales.  In  other  cases  the  red  igneous  rock,  gen- 
erally the  syenite,  is  in  all  probability  one  of  the  oldest  rocks  in  the 
country,  as  no  veins  were  observed  to  proceed  from  it  into  the  adjoin- 
ing formations,  and  a  rounded  pebble  of  a  precisely  similar  rock  is 
found  in  a  bed  belonging  to  the  older  slate  formation  in  Great 
Placentia. 
Murray,72  in  18G5,  describes  the  geology  of  the  northeastern  part  of 
Newfoundland.  Here  is  found  a  Laurentian  group,  which  consists 
mostly  of  gneisses,  but  contains  in  places  layers  of  mica  slate  and 
whitish  quartzite.  These  rocks  are  placed  in  the  Laurentian  because 
they  have  a  lithological  resemblance  to  the  Laurentian  of  Canada,  and 
because  they  are  covered  unconformably  by  the  Lower  Silurian  strata. 
No  crystalline  limestones  such  as  are  associated  with  the  Laurentian 
of  Canada  are  found  interstratified  Avith  the  gneisses.  The  rocks  of 
the  overlying  Potsdam  and  Quebec  group  are  fossiliferous. 
Murray,73  in  1868,  gives  an  account  of  a  part  of  the  coast  of  Notre 
Dame  Bay.  A  section  of  rocks  in  this  locality,  consisting  of  slates, 
quartzites,  and  dolomites,  with  various  eruptives,  is  referred  in  part 
to  the  Quebec  group.  Among  the  intrusives  are  syenite  and  diorite. 
At  Lascie  Harbor  the  rocks  are  mainly  gneiss,  resting  unconformably 
upon  which  is  a  great  mass  of  unstratified  quartzite. 
Murray,74  in  1868,  treats  of  the  peninsula  of  Avalon.  Here  is 
found  a  gneiss  which  is  referred  to  the  Laurentian.  Intermediate 
between  this  gneiss  and  the  Lower  Silurian  strata  is  a  great  thickness 
of  slates  and  quartzites.  which  arc  referred  to  the  Huronian.  Rest- 
ing unconformably  upon  these  rocks  are  others  containing  Potsdam 
fossils. 
