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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est film* A partir da Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d"imagas nAcessaire. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthode. errata H to pelure, un A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 S 6 /'^ Afarik^'' lAMlWilMii HISTORICAL AND K_JVJi ' "■ \ N 1 rrn ■^ ■ ' "■■ 1 H \ -A - _J J I N 1 1 1 1 n wmmmPM^u. I • KANSACTION NO, 4, SEASON 1883-4, fRAGJVIEJMTAf^Y loE/WES KlKtM Tin; d H . r L H ^ r^ ->_ Ol' IllK GREAT NORTHWEST, J. HOYES PANTON. M. A. •M' I'l^dll llHtlll'M lllll SuLIHI V hi 111 :-^'lth Janiiai-y. IHH^I till' I - \/ I;' ] 1 i I 1 J, U I N N I I' K(i ; MAM'I'OMA DAILY I'llh I: I'KIHK. :'A ''(>M I I 1^ r PGPtary Leaves from the Geological Records Oh the Gl'^EAT. I?,ORTH '(O'es-t. fN of a Tri|» in fli«' Far W«'mI IV«i^**** The Origin or Alkali The Itnw Klvor Valley fledu'ine Hat Toal .^lineM IHHi'OVory «f Kxtlnet KeptileN. V.tv. \\ Tliiii siliiy s iiirctini: "t'tiir 1 1 ist. nic-il I S( uiiliHi' Si>iiiM\ . Mr. .1. II. raiiiiiM Mils |i!ii|llisr(l |t;l|ifrnn ■■ l'la^■l^'^ "t iM'.'iral llltclrsi in tile N'l Tt liw c^t , a.-^ 'niiiL;lit I |iiii|H).si' iilaciii'.; Iict'inr yi>ii ruu.shlclat lull tile ICISlllt ot SnliU' M'tMi iral iii\ c.-.t iuat imis. wliicli I lia\c iiiadr iiiil; till' |iasl siiiiiiiii'r at iiitcri'st iim iililir.siii liu' Ni>rtliur,st . Ill .\ii'.^iisi tlii> \i'ar. llimii^fli ilic Ixiiidiu'Ns ut' tlu' limliaii I'ai'ilic Kailwav. I. in ii >iii| laii v ll ^r\i'lal liii'llllicls i>\' lllis .sncicly. hail |ilra'-iirc I't' visit iiiu tlic i'r:_'iiiiis a.s lar ^l a> the t rafk w as t lien laiil. Ki'lnir ciiti'i iii'^ ii|"iii a (l('S(ri|iti(iii lit' i'i'>, t'laii^'lit witli fiuisidcialilc -^vo ral III' rr"st, I sliall (Jirrcl yiiiir at ten ll III SI .iiic l;<'IH'| al I ilisi'iA at II Ills ii|inn !■ \asl Mart 1 1| Ci illllllN lictUi'cIl Wllllll ^; anil I al'^ai'N . at'lcr w liirli I sliall Ileal I'' |iarliciilai'l\ i>\ llir varitnis iiiilciii|is lllril, ami tinlll wlllcll lllc lii.-^slU I liavr ^1 lilnl 111 I lie SI iclrly lia\ c ln't'll nli lu'l l,i'a\ lilt; W niiii|i("4 ami |)iii ill'.; iiin jMiiiiii'v wi'stwanl v\ r scmn cinss I ii;->i n; \ii;ii: ^ii rn;. Iliii KiviT N'alicy, wlllcll at l-iiiinsnii 1- anil > w iili' ami uradiiallN iihii'.iscs \"M {i|nrri>d llnrlll. It is ainMIt SI M t 11 alniNi' liic ,>^^•a lt'\i'l and rinliiatTs an la "I li.'HHi .si|iian' null's. Tin iiii'.4liiiiit i^lrvil H'i^iiiii a licli MiirU sml aluninds I'ii'ilaul III many iiliiccs liy lavrrs nl' t.V l"i a dr|)tli iif ."itl t'iM'l . i iiiliH'dlJiti'U il"« I Ills a|)|iaii'iil ly iilliiv iai i|c|iii.sit is lniiaii ll|||i>M|iinr, wlllrll is well t\|iiis('ii -I'^i la! |ilnt'('N iiliiii!; till' l{i'd IJivcr. '"11.^ Miiiinlaiti and llir mIhhth nl' l.nKr 'llllll|ir<., I''1'\"IhI I Ills rri^iiiii. diHt uiuillsln'd jni ' iliiMisi nii'\lituiHtilil)' t't'it ilily mI Its li. \u niiMs till' >ia UNI' I'll Mini; siiin'r.. II' 1 1 li'is an I'li'V alii 111 nl' I .ti(MI reel alinvf '' I' ^ i|. '.'."ill niiirs Willi' at its .sniitiici II liiiiil and nairnwin'j, sln^litly Inwards the iinilli. it I'liilirarcs an iirra nl Id. .Mill si|naiT iiiilfs. This iT'^iiii dilli'is in si nii- r('s|icfts frmii till' tnniiri. Till' dark, rich snil is nnt sn cniiiiiiiiii. I he Mirt'acc is iiiiu'li iimrc lull iiiL;. and the w Imlc is iiiuh'ilaid liy ( 'rcta Cl'iPllS dc| insil S. Tn snlllC lllt'SC Jlhysical characicrs. iiidical iici' a drier and wanner snil. have nicatcr all raci mns than llic lc\c! land nt the lied lliscr \ alley. N'ntli iii4 >'t |iarticiilai iiii{M>rlaiice atlracteil mir atteiitinn as we passed n\cl' this dis- trict, which, tlimiuh cniitaiiiin^; inncli mlliiiM land mi the east side, passes intn a lev el cniintiy w est waiil. I iiii;i> I'K \ I i;ii; siin'i'i;. In this -real laMc land n|' the Nmlh- Wcsl. e\lel|ilin'4 tlnin ihe western linllM- dalA <<\' I he la^l re'_;ln|i tn t he Ivnck \ Mniiiitaiiis, III,") miles \uile mi its sunt hern liniindar\ . w it h an ele\ at mn n| ; I, (It II I ti'ct . llicie is all area nt |;!