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 1 
 
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 6 
 
ON THE 
 
 NEWER PLIOCENE 
 
 AMD 
 
 POST PLIOCENE DEPOSITS 
 
 or TBB 
 
 VICINITY OF MONTREAL, 
 
 WITH 
 
 NOTICES OP FOSSILS RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN THEM. 
 
 BY J. W. DAWSON, LL.D., F.G.8., 
 
 Principal of McGiU Collei^e. 
 
 (Read before the Natural History Society of Montreal, Nov. 30, 1887.) 
 From the " Canadian Natvralitl and Oeologitt?' 
 
 iHontreal: 
 
 PaiNTBD BY JOHW LOVKLL. AT THE CANADA DiaHCTORT OFFICE. 
 
 1858. 
 
 ;|^V$^ ^ ^i^miiK ^ C^x^ ' 
 
 
e"^ 
 
'4- 
 
PLATE Vir. 
 
 FJj 3 Tig 4 
 
 ni 
 
 Fi'j S 
 
 ^Ml ^ 6 
 
 ^7 7 
 
 X^ig 8 
 
 ^'^9 i) 
 
 i'i'J 10 
 
 F.rg 11 
 
 licj 23 
 
 Fig IZ 
 
 a J''ig IS 
 
 [J^ 
 
 CL li 
 
 wi..j. M 
 
 ri<j 16 
 
 (:S>i 
 
Fl 
 
 •7 7 
 
 FJa 
 
 Fig 18 
 
 Fig Jf} Fig ZO Fig 21 
 
 Tig ZZ 
 
 Fig 23 
 
 Fig 24 
 
 AitK 
 
 hyA 
 
 Fig ZS 
 
 Flcj 27 
 
 \3 
 
 
 I'iVi 50 
 
(] 
 
 
ON THE 
 
 NEWER PLIOCENE 
 
 AND 
 
 POST PLIOCENE DEPOSITS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 VICINITY OF MONTEEi\X, 
 
 wnii 
 
 NOTICES OF FOSSILS RECENTLY DISCOVERED I.V THEM. 
 
 BY J. W. DAWSON, LL.D., F.G.S., 
 
 Principal of Mc Gill College. 
 
 (Read before the Natural History Society of Montreal, Nov. 30, 1857.) 
 From fhc " Canadian Naturalist and Geologist:' 
 
 PRINTED BY JOUX LOVELL. AT THE CANADA DIREUTORY OFFICE 
 
 ST. NICHOLAS STIIKET. ' 
 
 1858. 
 
ON THE 
 
 NEWER PLIOCENE AND POST PLIOCENE 
 
 DEPOSITS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 VICINITY OF MONTREAL. 
 
 The deposits to which this paper relates, belong to that widely 
 spread sheet of superficial detritus, liy which the greater part of 
 the northern hemisphere was covered at the close of the tertiary 
 and coinmeuceraeut of the recent period. This formation, as it 
 occurs in the lower part of the valley of the St. Lawrence, has 
 been described by Dr. Big.^by, Rear Admiral Payfield, Sir C. 
 Lyell, Sir W. E. Logan, and Professor Emmons. More recently 
 an excellent summary of the previous publications, with many 
 new facts, was given by Mr. Billings in this Journal ; and a paper 
 by the writer on additioiial fossils recently discovered, was read 
 before the American Association at its late meeting in Montreal.* 
 
 • Annals of New York Lyceum, 1st series. Transactions Geological 
 Society, 1839 ; Proceedings Geological Society, 1851 ; Lyell's Travels 
 in North America; Reports of Canadian Surrey ; Emmons' Report on 
 Geology of New York ; Canadian Naturalist, vol. 1. The few pages 
 devoted to Montreal in LyoU's Travels, contain a remarkably graphic and 
 accurate view of these deposits as they occur here, and will enable any 
 ono not familiar with the subject, much more readily to comprehend tho 
 additional details giv'U in this paper. 
 
In tl.G present paper I propose to notice - 
 the arrangement of the bods in tl.o vicinity ?« 
 o Montreal, anj the asseniblucre of fossii; Is 
 winch ,hoj contain, in connection with the Z '\ 
 d:.str,l.nt,un ofthe species as inh,.l>itants.>fic\ 
 tH> modern seas, ami the hiferences as to "I 
 
 clnnatean.l other conditions clc.hicible from f 
 them. ;s 
 
 . ''''"■ '^"'="'''lc'minen.'eoftrapwbi,.h rises f 
 ■"the mountain of Montreal to a heio-ht of I 
 
 t'ig. 1, 
 
 'v23 
 
 "';:';» 'UO,.,.,,,to,,ns„p to that dcvation, ? 
 
 a :de-^.ua^eor(hel>ostl>liocenesea,mark- '" 
 
 -1 on ,ts sides by a series of sea chti; and I 
 
 <'le^..ed loaches, in,]i,,,tin. the stages of I 
 
 gradual or,nter,nittenteh-vation<.f the hind " 
 '•^^ it rose to i,s present l..vel. T),e most f 
 s ron.13. „,,,,,,,, ,,. ^,,^.^^ ^^^^ ___^^ ^^^^^ ^ 
 
 athein-bts of 470,440, .-380 and 220 feet ^ 
 nboveLakeSt.referonlheSi.Lawrence-* ^ 
 
 Ht JMoiitriah i^ 
 
 Tim hiolH^t of these b.achos contains I 
 
 T" '''•"•^ "' '■^'«""^^ ^J'^-''i<-. Ileh.w the I 
 
 lowest, and at an eh-vationofabonf 100 feet ° 
 
 ;t':^"'V-'^-^''''^J'''-'^t>'OK.v.t tertiary f 
 
 'J-,' •" J-wer Canada, everywhere con- & 
 
 '•'".""«■ '"••'""^ «''^'1!n and presentino- ., •= 
 
 ^c^rus ot deposits partly nnstratified 'and ^ 
 
 l-artly assorted by water. Jn this vicinity | 
 
 tlu> iv-uhir sequence is as follows • " 5 
 
 1. Fnu. unifonnly ^rrained mu], in some § 
 
 places underlaid or re-placed by stratificl ^ 
 
 gmveh Marine shells in the Tower part ^ 
 
 ^- ljnctu,)us calcareous clay, of jrray and ^ 
 
 occasionally of brown and reddish" tints. § 
 
 A few marine shells. ^ 
 
 3. Comj.aet bouhler day filled will, fm^. 
 
 mcnts of various r.^k^ usually partiallv 
 
 «;omHJeda.nl often scratcluHl and p.dishe,' 
 
 'o^ 
 
 •■CO 
 
 .10 
 
 I 
 
 »-«! -r their Ii„,ita alwlVT'vXuStila!!^- '''"<' «-' 
 
 Iho authority of tba 
 i for mo hy l*rot03sop 
 terraces arc not quito 
 
at 
 
 M 
 O 
 
 H 
 
 t— t 
 
 o 
 
 K 
 
 
 t 
 
 K 
 
 @ 
 
 .« 
 «» 
 
 )f the 
 
 ifessnr 
 
 quito 
 
 The thickness of these beds is at least 100 feet, of which tho 
 lower or boulder clay constitut cs the greater part, but the sand often 
 attains the tliicknoss of 10 feet, and tho fine clay that of 20 feet. 
 The boulders are not confined to the boulder clay, properly so- 
 called. Tho stratified clays and sands often contain large 
 rounded stones, partly of the inountaiu trap and partly of the 
 older nietaniorpliic nx'ks of the Laurentian formation, lying to 
 the northward of llie St. Lawi'cnco valley. Dr. Bigsby long ago 
 remarked that the boulders derived from tlio mountain have been 
 drifted principally to tho S. W. ; in which direction they have been 
 traced as far as tho South Shore of Lake Ontario, 270 miles dis- 
 tant from their original position. On the other hand, the succes- 
 sive terraces are best seei- ' the North East side of the mountain, 
 which is bare and abrupt. 
 
