from Gaspé to Alabama. The metamorphism has comprehended not only the Quebec group, but those of the Upper Silurian and Lower Devonian series to the east of them, and in Massachusetts it has included the rocks of the Carboniferous system. It is, moreover, probable, that the rocks of New Hampshire and the White Mountains are altered strata of Devonian age."

The present collection has been arranged with the view of illustrating the facts above stated, the unaltered rocks of each formation in the western area being followed by the altered rocks of the same formation in the eastern area.

The formations and localities which are represented by specimens in the collec-tion are as follows:

I.

LAURENTIAN.

It is now supposed that the rocks of this system in Canada will have to be divided into a lower, middle and upper series. The line between the lower and middle or "Hastings" series is not yet well defined. The lower division, however, embraces the great dolomite, ophiolite and crystalline limestone series, with the associated micaceous granitoid and syenitic gneisses of Burgess, Grenville and Buckingham. The middle division comprises the Arnprior banded limestones with associated slates, mica schists and coarse diorites; while the upper division, resting unconformably on the lower and middle, consists largely of anorthosite rocks with some bands of coarsely crystalline limestone and quartzites.

The economic minerals of the Laurentian system are, in the lower division, graphite, apatite, mica, magnetite, hematite and pyrites; in the middle division, gold, galena, silver, bismuth, antimony, iron and copper pyrites, fine-grained magnetites and hematites. In the upper division the only ores met with are beds of ilmenitor titaniferous magnetite. The crystalline limestones, dolomites and ophiolites often afford handsome ornamental marbles. Eozoon has been found both in the lower and middle divisions. There are no serpentines associated with either the middle or the upper series.

The foregoing brief description is applicable only to the comparatively small areas of Laurentian rocks which have been examined in portions of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. In the much larger areas lying north and north-west of Lake Superior, and in the same latitude on the east, from the Saguenay to Labrador,no bands of limestone have been discovered among the Laurentian rocks; and the entire formation there, so far as known, appears to consist of repeated alternations of grey feldspathic and dark hornblendic, micaceous and garnetiferous gniesses and quartzites, with, occasionally, areas which are occupied by massive crystalline granitic and syenitic rocks, in which no traces of stratification can be discerned, and which may probably be of intrusive origin.

SPECIMENS.

Dolerite, porphyry, and breccia: occurring in dykes and masses cutting Laurentian rocks.-Nos. 1 to 7. (Age uncertain).

1. Lower Laurentiun, 8 to 84.

Localities represented.

Ganancque, Burgess, North Sherbrooke, Hull, Grenville, Chatham, Wentworth, River Rouge, Ramsay, Huntington.

2. Middle Laurentian, or "Hastings series," 85 to 138.

Localities represented.

Bathurst, Olden, Kaladar, Sheffield, Pakenham, Dalhousie, Madoc, Tudor, Levant, Elzevir, Barrie.

3. Laurentian of New Brunswick, 139 to 198.

Localities represented.

St. John, Moosepath, Pisarinco, Dipper Harbour, Musquash, Big-duck Island, Nerepis River.

4. Laurentian of Cape Breton, N.S., 199 to 227.

Localities represented.

Kelly Cove, Cape Dauphin, George's River.

The rocks which are supposed to be of Laurentian age, in New Brunswick and in Nova Scotia, occur over comparatively small areas. Those of New Brunswick have been fully described by Messrs. Bailey & Matthew in the Report of Progress of the Geological Survey, 1870-71; and the supposed course of the Laurentian axis to the north-eastward through Nova Scotia and the Island of Cape Breton is shown on the coloured geological map of the Lower Provinces which, is exhibited with the collection. This part of the axis has been as yet only very partially examined by the Geological corps. Strata belonging to formations from the Huronian to the Lower Carboniferous, have, however, been observed in unconformable contact with it, in different parts of its course.

5. Upper Laurentian or “ Labradorite series," 228 to 254.

Localities represented.

Burgess, Rawdon, Wentworth, St. Jerome, Chateau Richer, Chicoutimi, Seven Islands, Labrador.