-J.II(HI si|iiaH' miles. As lliis |inssesses snliie teatlires i it limre than nidiiiai\ interest. I shall direct ymii aileiilinii In II tnr a lew ninmeiits. This district, while mlliii'^ in character, has alsn nineh praiiie land. Mere \ast cmd lields are Ininid aninii'4 the ( 'retacemis de pnsiis. and in this rei;'inn many nl the lakes and |innds arc st rnii'^ly alkaline. \l the lime nl' III) Visit lllisreuinll indi- cated dinii'^hi, lint did lint |Mesent that desert appeaiiiiice I had anticipated I'mm the rcpmls nl sniile wlin had dcscl'ihed It. \ltllnll'.;ll I liel e ale snllle palls cnmpai'a livelv '.aiidv. vcl llii'lc are vast aii'iisnl' '^nnd sml. inimeasiiralily helti'l' tliiiii iiialiy phu es >vhicliaie iinw under cnltivatinii 111 the eastern pinviiices. The snil seems siillicieiil l\ I'eitile. hill t he cllliiate, nwili'.^ In a liniiled rainl'all, ma\ lieal laiill. The pi'nhleiii w III h reipliles snlntinii in lliiM pint III' Ihe NnltllW cmI , is In what e\lellt cMli the raiiit'iill nt a cminlrv he iiimlilied nl' ilicrenMed l>N nnliniiiy ciill i\al mn and I he plant III'.; nl 1 1 ees ' J 2 The sooner data can be collected con- cerni?ig this, and experiments nndertaken Ui collect results bearing upon it, the sooner will nuich land become of value which now seems tooii'er ..o inducements to settlers, and at certain seasons present a very uninviting appearance. At Moosejaw I observed fields in which the crops api)eared in go(.)d condi- tion, whilo the surrounding prairie pre- sented a parched look. There is no doubt i)ut cidtivation will tend to preserve moisture in the soil, by preventing tiie sun's rays acting directly upon the surface, and thus raoidly carry ort'tiie moisture by evaporation. Many travelers over this part of the Northwest during the past summer have been struck with the growtli of grain growing by the track, where it had likely fallen during the construction of tlie road. We observed it frequently, and were convinced that fertility was in thesoil if favorable conditions surrounded the plant as it developed. THK OHKilN OK ,»LK ALI IN I'KAIUIK I'OXOS. Tlu! ai)pearance of some of the alkali I)on(iN in this district present a ratlier novel feature, especially tli< se observed near Mai)le Cieek. Her*,, as we ap- proached in the ever<.ng,we sawthe ponds lying to the north of the track presenting a most wierdlike appearance, surrounded by the rings of white "alkali," h^ft as the waters evaporated. Bordering these were red rings, made up of a mass ^f "alkali " plants, largely of the sjiecies Salicoruia herbacea. 'I'liese peculiar plants exist and lloiu'ish in a soil impregnated with saline sulmtances. In the struggle for existence they have survived where other forms of jdant life iiave ceased to exist, and now iiold a mono|)oly in the so-called "salty" districts. Tiu^ presence of "alkali" in these comparatively dry areas is ntit a matter of Hur|»rise when we renu'mber all soils contain a certain amount of solul)le salts. In oui' Western districts these are carried intd ponds which have no outlet. ,\s evaporation goes on the waters beconm more and nuiro saline, luitil they are so strongly impregnated that when the ponds dry up an alkidint^ incrustation is left. If the rain-fall was greater in thene localities and the water carried off, as we tind in other countries, tiu* shallow ponds woidd no longer show incrustationii from the ac- cumulated salts lu-ld in solution. Tliis alkali seems in most cases to be a mixture of caleiinn and magnesium sulphates, small ijuantitieN of calcium and magne- sium carbonates and soiin' snw chlorides. OHICIN OK I'HK OKrilESSIONS AHOIMii LAH(!K UOrLOEHS ON THE rHAIKlE.