 Wherever 1 have observed tlie rock surfaces under the boulder 
 clay, they present the striate<l and polished appearance usual in 
 such positions. On the North Plast side of Montreal mountain 
 the directioim observed were from S. 70 ^ W. to S. oO ® W., 
 corresponding to the direction of the drift mentioned above. 
 
 In some places the surface of the boulder clay has been deeply 
 cut into furrows by the currents which deposited sand and gravel 
 upon it. In like manner tho surface of the stratified clay is some- 
 times cut into trenches filled by tho overlying sand. Ou tho 
 other hand, in places which have been more sheltered, tho boulder 
 clay passes into the finer clay or into gravel, and tho latter into 
 Band. It is in these last localities, where evidences of denudation 
 are absent, that marine fossils most abound. 
 
 Tho City of Montreal is built on the deposits just described. 
 In tho upper part of the city, at the base of the mountain, and at 
 the height of about 100 feet above tho river, we see in many 
 places a fine yeliowisli sand, and about the same level, a little 
 further East, at the mile-end (p ries, are stratified gravel and 
 Baml. lU'low this sand we find tho fine unctuous clay, forming a 
 thick bed in the upper part of the city, and at the brick yard ou 
 the St. I.awrence lload, as well as at the village of tho Tanneries. 
 Under this is tho thick bed of boulder clay and clay gravel seen 
 in excavations on Dorchester ami Lagauchetiero Streets ; and at 
 the gravel pits on the Lachine Hailway. The steep descent at 
 13eaver JIall Hill, at St. Patrick's Hospital, and along tho Laehino 
 road is llio true nuirgiu of the river bnjtom, and marks the limit 
 of tlio eut imido by the St. Lawrence in these tertiary deposits 
 
bottom of ono of th,> n..«f t '''^^^ U'« is not the case. In the 
 
 Bridge, I „,::.:;': ; t;;:: ;!"-'!'™',°^ '"« "■ •»* 
 
 on "l.i.:h 11,0 rive- Ime I!l „r *"'"' ''°"''''"' <='»>'. 
 
 rioiis dentil an.1 arw Tl,„ i- . , '" "• ''"'T ™- 
 
 fcrct fre,„ «1 ' . , t'"""""' """^ ''"™ '««" <"f- 
 
 tho.os„l,jo..;rto,°"'„""" "■'"'■'' '--Fevaik On 
 
 'Vi'l, refer.,.. .„ „,„ ,..„,„ ,^ ^ ," Vf' ™ '''r ,' ' "T' """ 
 .e,™e„ „. ,„ l„ „ „ ,„„ ,„ ,,; -••^;;^ ;; W ,„„,„ or 
 
 ^|:;:Cit:;:::Hr::rr--r:t 
 
these deposits. The overlying sand is here of a light yellow 
 color ; the clay below very fine and unctuous, and of a grey colour. 
 J3oth contain a few large boulders, and are underlaid by boulder 
 clay, which toward the base of the mountain, conies up to the sur- 
 face. In some places the top of the clay is cut into deep 
 furrows filled by the sand, but in others the latter rests on an un- 
 broken surface, and a layer of greyish sandy clay forms a transi- 
 tion between them. The sand contains no shells. The thin 
 transition bed of sandy clay abounds in the following specie?, ar- 
 ranged as nearly as possible in the order of their relative abun- 
 dance : — 
 
 Tellina Grocnlandica. 
 Saxicava rugosa. 
 Mya arenaria. 
 Mytilus edulis. 
 Astartc Laurentiana. 
 Tellina calcarea. 
 Triohotropis borealis. 
 Fusus tornatus. 
 r>ul!a oryza. 
 Leda I'oitlandica. 
 In the clay beloiv, very few shells occur; and these exclusively 
 Leda Portlandioa and Astarte Laurentiana ; which are found prin- 
 cipally in its upjier layers, and have their valves attachcil. Here 
 again we have evidence of a deep sea bod overlaid by one that is 
 littoral ; and it is also worthy of notice that the two species found 
 in the former are not now known as American shells, at least in 
 this latitude ; while in the upper bed there arc common American 
 species. For convenience we may iiamo the upper bed the Saxicava 
 Suml, and the lower the Leda duy. (See Fig. 1.) 
 
 At the cutting of the Montreal and Ottawa railway near St. 
 Denis street, and at the brick yards, the Leda clay and Saxicava 
 sand occur as before. From the latter of these places Sir W, 
 E. Logan has obtained a number of caudal vertobrao of a cetacean 
 and part of the i)elvi8 of a seal, as well as fragments of wood of 
 the common American cedar (Thuja occidentalis). These re- 
 mains were apparently contained in the Leda Clay. 
 
 At the Mile End (piarries, tlie limestone li.'us in places a thin 
 coating of boulder clay, over which are stratified sand and gravel, 
 with layers of shells in the lower part. This place is on the sum- 
 mit of a slight ri'l^a-, and the thit k fine clay of the brick-yard 
 
8 
 
 i.nmediatolv on he L i',, ^T '", "*"•"•' ^'^"^^ ^^^ S^el resi 
 (^.. /^y. 2.) '^ ' '"^^ ^" ^"'"^ Pl^«<^« 0° the rock. 
 
 ^rmj<tM^^ <(M 
 
 Tlio follow!,,, is ,|,e a..oml,I..,s« of shells at ,l,i, ,,|„,<, . 
 
 tl,„„ a„y oil,.,"""'"™ '"''""• <'^- '" '""« "'"'"'''"" 
 Mya (riincata. 
 Tellirm (iroonlandicn. 
 Astarte Laurentiana. 
 Mytiliis cdiilis, 
 Mya a rot) aria. 
 Tflh'na calcarca. 
 
 list. Tf 5, \^;''"""' r'""*'"- (^•'»'- ""■''^r ^f «ome 
 lists. It ,s usually attached to the mussel shells.) 
 
 Tnoliotropis borealis. 
 ]>u]la oryza, 
 Natica claii.^a. 
 
 Snirorbis sinistrorsa, (attached to stones 
 and loose valves of Afya Truncata. 
 
 All these may bo rofrnrdci .„ i;tfM..„i ^., • •• 
 
 ♦>,„ 1 , "f,'iniiu as littoral, or cireuin- ttorn shells 
 
 the deep sea deposit being Iwrv. absent ' 
 
 home'o'fT '^'" 't^'" "'*''''' '^' *'" '^"■•'•■^'"■^' «"^l ""Other near tho 
 house of Jan.es Logan, Esq., ppo^need bv a thick dyke of trap 
 
 Monchest ..olleot.on ,.f Po,t ]>liocene shells that I have anv- 
 ^hero«een Tn this tlat, there ocur sands .ith pur X i.tora 
 «hell,asAfyt.lus oduli, My« aronaria, .tc, a.., .. dy i S 
 
a variety of other species, inhabitaufs, at least in part, of deeper 
 Avater; but I could not certainly ascertain tlio superposition of 
 these beds. I presume that it is, in descending order; littoral 
 sand, sandy clay deposited in deeper water, a thin layer of deep 
 sea clay, and boulder clay. 
 
 At this place, in addition to all the species already noticed, I 
 have found : 
 
 Buccinum ciliatum. 
 