This remarkable series of rocks has been observed at intervals from Lake Huron to Labrador. In the vicinity of Grenville, on the Ottawa, it has been shown by Sir W. E. Logan to be in unconformable contact, probably overlying the limestone and gneiss series (Lower Laurentian). In none of the localities where it has been observed have its precise limits or its stratigraphical relations been fully determined. Except in the prevalence and variety of anorthosite rocks it does not greatly differ from the older "Lower Laurentian" series. Dr. Sterry Hunt, writing of the Upper Laurentian anorthosites, says: "The crystalline varieties of this rock often exhibit in great perfection the striæ resulting from their polysynthetic]macles, and are sometimes beautifully opalescent. The original Labrador feldspar is from this formation. The predominant colors of these anorthosites are various shades of blue, passing into greenish and yellowish, rarely reddish and sometimes nearly pure white. The lustre of the cleavable varieties is vitreous, of the granular varieties waxy or dull. The weathered surfaces are always of an opaque white, but for which some of the white granular varieties might be mistaken at first sight for quartzites."

II.

HURONIAN AND LOWER CAMBRIAN SERIES.

The geographical range of the rocks of this series in Canada, as shown by the recent explorations of the Geological Corps, 18 much wider than has hitherto been supposed. Its precise relations in the several districts where it has been examined,

to the Laurentian system on the one hand, and to the Lower Cambrian or Primordial Silurian and to the Upper copper-bearing rocks of Lake Superior on the other, remain uncertain. Some of the facts which have been ascertained point to the possibility of its connection with the group which is provisionally classed as Middle Laurentian, while others seem to indicate that it is more closely connected with the Lower Cambrian. As will be seen from an examination of the specimens, it varies considerably in its lithological character in the different regions. In that of Lakes Huron and Superior it is largely made up of siliceous slates, with massive beds of quartzite and slate conglomerate, associated with a great variety of dioritic and chloritic rocks. Granitic and hornblendic gneiss with micaceous and nacreous schists are also common. And there are occasionally beds of hard grey siliceous limestone, and of whitish granular dolomite. In several localities beds of dark green chromiferous serpentine have been observed which do not apparently differ from those occurring in the Quebec group. With these bedded rocks there occur many irregular patches and dyke-like protrusions of granite, red syenite and porphyry. Some of these seem to be of Laurentian age, as they have contributed fragments to the Huronian slate conglomerates.

In New Brunswick and in Cape Breton the series is characterized by a great variety of felsites and felsitic trap ashes (petro-siliceous-rocks,) often porphyritic with vitreous quartz, and with feldspar. Massive quartzite, conglomerates and siliceous slates, so prevalent in the Lake Superior region, are here almost wanting With the Upper Copper-bearing rocks, however, there are porphyritic felsites quite like those of the New Brunswick Huronian. The grey quartzites (whin) and siliceous gold-bearing slates of Nova Scotia and the peculiar dioritic, chloritic and epidotic rocks of Jebogue Point in the vicinity of Yarmouth, N.S., are also provisionally considered to be Huronian. The former are probably somewhat newer. They apparently occupy the same geological horizon as the Harlech group of Britain, and they precisely resemble it in lithological and in mineral character, while those of New Brunswick and of Cape Breton more nearly resemble the Longmynd rocks. When in proximity to the granitic masses these rocks pass into micaceous, gneissose and granitic forms, as do likewise all the newer rocks, up to the base of the Carboniferous.

6. Huronian Series, 255 to 425.

Localities represented.

Lake Huron and Lake Superior regions, 255 to 305.

Country containing rocks of the Upper Copper-bearing series, 306 to 352.

New Brunswick, St. John, &c., 353 to 394.

Cape Breton, Louisburg, &c., 395 to 416.

Nova Scotia, Jebogue Pt., Yarmouth, &c., 417 to 425.

7. Lower Cambrian.

Nova Scotia, Atlantic coast, 426 to 450.

The Upper Copper-bearing rocks, or Nipigon series, numbers 306 to 352, are placed here for convenience of comparison with the Huronian rocks of Lake Superior upon which they rest. They are certainly newer than these, but according to the most recent investigations of them in Northern Michigan, they are now considered to be older than the Potsdam formation.