| Another peculiarity observalili' district is, in niany cases, the hw^v, stil occupy the centre of a considiialikl pression. So conumm is this feat luetf one is led to seek a reason for ii. S,| have attributed this to the \vork| buffaloes tossing up the dirt aidii stone and fre(|uenting such places considerable iiole has been fniuKdi think that in addition to tliis wiml rain have dime much to enlarge thi pression. (hie can readily understand that I wind sweeping over these inuutui.se ti| less districts would drive away any earth around the stone. A small, spuci thus left for the accumulation nf wal miming into the depression. Tlii.s \w wear dctwn more soil which on diyj would be again thrown out by iho wJ 8weei)ing around the stone. Allnwtl to Cv)ntinue for a lengthened perind a large depression would be foniii'il;! fact large enough to form the nuckiisj a pond, which, on evaporating ami loose dii't from the bottom swept up i sides so as to form banks, would lie! creased in depth. Might nut agencies exi»lain the formation of iiiau'i these ponds with no outlet and wliicli many cases sliow one or moic liiij stones that may have been iuniiiita| factors in the first steps to their fniii tion as they were ploughed roiiml l)uH'aloes in amusement or swept tiy stin winds which encircled them ' Iliivii made a few remarks upon sonic d most striking features observnl as| crossed the country lyingbt>tween luivi (Jalgary, I shall ask your attention ti'S'iij localities of more than ordinaiy iiili ontological interest, in idacing tlui' suits of my labors before you I sliallnii] sider the places in the order in «lii| they were visited and entleavor to art yoin- minds with me to these lnialiti| which to uie have been spots of iniini interont and much instruction. ('AI,(1AUV. At Calgary I separated from om |iaiil they ])ushe(l on to view the ma^iiiilirtil scenery of m Rockies, I to invistitfij soiue of the outcrops !)ord«>ring I Ik' l^'i Hiv( ..i.v y , » >jju iii BtfJ.u gey«tew-^ < V."V*>l»«ft- ** Bj'-'l"' to seek tho ricli fdssil Holds that lay 011(1. At tho contluence of tho Elbow |ei' with tho Bow, thore ia an oxposure rey saiidstoiio, but although of con- frable tliicknoss, it 8upi)lied no tracos [riineval life, noithor animal norvego- Ik'yniid this I walkod ovor tho [iitiful (ival-shaped valloy in which it at tliat timo supjjosod tho futuro sito Jalgai'v lay. I was sui'i)risod at the t mat 111" grass that covored this at- btive valloy, and on examination found the SI lil overlying a bed of coarse (ul was not very dooi). As I wandered Ir this a])i)arontly fertile locality, iv.y 1(1 was k'(l to consider how this do- lit had boon formed. A closer ex- Inatioii of tho gravel and alluvial soil L \t seeiiiod to indicate that at one ie tho Bow River, which now skirts i valloy, occupied a more central i)osi- a, tliat the banks on either side wore imsiilt of it doiniding power, anu that ^liat time this coarse gravel was the of a river much larger than that jich now remains. In tho course of b tlio river current shifted to the side, waters of the valley became more or calm, and silty material waslaid down til tho whole valley became om'ichod li tho deposit. The river seems then lavo deepened its channel along siilos until all the water Howed tmitih it and the former river bottom left higli and dry. On such an al- tial (loposit rich herbage would natur- |y '^v**\\\ and as years rolled on, tho t!etatioii of the valloy assume its pros- it liixiiiiant condition. This conclu- kii seoiiis to bo borne out by the coni- |rativ('ly thin layer of rich dark soil 1(1 the lied of coarse gravel below it. now KIVKK KXI'OSUHK. unit live miles beyond Calgary an ex- sure (if sandstone rock a}»poars on tho h.iiik of tlio liow Kivor and con- [iiies l(ir some distance farther west, at list fnr two miles, the distance 1 ex- liiiieil. At tiiis point 1 turiuul and be- lli the work of investigation, knowing lilt liiiit; lii'o my steps wei'o retraced for F" miles, HuHiciont fossils would bo ob- liiieil to test my carrying