 Buccinum undatum. 
 
 Admete viridula. 
 
 Acinoea ca;ca. 
 
 Nucula minuta. 
 
 Lacuna neritoides. 
 
 Natica helicoides ? 
 
 Fusus si'alariformis. 
 
 Serpula verniicularis. 
 
 Margarita arctica. 
 
 Modiolaria diseors. 
 
 Rissoa minuta. 
 
 Trichotropis arctica. 
 
 Cvtheridoa Mulleri ? 
 All these mollusks and articidates are known as inhabitants of 
 modern seas, and most of them are boreal or arctic species. 
 
 In addition to these, there are at this place several si)ecies of Fo- 
 raminifera, very abundantly distributed in the clay, and masses of 
 silicious spicula of a sponge (Tethea). These sponges have evi- 
 dently abounde<l in this quiet depression, and being covered by 
 clay, their spicula have, on the decay of the animal matter, been 
 imbedded in situ, so that at first sight they look little masses of 
 asbestus, for Avhich, indeed, they have been mistaken. 
 
 The largo number of acKlitional species collected at this place, 
 shows that much may be done ii\ a<lding to the fauna of tlio 
 period. The circumstance which has favoured the accumulation 
 hereof so many species, is apparently the sheltered situation of 
 this little hollow, and the deeper water in its bottom, as compared 
 with that on the neighbouring ridges ; on which, however, many 
 of tho Bhells may have lived, and may have been drifted into tho 
 intervening trough, so that wo have hero the inhabitants of dif- 
 ferent depths, or perhaps, more properly, n very i ich spot of tho 
 sea bottom representing the laminarian /one intermediate between 
 the purely littoral and eornliino bolis, but in its upper bod tend- 
 
10 
 
 ing to tlie fonner. and i,i its lower part to the latter. The more 
 
 o,ss,hferous part of the clay at this place, may thus rep es nt a 
 
 oultr™"^ '^^^^^" ''-' orou..Sa.icav/sana an^J^^^;? 
 
 In many parts of Lower Canada, sea shells occur at the s.mo 
 eve, as those above described, and in similar beds, but n .a "1 
 
 The celebrated locality of the capelin and lump-sucker at 
 Greens Creek on the Ot.awa, appears to belong ti this Le 
 « elevation bemg 118 feet above Lake St. P.t^r * The hells 
 ha I have seen fro.n this place are chiefly littoral, as M^tU 
 • d.. s and Sa^cava rugosa, but I have been favoured by S 
 ^\. 1 .Logan with the inspection of a collection of the neduW 
 found ,.te clay at this place, among which is one ^ i g 
 Leda lo tland.ca, and the young of a species resembling Led! 
 Pyg.naoa, m a tuft of delicate scaweed.in which they „,ay ha.^ b a 
 dnfted to the shore. L> another of these nodules are the remai" 
 of an orgamsm wh.ch appears to have been a star fish of tho 
 fannly Ophu.ndae. Other nodules contain seaweeds of severa 
 SFC.S, and leaves of land plants, which will be noticed in the 
 
 Captam Layhold and Sir C. Lyell, belongs to this same level, and 
 .as atlorded the foliowin., species not hithoto found at Mon r 
 beside many of those above cnmnerated. 
 
 Natica Groeidandica. 
 Natica heros. 
 Turritelia erosa. 
 Sealaria (Jroeiilandica. 
 Littorina palliata. 
 Cardium Groenlandicum. 
 Cardium Islandicum. 
 IV'oten Islandicum. 
 Ilhynconella psittacea. 
 Echinus granulatus. 
 
 Emmons that there may be at I'.eauport, as at Monlreal, a dla- 
 t.nct>un between the beds containing oceanic and deep sea shells, 
 
 Mr, Murraj, Rci.orta of Geological Survey. 
 
11 
 
 as Rhyiiconollii psittacoa and Pccten IslandiciiP, and those con- 
 taining Saxicjiva nijvosa and other littoral shells. It is also ob- 
 servable that the sliells occnrring at Beanport and not at Mon- 
 treal, are more of an oceanic character than those of the latter 
 locality ; and this may, perhaps, be connected with the vicinity 
 of the open sea at (Quebec. Sir W. E. Logan informs me tha't 
 the Beanport locality seems to be at the entrance of an ancient 
 inlet. This wonld accf.nnt for a mixtnre of shore and sea shells. 
 We may next direct our attention to the shore limits of the 
 waters in which the shells of our one hundred feet level lived. It 
 IS evident that if in a given locality a bed occurs containing deep 
 sea shells, say indicating depths of 20 to 50 faMioms,and another 
 containing littoral shells, we must suppose that the shores apper- 
 taining to these two beds must have been very ditferent, if, as we 
 have every reason to suppose, the country was ^ievated and de- 
 pressed on masse. In the Saxicava Sand, strictly littoral shells, as 
 Mya arenaria and Mytilus edulis, are found with both valves 
 attached, and apparently in situ, at a height of abont 100 feet 
 above the river, and at tlie base of the mountain. A sea level of 
 this elevation would reach in a long bay up the Ottawa as far as 
 Ottawa City. On the St. Lawrence it wouM not extend above the 
 rapids, and south of the river it would reach but a short <listanco 
 from the baidc, except along the vallies of tributary streams. It 
 would open into the (Julf of St. Lawrence by a strait of no great 
 width. The sea area so characterized would be but a limited 
 upward extension of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, not comimmicating 
 directly with the ocean, receiving much fresh water, and subject 
 to no ice drift, except that originating on its own shores. In such 
 a bnsin the Mya arenaria ami truncata, Mytilus edulis, Tcllina 
 groenlandica, and Saxicava rugosa, would find sufficiently conge- 
 nial haunts, though their size might, as we find in some of tho 
 localities, be dwarfed by access of fresh water, or the extreme 
 changes of tempcratuie. In such a basin also, there might 1)9 
 deep channels atlbrding passage to the tidis, and containing shells 
 of move oceanic- character, and these might be expected to abound 
 most toward tho open sea on tho north east. Locally there would 
 bo gravelly beaches, muddy inlets, saml banks, and deep oosy 
 hollows, in ca di of which different species might predominate.* 
 
 • AH these coiulitions may be ohscrvod in (lie liottoin of the [irespnt 
 Gulf of St. Lawrence, nnd in it.s quieter depths there arc beds of cliiy 
 closely resembling iho Leda clay of this imper, aud uiiiubited by two 
 gpecics of tlmt genus of shcll-fisb. 
 