The remarkable general similarity of the Cape Breton rocks to those which, according to Messrs. Bailey & Matthew, underlie the Primordial Silurian of St.

John, combined with the recent discovery of fossils of Potsdam age, in beds which seem to overlie them, has suggested their provisional classification with the Huronian.

The rocks of Jebogue Point, Yarmouth and Cape St. Mary seem to be lower than the gold-bearing slates and quartzites (whin) in the same neighbourhood. The latter are supposed to represent either the base of the Primordial or the Lower Cambrian series.

III.

LOWER SILURIAN.

8. Primordial Silurian and Potsdam, 451 to 510.

With the Primordial are classed the black slates, sandstones, &c., of St. John New Brunswick, and also the upper black slates of the Nova Scotia Atlantic coast series, of Halifax, Dartmouth, Oven Bluffs, &c., the latter holding.-Eophyton Linnæarum.

Localities represented.

St. John, New Brunswick, 451-460.

Halifax, from granite junction, 461

Cape Breton, Bras d'Or, &c, 462-476.

Newfoundland, 477–479.

Metis, Bic and Lower St. Lawrence, south side, 480-497.

Lower St. Lawrence, north side, Ottawa valley, &c, 498-510.

Fossils 1-16.

9. Calciferous formation, 511 to 515.

Localities represented.

Beauharnois, Gloucester, Bell's Corners, Beckwith, Mingan Islands.

Fossils 16-20.

The distribution and the character of this formation in Canada have been fully described by Sir W. E. Logan. Geology of Canada, 1863.

10. Levis formation, Quebec group, 516 to 537.

Localities represented.

Point Levis, Acton Vale, Melbourne, Bolton, Nicolet River, Farnham, Philipsburg.

Fossils 21-53.

11. Lauzon formation, Quebec group, 538 to 567.

Localities represented.

Bolton, Roxton, Melbourne, Brome, Sutton, Patton, Stukeley, Kingsey, Levis, Portage church.

Fossils 34-35.

12. Sillery formation, Quebec group, 568 to 608.

Localities represented.

St. Joseph, Beauce; Bolton, Rockland, Magog, New Liverpool, Sherbrooke, Cleveland, Ascot, Kingsey.

The unconformable relations of the Quebec group to the Potsdam on the south shore of the St. Lawrence below Quebec, is shown by Mr. Richardson (Report of Progress, Geological Survey of Canada, 1869-70), and the most recent investigations of its relations in the Eastern Townships south-west of Quebec, while they confirm the previous determinations of Sir W. E. Logan regarding the general structure and position of the group, point to the conclusion that some of the black slates and limestones hitherto included in the distribution of the Levis formation are perhaps of Chazy or Trenton age.

13. Kingston series, New Brunswick, 609 to 624.

Localities represented.

Kingston Peninsula, St. John Narrows (east side,) Long Reach, St. John River, Lands End, Kings County.

A good deal of uncertainty still exists regarding the position of these rocks. No fossiis have been found in them. Messrs. Bailey & Matthew consider them to be certainly older than the Upper Silurian, but probably newer than the St. John Primordial.

14. Chazy formation. 625 to 638.

Localities represented.

Pembroke, Bell's Corners, Hull, Gloucester, Clarence, Caughnawaga.

Fossils, 36-41.

This formation has not been certainly recognized in Canada on the east side of the great fault; unless it is represented by some portion of the Levis or Sillery formations. On the west side it rests directly on the Calciferous, but unconformably and the fauna of the two formations likewise indicate a complete break. At one time Sir W. E. Logan, (page 20, Geology of Canada, 1863,) considered the Chazy and Calciferous to equal the Sillery and Levis. But in 1865, Mr. Billings writing of the succession as seen in Newfoundland says: "It would appear that the rocks at Point Levis not only overlie, but also when the series is complete are at least 2,000 feet above the true Calciferous. Judging from the fossils alone I should say that the Levis formation immediately succeeds the Calciferous, but the physical evidence seems to show that such is not the case."

The succession given as found at Bonne Bay, Newfoundland, is :

Limestones not represented in Canada and holding an altogether new fauna, having an aspect partly Calciferous, partly Levis, partly Chazy and partly Trenton.....

1,369"