capacity. On pity side tlio fragments of rock, whicli hi'iii loft as the " graders "completed li'ir Work, I'ontained excellent impres- NiH 111 foHHilleavoH of many varieties. pie hank is about 2(H) feet higli and JiL!el} made ip of layers of grey sand- liiiie. miicli of which is exceedingly fos- uifeioiis. At tliis place 1 saw no other pssils liiit the ruuuiina of Iuuvuh, Tiiu rock was of such a soft nature that com- I)leto forms were dithcult to obtain, and it was .)nly by taking a large fragment that a good si)ecimen could be secured. As the broken rock was used to protect tho bank from tho actiim of the swift cur- rent of tlie river there was no ditticulty in finding excellent i)ieces for examnia- tion, I examined fragment after frag- ment, and endeavourjd to chip oft' tho superfluous stone so us to obtain a, well detintd leaf, but in vain, and I found that the only way to secure such was to submit to the work of carrying good sized specimens. Hut remomberhig that the escari)ment farther east showed a harder rock 1 refrained making much of a collection from this locality and did not feel downcast when I saw many a beauti- ful loaf in this soft sandstone crack un- der the blows from my hannner. Here the lesson was thoroughly im- jiressed upon mo that although a rock may bo rich in fossils it largely depends upon its nature whether well defined si)ocimen8 can bo secured. Having come east to a jtlaco about five miles west of the supposed town site of Calgary tho sandstone was found nnich harder, and did not break so irre<,'ularly as tho I'ock already referred to. Here I secured some very tine si)ecimens, and had my means of transport boon bettor tho society would havosuporioi' s])ecimens to th(!se in its possession. .\t tliis local- ity a high bank, probal)ly L'r)() foot, over- looks the liow Kiver. The track comes close to the wnter hero, and considerable blasting of rock has l)eon done to make way foi- it. The broken fragments lie along tho river's edge as a ju'otection to the bank, and thus become very convenient for ex- amination. Among this loose material I found in niuuerable lemains of vegetable life, some stems, but ciiieliy leaves, very complete and readily identified if propel' books of reference were accessible. Fiom an ex- amination of some works u|)on fossil loaves 1 am inclined to locate tlie speci- mens obtained among the geiiorii, I'roto- phyllum, Corylus, .Minis, IMatanus and I'opubis allied to some of our iin»dern rei>reseiit,atives such as the hazel, alder and ])opular. Among the s])e('imeiis secured at tliis I'xposiire and tlonated to the society is a small but beautiful fern of a more or less foather-like appearance. in the higher layers of this esearpmont many fossil shells were observed, em- li.'- hviiciiii; soveml geiu'i-i nf iiniviilvcs. and one biviilvc, as the l)ivalves, of wliieli there were many, belong to the genus iinu), and hear a close resenihlance to sonij of t»iir modern clams. The univalves seem to belong co .everal genera, Vivii)ara. Canipeloma, Bulinus and Planorbis. On breaking n\> some of the rock which contained the l)ivalve shells very complete casts droi>i)ed out. I might add here that the .sand- stone containing the shells seemed to be more compact and harder than that in which the leaves were found. AN KNToMltKK lU'l'KAI.O. .\t this ]»lace a condition was oliserved worthy of notice, as it explains how easily a person niiglit bi- led astray by a too hasty explanation of certain facts. The cimtractorat work on this division, (for at the time of my visit the track was not hiid as far west as this) called my at- tention to the remains of a buffalo which his men found twenty-tive feet below the surface, in a cutting through the river bank, while upon the surface stinnps of huge trees were seen. Nothing seenu'd more natural than to suppose this butlalo had lain entombed forah'Ug ]ieriod of time, during which tlu' deposits over it had accumulated