12 
 
 If the land wore slowly rising, so as to narrow the basin and 
 h.. tljesupplv of sea water, species previously abundar^il 
 bed m„nslung ,a si.e and nu.nbers; and in plaeos storlrafd 
 
 n a„Me fi.l es frequent, ng such spots, entombing their rem-uns 
 along w.h those of sea weeds and of leaves of la.ul nla t dHf ted 
 
 Ihe clay wliieh underlies this t,l>>in ^ ^r ,. . 
 
 fj , ''■■* """ '"'''■*'' o*" '-^ shore level of 200 to 400 
 
 feet above the r ver AVa <*]mi.M ^e ^" 
 
 Two of the most strongly marked lerrinos m .i 
 
 ^ , 1 . , ^ " "•'" "^<^u iLri<i(,es on tne llinnnfniii 
 
 occur at he.g hts of 220 and 380 feet above Lake St Pet r Q 
 these no shells have been found. If thev existed ft T 
 %. been swept .vayb^ 
 
 watc... AV estward ot Montreal, Sir W. E. Logan reports thai 
 gravel sand and littoral shells occur near Kemptvi ,e on he 
 aZ T v^' "' ^''""'"" ^^' ''' ^-* '-^^-^ iake St. Peter 
 Aenyon .70 feet, and two others in Locheil 204 and 290 feet 
 
 Mn ray, shells occur at a height of 289 fl^et above the St L°avre.l 
 Ward of Montreal. Mr. Barnard, C. E., informs n. th sj 
 occur ,n gravel, near Upton Station, on the Portland d St 
 Lawrence radroad, 257 above the St. Lawrence, and n i Lm 
 stances .nd^cafng shallow water. Still further to th ea „d 
 north, on the River Gouffre, near Murray Bav, Sir W i ^^ n 
 ound two terraces with littoral shells at l.eigi.L o 30 i.nd f 
 
 om 00 feet level at Montreal, the latter to one of th higher 
 shores above meniionod. '"guor 
 
13 
 
 
 These facts, to wliioli many otiiers might probably be added, 
 from the Reports of tlie Geological Survey and other sources, 
 rudely mark out parts of tlie shores of a larger and older gulf 
 probably contemporaneous with the newer portion of the Leda 
 clay of the lower plateau. In this condition of the St. Lawrence 
 Valley, it would still be p. land locked gidf ; and while we might 
 expect shore ice and breakers to mix many boulders with the fjravel 
 at its margin, only a few large stones would be dropped into the 
 clay in its deeper parts by drifted ice cakes. The Leda clay, for 
 this reason, contains few bouhlers. 
 
 There are, however, still higher terraces on the mountain; and 
 one of these 410 feet above Lake St. Peter, contains shells, and 
 is the highest fossiliferous deposit of this period known in Canada. 
 This beach is best seen on tlie property of D. Davidson, Esq., 
 above Goto des Neiges. It has been well described by Sir C. 
 Lyell, who recognized at once its littoral character. An excava- 
 tion kindly made for me by the proprietor, shows the followin<y 
 succession, in descending order : 
 
 1. Angular stones and sand 8 feet. 
 
 2. Fine gravel, with inclined layers of shells, princi2)ally Saxicava 
 
 rugosa, 5^ feet. 
 
 3. Stratified Sand, few shells, 6 feet. 
 
 These beds are of very limited breadth, and rest against the 
 steep side of the mountain, fronting the mouth of the Ottawa. 
 Tiicy are evidently the remains of a beach thrown up at the 
 mouth of a little cove or perhaps strait, intervening between the 
 greater and lesser summits of the mountain, which must then 
 have been rocky islets of very small size. 
 
 The sea that washed up this beach may have reached the 
 escarpment of Niagara, and communicated with tlie ocean over 
 the whole of th'j lower lands of Lower Canada and New England. 
 It was, however, limited on the North by the high lands extend- 
 ing along that side of the St. Lawrence A'alley ; and on the 
 Ottawa, [m the 4th concession of Nepean, Sir W. E. Logan has 
 observed a similar beach at a height of 410 feet. On the west, 
 the highest terrace observed by the U. S. Geologists on the south 
 side of Lake Ontario, appears to correspond with this sea level ; 
 and the gravel and sands containing elephantine remains near 
 Hamilton, may have been washed into its western extremity from 
 the neighbouring land. It does not appear, liowi'ver, that marine 
 shells have vet been tonnil west of Kiini-sfd!! 
 
14 
 
 I know little of tlio fauna of this older sci nron Ti i ,- 
 
 waters of this sea must have been tnvovJ] 1 ^ 
 
 ice laden in the sjn-in.. an 17"';^ ,^ ''''*'' """"^"^^^ 
 
 ol»ciTat,o„s «-hotl,c,- i„ Nova Scoii, or r, IT v ' 
 
 a<ll.erct„ tl,« view lo„., „ Jvoeaio W s ,■ r I . '".'"' "" '° 
 very ably ill,„„,,„a w 1 w ! , [l,> f"^: '' ,""'' '■~'"'"^ 
 boulilc- cky 1„„ r„,„li, , "'«l'«k,* that ti.e tn,e 
 
 land u„.ior 1,0 ,;::;::' f,>''f''''' '■^'''«""» "' ^''^ 
 
 planation of course imi)lios th-it tUo Inn f i "^ ,"'''• -^'"« e-^" 
 '" ^''"'^ *''^ ^'"^^ whose elevation we have 
 
 • Smithsonian Publications, 185G. 
 
16 
 
 
 been considering, had previously to the beginning of the Post 
 Pliocene period sunk below the waves. Its subsidence must have 
 been very slow, to give time for the accumulation of so thick a 
 bed of travelled stones and clay; and that its re-elevation was 
 also slow is evidenced by the cliffs cut by the waves, tue beds of 
 clay and sand deposited, and the multitudes of shellfish which 
 lived and died during the process. 
 
 These stupendous changes of level, however slow, must have 
 caused great vicissitudes of climate, and must seriously have af- 
 fected animal and vegetable life, both on the land and in the sea. 
 If, as seems probable, before the great boulder period subsidence, 
 the land had attained its present extent and elevi tion, the climate 
 might have resembled thai, which nov- prevaiis. As the land 
 sunk, its climate would become less extreme, but of lower mean 
 temperature, and the opening up of easier access to the arctic 
 currents might greatly reduce the temperature of the sea. This 
 would be especially tlie case, if the loss of land was greater in the 
 south, and extensive tracts remained above water in the north, 
 producing quantities of drift ice. 
 
 The fossils correspond with such views. All the species, so fiir as 
 deiormined, except one or two, are still living, and most of them 
 in tliis latitude, though there is a prevalence of the more northern 
 forms, and an absence of many species now extending as far north 
 on the American coast. This conclusion was announced by Sir 
 0. Lyell as for back as 1839, and it is confirmed by the species 
 since found, which are stated by Dr. Gould of Boston, to form on 
 the whole, a sub-arctic assemblage. Sir C. Lycll says, (Geol. 
 Trans., 1839) "It is very probable that in the period immediately 
 antecedent to the present, the climate of Car.ada was even more 
 excessive than it is now, and that the shells resembled still more 
 closely that small assemblage now found in high northern lati- 
 tudes." Dr. Gould, in a letter to the autlior, says in reference to 
 the group of additional species lately discovered : " Its character is 
 sub-arctic, like that of Beliring's Straits, Kamtschatka and Green- 
 land." This character of the fauna corresponds with the indi- 
 cations of ice afforded by the presence of Soulders, with the low 
 mean temperature likely to result from a great depression of the 
 land, and with the southward extension of the Arctic Ocean, and 
 the great facilities thus afforded for the migrations of Arctic species 
 both iu longitude and latitude. On the other hand the resem- 
 blance of this t'obsil faun.i 
 
 to that of the American seas in mod 
 
 era 
 
16 
 
 la fouclusioii I .f this mrr /^f «,., i • ^ ^ 
 
 precise Lnitatiou u 1^^ bW^T ' '"^ '''''' *'^' ^^- 
 rence valley is of very 1! ;'"'"^^'^f .«««"!>'•-' 1 the St. Law- 
 
 The extension of observltio " . ,1 •,"*■'' ^^ *'"^ *««-^''^- 
 
 to it the attention of observer. ?„ l/ "^* ^ ^'» '" '^'"'^^'^ 
 
 fossils should be noted vitLt,' '.^^^'I't.es of the nmri.e 
 
 beds oontainin. th m 'aI v • ' "',"" '"'^' ""'^'"'•^ "^ ''''■^■ 
 i-nbeddedwitluh :i,t^ :31^' '^^f. --'"^ - plants 
 
 if sent to the GecJogicuI Z^ylXfT ""'^ ^"^'^ '''"-'^-'^ 
 this journal for eo-Lu.„ie:;:::,^\ ^ S^' ^ [^ ^^^^l^-'^ of 
 