and iunuense trees ma- tured upon the soil which covered tlu; ind)e(hled ri-mains. Before vi'uturing an answi-r to tlu' (piestion " How many tliou.sands of years do you think this 'critter' has been buried '. " after special attention had l>een called to the size of the trees which grew al)ove it, I lookeearance, as their arrangement mikI oj dition seem to indicate that tlu';,'ii changes which broULdit these niiuintiii into existence, took ])lace after tlnMK position. I'.OW lilNKI^ NKAK THK V2\\{ ^nl|^l, Having com[»leted my ob.servMtiuihl Calgai'y, the next place which cii^mJ my attention was along the banks (iftl Bow Biver, about 100 miles wcstj Medicine Hat. 1 had been told In, enthusiastic ])a.ssenger on the uayc that in tlie banks of the river an jilace, it was a eounnon thing tn I petritii'd 'ish. To obtain such waswditl any collector's eti'ort. B'or several hours 1 wandered aloiiLttii river banks at this lonely spot, cast* tlie Crowfoot Crossing, thoioiiglil) e{ aniining tlu' escarpnuint from tlic uattrl edge to the prairie level, loO al>ovi' ili !• ver. Not a trace of extinct life wJ ili.sc<>vei'ed in tlu' gravel and claynftlJ lianks. Had I been fortunate cnnii^litl have left the train at the lilackfoot Cn ing faither west, I certaiidy would li;iv( l)i!en better ii'warded, for at that a I'oal seam apjiears, near which tlicivai^ no doidtt td»jects of pakeontologii al i terest. lint here 1 had followed the iiistri tions of one of the iniinitiated in gcdliq and learmul, as I lia\i' on stiveral inc»| sioiis before, that such guidi^s areimttJ be relied u|ton ThtiV always .see fn,ssil| in a magnilied foi-m and aii! nevcrati loss to identify them as belonging fiM');| isting types. 'I'lu'y tind lish in KniJ which were fonn<'d long ere tisli lamJ into existence : backbones in forniatiniiir dejiosited in seas wliicli haii| the earth. .\fter a wearisonu' seai'ch, disheartriiiiil and greatly disajipointed, I resouulit tlnl the track, wiiieh is not fur from tlu rniir , ^l river. al)oiit H miles above the town. Idiio ])asses over the prairie from the ion, which is only about \l miles II the mine, he sees no indication of Ljrt'iit ravine through which the Sas- ;!iuwan juLsses, and from whifh he is a short distance. It is i>nly when he come right ujton it that he beholds work nature can perform through iai,'oiicy of water. As you stand ujxm hank of the Saskatchewan, 201! feet t)ve tlie level of the stream, and see diily the channel worn out by this ■er, l»ut also the innnense lateral e.\- jatiniis nnide l)y streams no longer and spring freshets of modern lies, you are astounded at the impres- je oxinnples of denudation before yon. Dlicri' being but little .solid rock •(iiiglioiit this I'egion, wherever water lis. only a shoi't time elajises before im- liiso cuttings thi-ough the clays a]>pear. Tskatchewan coal miiu; is not located L'ctly on the banks of the river. ))ut rlio sides of one of these great, ravines. If fdllnwing is a .section of the cutting Itlic mine, the strata having a slight dij) (itlicast : — Fool, above ttio river. Iiirie le\ d 2!K! (fl ndy days '.'.')() lilt sandy shales 21(1 bands 1!K) liii'sioiic l)and. 2 fool thick lay sliaie 170 ^ht clay siuile. 2 streaks of shells very fratfinontary ItM) lii scum. I fool 150 kiie Hi, 8 inches Hie Ill, 10 inches 110 kjslmie 120 (ii liaiid, 8 inches ,1,1!. feet 110 bdei'cluy ^itycliiy 1(H) km! of shells. I inches DO (Illy i'la\ , ki'd hand, ti inches Jtidof mIicIIs. 7 inches Kinclu's 80 jlii band, !l inidies Nil licinK woi'kod, l.lfeet 70 Mi'irlay, ;tfi>cl .,, " «0 liil -'f-cl 60 ndycluy 10 [invM rjnv ;I0 ^Imnd 20 III Miiiidy clay 10 lali'i' level It IS almost nnni'eesHary to reinaik bun the coal from this place. Since my sii it has lieen iiroiighl to Winnipeg 111 d\cr 1,.M)0 tons of it have been burnt Th with most satisfactory results. lliemine is l)eing worked si> as to get out I^OO tons per day, and yet the supply cannot keep up with the demand. it is easily kindled and l)urns with an intense heat and leaves no clinkers. Con- sumei's consider that i'l tons is e<(uivalent to 1 of anthracite. This en- terprise furnishes a solution to the fuel problem of the Northwest where little or no wood is found, for we kn(»w that these coal beds having but little dip cover immense ai'eas of our western country. .