 I now proceed to give a list of fh . f J '^' '^''''•^*^'- 
 
 posits; and as an aiS to o, • ' '"""^ '" '^'''' ^'^- 
 
 additio'ns.hieh I h pc ^ll "7';"'%^'^^ V'"' '^^^ ^"^"- 
 include not only the snerio t h ? ^.^^^ught it desirable to 
 
 ^•i^:^«). but those iJevi^!^! ;:'t;:^::*:?^ ^" ^"^ ^'«* ^^ -<^ 
 
 figures and descriptions, s nonyr; a 7T '' ^^"^"^^"^^^ 
 
 tion in recent seas. lV«r Ll^ ' ,' "'" ^!'''' '' '^ ^^''^^^^u. 
 
 previously iigured fro. ClZJ:: Til '' r "^^ ^^"^" "^' 
 of interest. ^omiation, oi presentn.g peculiarities 
 
 IhavetoacknowledgetiieaidreceivedfromDr A A r n . 
 Boston, ^vho lias kindly employed hi , ''"'''' ^^ 
 
 American shells in det.-,!^ ^ *'""''' ^^"o«i*^<%e of 
 
 the means oIu^Jb':;!'" -oral species which I had not 
 the authority o S il f '„ .^f^>-'"«^-ca facts are given chiefly on 
 
 Littoral e.tLs^:r:i:t:;;:;^^t-^^ 
 
 Coralhne to 50 f^^^on^ Deep Sea CoraL^rioO M w"^^ ' 
 Zi-«< o/ Canadian Tertiary Fossils. 
 
 (D- S. Cor.) Deep ^ea C^^ .^'c ^ "^^TV ^'7' ""^'^"''^^ '" 
 Surr-<r of Canada.) ' ' ^'^ Collection of the Geological 
 
 VERTEBUATA. 
 
17 
 
 
 described by Prof. Lcidy, Proc. Ac. Sci., Phila., April, 1856. 
 Figured in Canadian Naturalist, Vol. 1. Also portion of a pelvis 
 inC.G.S. 
 
 Cetacean — Species not determined ; obtained by Sir W. E. 
 Logan from clay near Montreal. Vertebrae in C. G. S. 
 
 Mallotus Villosus. — Capelin : Nodules from Green's Crock, iu 
 C. G. S., &c. 
 
 Cyclopterus Lumjius (Lumpus Anglorum) — Lump sucker. No- 
 dules from Green's Creek, in C. G. S. 
 
 * Cottus — A small fish from Green's Creek, found by Sberiflf 
 Dickson, of Kingston ; imperfect, but probably of this genus. 
 
 MOLLUSCA. 
 
 {^Gasteropoda.) 
 
 * Bulla Onjza, Totten, (Fig. 3) Montreal, base of Saxicava 
 Sand ; rare, but of larger size than recent specimens. Recent on 
 American coast, Maine and southward (Lit). 
 
 * Bulla Bebilis, Gould, (Fig. 4) Montreal, Logan's Fa in. A 
 single small specimen, with a visible spire, apparently referable 
 to this species. It may be the young of the species figur- 1 by 
 Enmions in the New York reports, and it much resembks B. 
 Regulbiensis of Wood's crag Mollusca. 
 
 Buccinum Undatum, Lin. The specimens found at Montreal, 
 St Nicholas and Beauport, and referred to this species, differ ery 
 much from recent specimens whether British or American. 'J'he 
 body is much smaller in proportion to the spire, whicu is m re 
 elongated. The shell is much thinner, its revolving striae finer 
 and more uniform, and its transverse folds less distinct or absent. 
 It always has one or more strong revolving ridges, giving in sonx* 
 specimens an angular appearance to the whorls. It resembles ia 
 form but not in markings, the variety figured by Sowerby (Min 
 Con. Tab,, C X.) as B. elongatum, and also, though less closely, 
 the variety laeviusculum of Wood's crag Mollusca. It corresponds 
 more nearly with the description of B. Donovani, Gould, If not 
 as I suspect, a distinct species from B. Undatum, this shell must 
 be a delicate variety produced by a muddy bottom and sheltered 
 inland situation, a kind of habitat in which I have not seen the 
 living B. Undatum. I trust to obtain a more complete suite of 
 specimens to determine this question (Lit to Cor.) 
 
 *Buccinum ciliatnm, O. Fabr.. (Fig. Logan's Farm, Mont- 
 real. This species now lives on the American banks, also in 
 
13 
 
 Greenland. Fossil in ■Rnfici, ,.!«• * 
 
 Montreal are of sn^all sife (Cor ) " ^ '"'""^ '^""^' ^'^ 
 
 an;l::;C"l;::^,^:;;\ y-^\ ^^.een Saxieava aand 
 the lists- bntDr rnnl ^^'"'" '' ^'' ^^' F- Carinatus of 
 
 respond precisely will, ..n^ 7^ "'' "'''" ^^'« '^^«^- 
 
 to that species. It cc^Zm dl h '1'''^*'^ ^'"'^^'^ «"'«! 
 ^ tion and figure* 1^1?!. '^ ^' '"'^'^ ^^^ ^^"'^^'^ ^^««"P' 
 
 vorvraro in Montreal ^ "p^^^'^''"" «^-'^'a"fornK>, Wood); 
 Bny and northw 'all ^''^T""' ^''"'''' Massachusetts 
 
 species. Hocent i^Af!i^;:l'p:7' rr'TT" ^^'"^'^ ^'^"'^ 
 CiavatnlaeastaneaofWo:dtr;^^^^^^^ ^'^^"'^ --^^^- 
 
 in ^^Srrt^X: C 'r\ ^^""''-^-^^ontreal 
 tish crag. (Cor). ^' ^'^^ •'^"'' "^'■"'"■^^^'. "'^^ in Bri- 
 
 *Tnchot>'oph arcfira, Middondorff. (Fi<. o^^ A «;„ i 
 found at Logan's fann, Afonfeal, is reS.^',, ^ o "ct T^T' 
 «pocios, figured as Cancellaria arctica i 'Jac Ro ? 
 
 found recent at Behring's Strait.. ' "''' ^"'^ 
 
 *vi./.»./.(r7««c./A,n^) .mrf«^;,, stinipson (l-V oWC r. . ir 
 fern, Wood's crao- Mnl^ Af . i \ , v"ff- «) (^- CostolU- 
 
 and northward. Fossil in British crag. (Cor ) ^ ^ 
 
 ^'■'«'""' ^ow'a, Oould, (Fi.T. 10 ) Vv rrn,?o»a J ixr „ 
 MnW A .• I . ' v^ '-«• ^'^iM''- '-'"d.'ita? Wood 8 crnw 
 
 •Tho ng,„o, g|„„ Hy Si, p ,_^^|,^ p^^j. jj^ 
 
 V... c;;;.;rj::r-;ri:;i r[;;=' "»■■-•"• - 
 
19 
 
 tiful at Montreal and Boauport in Saxicava sand ; of very large 
 size at Logan's farm. There are two distinct varieties, one corres- 
 ponding to the typical N. clausa ("see Fig. in Can. Nat., Vol. 1) 
 the other possibly identical with' N. Occlusa of Wood's cra^ 
 Mol., which it resembles in its more elevated sjiire and thinner 
 lips. Recent from Cape Cod and northward ; Fo.'i-il in British 
 crag (Cor.) 
 