\ mine could scarcely be more favorably situated for access than this. The coal comes to the edge of the ravine, the seam has but a slight dijt southeast, and thus can be worked readily. Mr. Law- son, the able managei' at the mine who kindly gave me nuich information about this locality, told me that he had been able to do as much work in two weeks in get- ting the mine under way as had taken him two years with coal mines in the Eastei'ti Piovinces. The coal can either be rolled down to the river's edge to l>e transported by boat, or drawn up an irclineto the jmiirie level and sli'uped by i.ain to points east and W(!st. I'pon the opposite side of tlu' river the remains of petritied tre(\s aie very com- mon, some of these belong to types en- tirely ditferent from tho.se which now Honrish on (he banks of the Saskiitchel wan and si-em to indicate that primeva forests of ("onifisrous trees existed here in a ditt'ereiit climate from tlu; present. Many of the shells found in the l)and some 200 feet below the prairie level are reiireseiitatixes of the oyster family. \ few of a very fragile nature i)elong to a genus which I have not as yet l)cen able to identify. The ]>resence of oyster shells 200 feet beh)W the prairie level in a region now removed 2.(MM1 miles from the sett is very suggestive of the wondei'- ful I'hanges which this great countiy has undergoni- in ages long receded into the jtast. in collecting spticimens from these day beds I gained new exjierience. .\t Selkirk (|Ua,rries. Stony Sloniibiiii ;ind many outcrops I have visited in the east. I had invariably found the I'enniins so thoroughly petrilied that little or no eai'e ri'i|uiit'd to be taken in cari'ying them, for thi'y were really stones. hut hcri' tlu' shells were of an entirely ditlereiit nature. They approached nearer their original condition oxeei»t that they were exceedingly fragileandre(|uir(!(l tolie handled with the greatcHt care. In .some '■-^■'-^ -■■ ---Tic 7^ IMH 6 cases as soon as they were exposed to the air they crumbled away. To secure sucli it is necessary to be furnished with a number of small boxes into whicli tliey can be carefully packed. 110 feet above the river a red band of clay appears, which likely owes it color to the action of tire in the seam of coal below. Farther down the river this clay has a richer color, almost approachin'jf vermillions. As neither lime nor magnesia is present, and as it possesses a tine com- pact texture we may reasonably expect that ere long the banks of the Saskatche- wan will supply clay for the manufacture of a superior kind of pottery. The deposits of this h)cality seem to indicate that they Jire of Cretaceous age. IRVINE RAVINE. Twenty miles east of Medicine Hat we reach Irvine station. Lying south of this about one mile is a locality of more than ordinary scientific interest, and which for convenience I shivll call Irvine Ravine. Here in the spring of this year Mr. Lawson, of Medicine Hat Coal Mine, while prospecting for coal discovered the I'emainsof what api)eared to be an animal of reptilian nature. On his return to Winnipeg a reporter interviewed him, and, as most of you remember, a short notice describing this fossil ap])eared in the daily j)apers at that time. In July Principal Dawson, iif McGill College, while visiting the Nortliwest heard of this discovery and set out to ob- tain the remains, but was unable to tind them. When I visited the Saskatchewan coal mine in August I saw Mr. Lawson, told him of Dr. Dawson's failure and de- sired him to give me another sketch