 *mdlca hcUcoUes, {>) Johnston, (Fig. 24,) The specimens 
 represented by Fig. 24 correspond so closely with N. lielicoides, as 
 described and figured by Wood, that I had ventured to give them 
 that name ; but Dr. Could, though ho considers the shell distinct 
 from N. clausa, thinks it cannot bo ideulitied with die recent 
 N. helicoldes as described by Forbes, A-c, unless indeed a larger 
 number of specimens should connect it with that species as a very 
 decided variety. These specimens ditfer from N. clausa in their 
 deeply channeled suture, open though small umbilicus, prominent 
 inner lip and distinct revolving lines. The shell has evidently 
 been of a more dense texture and less easily weatliered than that 
 of N. clausa. 
 
 '^JVotlca Gnmhtndlcii, lJeck,Tliis shell occurs in some specimens 
 collected by Rev. Mr. Kemp at Ileauport. liecent Cape Cod and 
 northward (Lam, to Cor.) 
 
 *Natku JIaos, Say. A shell collected by Rev. lh\ Kemp, at 
 Beauport appears to belong lo this species. Recent Americau 
 coast (Lit.) 
 
 *uMm,ii/ho (Chemnit/.ia) aUmla, Muller, (Fig. 7.) Some shells 
 in the Col. of llie (leological Survey are referable to this 
 species, though nuicli larger ihnn recent American specimens. 
 They resemble the slidl ligured by Emmons as Turritelhu Recent 
 Cajie Cod nnd northwaid (Lam. to Cor.) 
 
 ticaluriu aroenlamlica, Gould, (Fig. in Can. Nat., Vol I,) Beau- 
 port, but not yet found at Montreal. Recent Massachusetts and 
 northward. Fossil in ]!iitish crag (Cor. to l> S. Cor.) 
 
 *T>,nilvlla nosa, ( 'outh, (Fig. b.) I'ragments from Ueaup ort 
 hirger than recent speuimons. Recent const of N. Enuland (Cor 
 to IX S. Cor.) ^ 
 
 *Ji!ssna mhnih, St imp.— Found in interior of larger univalves 
 at Montieal. It is dilHcult to secure such snnill and fragile shells 
 ill a perf.et «tate, and 1 mn therefore not .piite eunlidont of tho 
 species. Recent on American coast, (Lit.) 
 
 LiUvrim iHtlliata, Say. In Lyoll's Usl of Beauport shdla. 
 
! * 
 
 20 
 
 I have received a Bpecimen from Chicoutimi, Gaspe, from a 
 littoral deposit a few feet above the level of the high tide, con- 
 taining Saxicava rugosa, Balanus hameri, and Natica cl'ausa. 
 Recent American coast, (Lit.) 
 
 *Margarita Arctica, Gould, (M. helccinn, Moll,) Montreal 
 with Fusus, &c. Some of the specimens arc of large size and 
 may be detected .ven when in fragments by tlicir pearly appear- 
 ance Eecent Cape Cod and Northward, (Lit. Lam.) 
 
 * Lacuna nvritoldea, Gould. A single specimen witli Fusus, 
 &c., Montreal, llecent on New England coast.(Lit. Lam.) (Fig. 29.) 
 
 *Acmaca, (rropilidium,) Caeca, ]\ron. (Fig. 9.,) (P. Candkla 
 Couthouy,) Montreal, with Fusus, &c. The specimens are of 
 larger size than recent. Tlii. is probably the shell figured in N. 
 Y. Reports as Patella. Recent Cape Cod and northward, also" 
 Grceidand, Finmark, Spitzbergen. (Coral., D. S. Cor.) 
 
 *Amicula vcs'dta, Gray. (Fig. 24.) (Chiton Emersonii, Gould.) 
 Witb Fusus, ic., at Montreal. Recent Capo Cod and northward. 
 (Cor.) 
 
 Accphala, 
 
 Saxicava ru;,nsa, Lam. (Fig. Can. Nat. vol. 1.) This is tho 
 most abundant shell in tho litt..raldep..sits at Montreal, Reimport, 
 &c. Though not strictly a littoral shell, it was probably .bivcn 
 to tho beach by breakers acting on the stony bottom of "drift, or 
 on tho ledges of shale and limestone, in which it sheltered itself. 
 At Reauport tho size is small, and this is also the case at Green's 
 Creek, and tho higher levels at Montreal ; but at Logan's Farm 
 and at St. Nicholas, these shells are as lurge as a°iy modern 
 Bpocimens that 1 have seen. On tho surfaces^of drift and Leda 
 clay, this species seems, as on the American coast at present, to 
 have sheltered itself mnong stones and in patches of sea weed and 
 mussels; but from tho nbundanco of perforated [.ieces of limestone, 
 I suspect that it also burrowed in the softer submerged ledges, and 
 that this may account in part for its great abundance. At pre- 
 sent this shell is generally distributed over tho North Atlantic. 
 It ranges from low water to great depths, and is of larger size in 
 tho Arctic Seas and in deep water. 
 
 Mija nrvnana, Linn. Abundant at Montrenl,; but always of 
 small size, rarely more than half the size of recent shells from tho 
 gulf of St. Lawrencx"; but there arc in C. G. S. very largo and 
 thick specimens from a raised beach at Rivi6ro du Loup. (Lit) 
 
I 
 
 21 
 
 Mya truncata, Linn. (Fig. Can. Nat. vol. 1.) More abun- 
 
 Tellina GrwnhmUca, Beck. (Fig. Can. Nat. vol. 1.) Verv 
 abundant ,n Saxicava sand, Montreal, &.. Recent in Aro'c 
 
 >v.th the r. fusca, recent in gulf of St. Lawrence. (Lit. Lam ) 
 TelUna calcarea, Lyoll. (Fig. Vau. Nat. vol. 1 ) I'^Hblv 
 
 Uian he preceding species at Montreal, very plentiful at St 
 Nicholas. Recent Cape Cod and northwai'd. (CV>r) 
 
 to 8,1 ,„ !,,t »l, a,,t', a,„l ,,.a,„t „, Arclic So,,,, if i.lonlicl „ i,h 
 L. tn„„.,,la ; but I),-.(;„„IJ,„fter c*„„i„i„g „su .oof vcv 1 ' , 
 »I>ec,,„™« f,o,„ M„„„,,„,|, ,,i„^, ,^ ,,.,2,.. r™, „ J'; , 
 speciL's known to liini. ^ ^ '' 
 
 *Z((/,< p>/,imum, Wood, (Fi,r. in A f,.tv «,nnll 
 
 m (,(. a, Imvo (1,0 f,„.„, oftlii, .,rw„,„ closoly allied spodo,. 
 81.CC0,, I., I 1 l,av„ „ ,|,co„„o„ f,.„,„ ,„„■ ,„„ll,.,.„ ,i,„ ,„,,„. 
 
 r'-i."s w„i,,,i, f„»sii,„„c „,,„„„„ ,,,ji,y !,,,,,„,„„ ; 
 j/:,««, <.,;„/,>, i.i„, (i.ij.. ,,,.) ,. ,„„„ 
 
 oU,« l«,k,, ,,.„„ ,„„„j„| |,i„^,„ |. ,^,_ ^^,^1 " 
 
 "'"'""' "" ' " '"■■■•' ""- "f ,«"..,!,, a„,| ,„„ll ,i., Ki,, ,3*^ 
 
 ;^,r:;;:;;::;;!,"',^':;''::"'- ..'-:-'!'■'-''« "-I* " 
 
 rag. Moi. Kecent rortli Athuili!-, 'Ui ) 
 AMiolari, dm-ors, Lin. (.M. discrcpans, Montagu.) 
 
 A single 
 
S8 
 
 specimen found with Fusiis, &c., at Montreal. Being a pearly 
 shell it crumbles and can scarcely be preserved entire. Dr. 
 Gould remarks: — "The synonymy is not quite clear; a very 
 different shell has usually been held for M. discors. Neither M. 
 discors nor discrepans of Gould is this shell ; but M. nexa is the 
 young. It is figured by Beck in Gaimard Voy. en Iceland et au 
 Greenland, as M. striatula. A northern shell." 
 
 Pedcn Islandicus, Mull. (Fig. Can. Nat. vol. 1.) Beauport. 
 Kecent Connecticut and northward. Fossil British Crag, (Lam. 
 and Cor.) 
 
 Rhynconclla j)slUacea, Chemnitz, (Fig. Can. Nat. vol. 1.) 
 Beauport. Kecent Gulf St. Lawrence. Fossil in British Craff, 
 (D. S. Cor.) 
 
 ARTICCLATA. 
 
 Bulanus Hamer'i, Ascanius, (Fig. Can. Nat. vol. 1.) Beauport 
 and St. Nicholas, not as yet at Montreal. This is the B. uddeval- 
 lensis of Lyell's list, and appears to be the B. miser of the New 
 York Reports. Fossil in European and liritish pleistocene; 
 recent in British and American seas. I have a fine specimen 
 with the animal from the coast of Nova Scotia. (Cor.) A deep 
 water shell according to Darwin. Fig. 2,5 represents the opercu- 
 lar valves from St. Nicholas. 
 
 BalanuH crcnutioi, Drug. Abundant at Montreal, ite. The 
 variety clongatus is very plentiful, also the depressed variety. 
 It is often attached to mussel shells and to pebbles in the stratified 
 gravel. (Deep water,— Darwin.) As I am not aware that the 
 opercular valves of this species have been previously found in 
 Cansula, I have represented a pair in Fig. 20. 
 
 Balaniis porcatua, Da Costa. Darwin, in the Palaeontographical 
 Society's publications, gives this as one of the Beauport Tpeeies in 
 Sir C. Lyell's collection. 
 
 *C!/thcndea, (Fig. U.) At Logan's farm ^rontreal, with spongo 
 spicula, &c. It resembles C. Miiileri (Miinster), recent in the 
 Zuyder Zee, fossil in the Plioceno of the Netherlands and in the 
 Eocene of England, so closely that T have not much hesitation in 
 referring it to that species : (see Jones in London (Jeological 
 Journal, vol. x. 1(50.) 
 
 *Spiro)'bin sinistrorsa, Montagne. (Kig. 15.) At Milo end 
 quarries, Montreal, attached to bIicIIs of Afya truncata and to 
 pebbles in stratified gmvui. Recent George's Bank, (Cor.) 
 
23 
 
 *Se.rpula vermicularis, Lin. (Fig. 28.) A small specimen, 
 Montreal, supposed by Dr. Gould to be this species. 
 
 RADIATA. 
 
 Echinus ffranulaius, Say. Found at Beauport by Sir C. Lyell. 
 (Lamin.) 
 
 •Oi;/««ra.— In a nodule from Green's Creek in C. G. S., are 
 the remains of an organism which appears to have been a star 
 fish of the family Ophiurldae. 
 
 *Tethea, Lamarck, (Fig. IC.) Silicious spicula, referable to 
 sponges of this genus, abound at Logan's farm, Montreal, and as 
 I am informed at other places in the tertiary clays, though they 
 have hitherto been supposed to be of mineral origin. They occur 
 in radiating flattened masses, just as they have existed in the 
 living sponges, some of which must have attained a diameter of 
 nearly three inches. They have either grown on the clay or at- 
 tachcd to dead shells. The long cuticular spicula are J^ths of 
 an inch in length, slightly curved, pointed at both ends, and with 
 a large internal cavity, which appears in the large as well as in 
 the small specimens. Under a high power the points appear 
 slightly truncated and open. The shorter internal si)icula are 
 about TVth of an inch in length. Mr. IJowerbank of London, 
 who has kindly examined these curious fossils, has no doubt that 
 they belong to the genus Tethea ; but does not refer them to any 
 species. The spicula resemble the simple ones of T. Cranium, as 
 figured by Johnston; but our fossils do not aflord any that are 
 tricuspidate. In the mean time, therefore, until this species can 
 bo identified with any previously described, I may claim for it, as 
 one of the most curious fossils of those deposits, the name of T. 
 Logani, in honour of the head of the Canadian Geological Survey, 
 who has kindly placed at my disposal for this paper many of the 
 materials 'lo had collected for the description of these tertiary 
 deposits, to which the pressure of more important departments of 
 his work has hitherto prevented him from devoting much of his 
 attention. 
 
 Mr. Bowcrbank intbrms mc that the recent species of Tethea 
 range from low water mark to 200 fithoms. 
 
 *Forami>u/n;,.~Tho calcareous s-IujIIs of several species of these 
 minute creatures, occur with the sponges abovo iiiontio.wjd. My 
 moans of roferonce do not permit mo to refer them with any cer- 
 
24 
 
 tainty to their species, though I pi'osumc they arc all living forms ; 
 nor liavo I yet had time to examine all tl;'^ specimens collected! 
 Figs. 19 to 22 represent some of the forms observed. Fi-r 17 ap! 
 pears to be a Rosaliiia. Fig. IS is probably the Quinqudoculina 
 occulentahs of Bailey, obtained from the Atlantic soiindino-s from 
 a depth of 20 fathoms. Fig. 2 1 may be the widely dilfused Orbu- 
 hna iiniversa, also found in the Atlantic soundings. Fit-'s. 19 and 
 20 appear to be species of I'olymorphina. 
 
 I might add to this list of animal remaii.s, a Lymnea, appa- 
 rently elodes, and a Cyclas, but I suspect diem to be recent and 
 accidental. The same remark api-lies to shells of Ostrea borealis 
 occasionally found in the surface soil over the marine beds. 
 
 Plaxtae. 
 
 *l^opulus halsamlfcra-Bnhnm poplar.-In a nodule found by 
 bhentl Dickson of Kingston, at Green's, Creek, is a leaf of this 
 species. Another, less perfect, is in C. G. 8. This is a northern 
 species widely ditiused. 
 
 *FotentiUa iVonr.//c«.-In a nodule from Green's Creek in 
 C. G. S., IS a leaf which, according to Prof. ]]arnston, cannot be 
 distinguis u^d from a caulin,. one of this species. Tliis also is a 
 ■widely diH used northern plant. 
 
 ''TItujaocddcntaUs—xhis cnmmon Cedar of Canada —Bran- 
 ches m C. (J. a, from brick clay pits near Montreal, show Uio 
 structure of this specicis. 
 
 *Aljac.-ln nodules in the C. (;. S. are at least three species, 
 liieso sea-weeds have been examined bv Kev. A. K'cmp who 
 states that one of them is apparently a stem of Laminaria, and 
 that others are probably referable to the genera Fucus, Polysi- 
 phon.a, and Porphyra, but that their state of preservation does 
 not admit of accurate specific determination. 
 