of where it lay, at the same time sh».wing him the outline Dr. Dawsrm had kindly given me to make covrect'ons if neces- sary. Furnished with askcitch somewhat dif- ferent from the one 1 had, I set out with considerable enthusiasm to seek this fos- sil^of higlier type than 1 had as yet dis- covered. It was a bleak day on wliich my com|)anion (a straiiger whom I had met at Medicine Hat, and who when he lieard the errand u]>on which 1 was going desired to take part in the search) and 1 left Irvine station to wend our way across the Hats to the ravijie. A Forlorn hotk. Wo followed the dinictions, and grad- ually ascended the hill on the trail which leads to the (^yprcss Hills. As soon as wo reached the sunnnit and beheld the cuniplioatod nature of tho coulee, an im- mense central ravine and iiiiiunieftU lateral ones, we were convinccil tliaj were undertaking a forlorn hni.u, sketch was consulted, but all w.is dbscm in this wild spot. Among tlic nii-i ravines we cliudied hour after hdur, sT ing in vain the reptile that had lain i long among these lonely hills. Th,, appareiitly unsuccessful seeking the t3 tilian remains, still we saw luiicli tJ was exceedingly interesting and instrj tive. WORN ROCKH. The effect of "weathering" uimuiH rocks of this place is astoni,sliiiis,'. striking is the result that my cmniim observed fre(iuently, "It looks as if sni of these hills had been pouiuled pieces." Among tho debris we (il:,sei'Vi| numerous crystals of selenite, which pear to have been in the upper hiyei'sl clay. We also found many fra<;iiioii;sl large shells, not unlike the geiuis MactiJ but no complete specimens were souii those denuded hill tops. Tho weatlii had destroyed all. Some that apiieiirf com2)aratively whole broke to pieces handling. But at one place, wlicretlj weather had efi'ected less change, we fn one very complete shell, well replaced J silica. On several of these " weatherod " 1 the selenite lay about almost like jfiiivBi much of it in perfect single crystals t!ir inches long and in beautiful niassesij compound forms. In several parts of the ravine layersi ironstone were observable, intercaliitel among strata of gray sandstone, and ei| posures of coal in several places, hut seams were comparatively thin. Whel the hoj)e of finding reptilian remains \ii| beginning to fade, and my companion 1 con\ing disheartened, for ho had coineeJ pressly to see tho interesting relics fl past life, our energies were reviNwl finding four thoroughly petrified fnij ments of bone. These lay on tho skkk the hill, and ai>|)eared as if thcyl fallen from the hiyors higher up • fallen hopes much revived by this di»o>l ery, with renewed vigor wo clinibod tl hill-side, whore wo expected to find m remains in their original position. lO.VTlNCT RKI'Tir,KS. Though this seemed from our sKotcliI not be far from from what wesouf^ld, stf wo were forced to abandon furthei' siani for the reptile, cross over to anotlnr imij of tho ravine and conhno our atioiitioi to tho lofty sides of tho < 8caiiiiii>!i| there. I h k'uie ami A^ere conviinnMl tlu forlorn ]if)|., ed, but all \\;i.s oiigj^ Among the niJ d hour after hdiir,^^ )tile tliat ]i;i(l lain i onely liills. Tli,,,;^ !.ssf ul seekiiiK tlie we saw I'luic'li tlj teresting and instn N KOOKS. weathering" u[m\\ -0 is astoniHliiiisr. t tliat my nmipan "It looks as ifsi ad been jjouiulud he debris we obsenj of selenite, which , !i the upper hym i nul many fruj^'iiioiitsj like the genus iMacJ ecimens wen; sowi tops. Tlie woatk i^ome tliat apiieaii le broke to piews une place, where t^ d less change, wefii„ dieil, well replaceiU se "weatliered ut almost like i,aiivei| >ct single crystals tlir n beautiful luassos^ if the ravine hymi servable, intercalatJ ly sandstone, and eil iveral places, liiit ti[ •atively thin. Wl reptilian remains wil nd my companion M I, for he had cciiioal I interesting ii lics'i 138 wx'ro revi\t'(l ugldy petritiod I'ral eso lay on the sidr ired as if they jrs higher up. dul )vived by this discdil igor we climlifd th JXpected to find iin'i inal j)osition. KKI'TtLKS. lid from our sketclitJ what we sought, sti andon furthei' scani , Township Hi, |{aiige l*L', west of thesei'oml meridian, a >vell was dug this suunner on tlu' fnriu of,). H, I'oyser, Ksi|., which has at tracted consideralile intciesl. When about ."{o feet la-low the siiibue, a huge oval-shaped stout- of ji .souu-w hat gray color was encounteretl. ThiMi- were no <-xternal indications ot its Iteing fossili- ferous, To large to handU-, a sledge was given to tin- tliggei who f(»und td, and these, uodoiilit, rendered the bonldei' so easil\ luuJ The matrix which contained tlu lu wlii-n c(»m pared with the cretnit'oiisl stone of the Kocky Moiuitanis. iii)|i(.,| to be much the same in phyHital ^ij act( rs and chenncal composition. This boulder removed far tim: l)arent rock, had likely been tiaiis|Hir during the (Jlacial period when mi mense river of ice carried fragiiKiitsI rock eastward and left tlieiii ii|i(iii prairies hundreds of miles from \\l\ they were //* i^'itu. These ftmsils are remarkable, imt J foi' theii' numlu'is, but also for tin- vi tiful condition in which tj are foinid, more nearly rcst-ml the pearly shells of modern seas the remains of mollnsks extinct fnnij Some of these formed a portion of; society's i-xhil)it at St. John and l!..si| where they were greatly admired. This isolatttd fossiliferous bouliUr cates that there is a rich fo.ssil licld ^il wlune along the eastern border orsiiiii| of the mountains west, wln-ri^ .shclls.ilj acteri/.ed by great beauty, aie likch t] discovered. .\l)out six feet above this stone aini bouldei' not (piite so large was tiii This was nnjch harder than tl efuriiuii a reddish .-olor and somewhat ofu-^'iaiil nuturt-. (hie surface was well |M.lh:| ami disfimtly marked with glacial >iij This closes a description of liic \;iii[ oiitc-rops visited iliiring my trip I" gary, and from what has been pLuvi fore you for consideration, mu' iJ leadilv infi-r that Ki'osirs, liiipreHsioiis of leaves ladongilig i" geimra Piotophyllum, CorybiH, Ali iMataniis, I'opiilus. I nivalvtt shells of the geiieia Cm loiiia, hulinus, IMaiioi'liis, N'ivipaiti Itivalvt- shells of tlu^ genus ( iih' MKIHrlNK HAT rHK.TArKOI.S liK.I'o^ir I 'et rilled wood uiid coal. Iti valve shells 'J(M) feet below thepiai level, largt'ly of the genus (Istrea ami undetermined species, n-^.-i.*y'i -■; ji:»Jwr«L^fr!WSMsrrft;-" h liouldor s(. t'ii.sily liiiilii liicli contaiiieil tJit,' i',,. hI with tht) oivtju'coiisl Rooky Mountains, upin., le sanu! in jihysial cl, inical conijto.sitinii, rr removed far fidii acl likoly l)t'en ti'inispur acial porioi] wlu'ii an t ico cavrii'tl fraj4iiiiMits| 1 iind left tlieiii ii|i(iii v»ls of mill's frill 1 1 ^ll it II. s aio lomarkaMi', iku ii'iH, l»ut also for till' 1 ^i<'ll in wliicli tj more nearly rcsfiiili! lii'Ua of modern si'iis f mollusks extinct tui j iiN paper may be HiiiiiiMnni IVINK K.AVINK — CRETACEOUS DEl'OSIT.S. letritied wood in large (juaiitities ^•iis^iiieiitary remains of eight extinct tebrati's, some of wliich are of the 6r I)iii(>.sanria. liiuiiiorable crystiils of seleuite. bell fra;,niient8 of the genus Ostrea, In vui} eomplete specimen of Mactra. JKK.AI.O LAKE ("RETACEOUS OEI'O.SIT.S. leiiciii .Maotra and Inoceramus. A mass of shell fragments not identified. Some small cretaceous Bivalves. FENSE SPATION — CRETACEOl'S DEPO.SITH. Many fossils of the genera Inoceramus and Ostrea. A rare specimen of the Ammonite, one Baeulite. Many small shells of an undetermined species. A beautifully sculptured I'nivalve. •^Si^cW" ^»V1^^ IV EST (»K CAI.WAEV I. Mil DKi'osrr.s. I of leaves belonging' ii ipliyllum, Coi-yiiiM, Alij |MllUN. D'lls of the geneia CiiJ , I'laiiorbis, N'ivipiiiM lis of the genus I iim, y\' CKETACKOIS HEI'0''ir' Olid and eoal. lis :.'(K) feel btdow th('| •f the gt'iiiiH ( >Htrea :iii>>l NpeeioH,