 Nearly all the fossils in the above list havo been obtained in 
 beds belonging to the plateau, elevated about 100 feet above the 
 St. Lawrence. Two of them, Leda Portlandiea and Astarto 
 Lauivntiann, are characteristic of tue stratified ••lav, and these are 
 the only species which we have any reason to believe extinct \ 
 number of recent species belong fo the littoral sand and rrravd 
 nn.l several of these occur at all heights up to 470 feet. A very 
 large number of species have been obtained from what I rerrard as 
 the mtcrme=liate dep-o-iit of Logan's farm near Montreal ° 
 
appa- 
 
 25 
 
 At Montreal, then, we have a littoral group of shells, a ffroup 
 belonging to the Laminarian and Coralline zones, and a group 
 probably belonging to the Coralline and deep sea Coralline zones 
 Perhaps the reason why the two shells characteristic of those last 
 zones have not been recognised as recent, is that the deep sea 
 muddy bottoms on the American coast, have not yet been well 
 explored. It must be observed, however, that as the land was 
 rising at the tune when these beds were deposited, in the lower 
 levels these throe belts are stratigrapbically superimposed on each 
 other and mark not only difference of depth but lapse of time 
 To what extent the precise order of these deposits, as observed at' 
 Montreal, may hold in other parts of the St. Lawrence vallev is 
 not yet known, but I hope to extend my observations with rela 
 tion to tins point; and from facts published by other observers j 
 have reason to believe that this arrangement will be found some- 
 what generally prevalent. 
 
 AVith respect to the divisions into which these deposits may be 
 separable the presence of recent shells alone in the upper beds 
 would re or them to the Post-Pliocene period, while in similar' 
 grounds the Leda clay and boulder clay might be regarded as 
 Newer 1 hocene. Strictly speaking, however, the whole formation 
 belongs to the period of transition from the Pliocene to the mod- 
 crn epochs. The groat boulder clay indicates a subsidence 
 a the close of the former, and the overlying beds the conditions 
 ofde_iK,s,tandof hfo during the re-emergence of the land; so 
 that ,f we regard physical change as our guide, I should with 
 several previous writers on the subjoet, consider the whole of the 
 stratihed beds overlying the boulder clay as one group of "modi- 
 fied as distinguished from " uninodiHed " drift, a division which 
 1 ong ago adopted for the non fossiliferous drift of Xova Scotia 
 Tins yiow would be farther strengthened by the probability thai 
 tl.o high beaches contaiuing recent shells may be contemporary 
 vvith the low lying clays having species supposed to be extinct, and 
 the farther probability that these last may yet be found living 
 In the meantime therefore, T prefer to consider these deposits as 
 extending through portions of tl.o Newer I'lioccne and Post Plio- 
 cene periods, without establishing any lines of division other than 
 those stamped on the deposits in the locality to which this paper 
 principally relates. * ^ 
 
 ^ By .1,0 kindness^of Arthur Ross, Esc,, of Montreal, I have been 
 -Hvome-., With a colleetiun of fossil shells, from St. Nicholas, 15 
 
26 
 
 miles .above Quebec," on tlie south side of the St. Lawrence, at the 
 head of a rocky ravine, 400 yards from tlie river, and 180 feet 
 above its level." These shells belong to a level much hiu-her than 
 that which has aflbrded the gre.iter number of the species at Mon- 
 treal and Quebec. The assemblage is considerably difl'erent from 
 that at other localities. Tcllina calcarea predomiuates, and is of 
 very large size, some specimens being 1 J inch in length. Balanus 
 JIameri is very abundant, and sometimes has its opercular 
 valves : also Mya truncata, the latter of small size. The oidy other 
 shells are Saxicava rugo?a. Astarte Laurentiana, Trichotropis 
 borealis and ]5uccinum nndatum. The matiix is stony clay. This 
 deposit though at a considerable elevation, wasprobably fonned in 
 deep water. 
 
 As I observe in a note in the Edinburgh Xew riiilosophical 
 Journal for October, that I'rofessor If. J. liogers is still disponed 
 to consider the shells found at a height of 470 feet on the Mon- 
 treal Mountain, as having been " swept thither from a much 
 lower level," I presume by earth.|uake waves; I think it neces- 
 sary to add to the statements above given, that the shells occur 
 only in stratified sand and fine gravel, alternating in thin layers 
 exactly in the manner of a modern beach. The shells are of 
 course not precisely in situ, being arranged in layers among tho 
 sand, but their arrangement indicates mendy the 'ordinary Action 
 of the waves on the shores of a bay. The error of I'rofessor 
 Rogers may have been caused by liis confoun-liti'.' the stratified 
 fossilferous sand with the unstratified debris wlii.di mulies it, and 
 Avhicli may perhaps indicate subsidence and ice -Irift subsequent 
 to the fonnatiuu of this beach. I think it more probable, how- 
 ever, that the overlying confused mass has resulted from tho 
 subaenal waste of the steep slope above the beach. The existence 
 of this incoherent terrace of sand and shells perched on a steep 
 and exposed hillside, is one of the most convincing proofs that 
 could be desired, that no cataclysmal waves have swei.t over tho 
 Montreal Mountain since the sea stood at this level. It is proper 
 to add that Sir C. Lyell, writing in 184:;,* elearly distinguishes 
 tho stratified shell bearing beds from the unstratified mass abovo. 
 A very int.'resting collection of recent shells from the mouth 
 of the St. Lawrence, has just been brought to Montreal by Mr. 
 Bell, :. young geiitloman employed on the Geological Survey. It 
 
 * Travels in Nortli America, vol. 2. 
 
27 
 
 ij^cludes numerous specimens of Buccinum undatum, but none of 
 them present the necuHint;<^« r.f fi, f ■^ ■ ' ® °* 
 
 goeniandica, M^a truncata, Astarte sulcata, and Cardium Islan 
 dicum are represented by sinde specimen, ,, , ^'"'^ ^'l^"^- 
 nnrl n c. • 1 • ^ "b'" fptumens. ijaJanus crenatus 
 
 *e collection. p„p„,„,„,;;:;;;:::,:"s<'°-^^^^ 
 
 brackisi, 1,;; ''J'^l'-'-"^ -J '» Lave boea fo„„a i^ 
 
 -te„.o„„ or t,.e i,.e .it^r;: z;:!^ "*°^° "-''-' 
 
 wa,°""te"rirf tT™ '•™ »«™'»"'"""S -inco the »bove paper 
 
 Fig. 3. 
 
 4. 
 
 5. 
 
 C. 
 
 1. 
 
 8. 
 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 10. 
 
 HEFERKjrCE TO FIODnES, 
 
 Bulla oryza, 
 Bulla dcbilis, 
 Buccinum ciliatum, 
 Admeto viridula, 
 Menestho albula, 
 
 Turritella erosa (fragment), 
 Acmaea caeca, 
 Velutina Zonata, 
 
 Lcda pygmaea? nat. size and magnified 
 Ledaminuta, . . _ ' 
 
 Mytilua edulis (var. Laurontiana), 
 Cytheridea (nat. size and magnified), 
 
 Montreal. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Green's Creek. 
 Montreal. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 
 Sponge (Tethea Lo.^niv .:;:„.!!!'""'' - ■ ''''• 
 
 largo spicules magnified. "'"' ""' '"' '^'''''''' ('^ 
 
Montreal. 
 Do. 
 Do. 
 
 28 
 
 17 to 22. Foraminifera (magnified), 
 
 23. Naticahelicoides? .... 
 
 24. Amicula veatita, two anterior valves, 
 
 25. Opercular Valves of Balanus Hameri. 
 
 26. Opercular Valves of Balanus crenatus, three times natural size. 
 
 27. Trichotropis arctlca. 
 
 28. Serpula vermicularis. 
 
 29. Lacuna neritoidea. 
 
 30. Fusus scalariformia. 
 
 1' 
 
 t :