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*» 
 
 (From Canadian Naturalist, Vol. A'., No. J.) 
 
 PALJIOZOIC GEOLOGY 
 
 OF THE RKOION ABOLIT 
 
 THE WESTERN END of LAKE ONTARIO 
 
 By Pr.)K. .1. W. Si'KSCKU, B.A.Sc, Ph.D., F.G.S., 
 Vi,.o-Presicl<-nt ui Kxnu'^ Clleg.-. Wui.l.s.-r. Xova .--utia. 
 
 PaEFACE.— In 1H74, I published, in this Journal, a short 
 paper on the •' Geolo-y of the Neighbourhood of Hamilton." 
 Subsequently (1S77-80), I made an addith.ial study ot the 
 rcMon, and found an iinnunse an.ount of geolo^/ioal informutiou 
 obl.inabl.. This paper on th. Hala.,.zoic Geolo,^ was ready 
 for print in the autumn of 1879, but its publieatiun was delayed 
 in order to complete the work; but as the completion seem8 
 some .Ustance off, 1 present this paper on the iirst portion of the 
 subject of the Geology about the Itegion of the Western Lnd ot 
 Lake Ontario. A very lai-e amount of new material in Palaeoo- 
 tolo.-y has been collected and i . now ready for presP. 
 
 \lthou-h the principal facts oi' the Surface Geology have been 
 coUected/yet the study is .-t yet completed, it being very large, 
 as more than local phenomena are involved. 
 
 1. — INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Skirting the Western End of J.ake Ontario, in our Canadian 
 
 Province of tlic same name, there are excellent exposures of the 
 
 various portions of the Silurian formations (or Upper Silurian 
 
 of the New York Geologists) overlying, to a depth of several 
 
 hundred feet, the upper members of the Cumbro-Siluriau Age 
 
 (of the Hudson River epoch) about the city ot Hamilton, 
 
 No. 3. 
 Vol. X. ' : . • 
 
wm 
 
 whilst bawi'fii O.ikvillc iiud Turmitn, tin; rock> of tin' lattur 
 iip- ;ii)|)(';ir at the surface of tlui eouiitfy. 
 
 Tlinsc iii.'iiib-'rs of llio Siliiri:in fonii.it ion wliich arc I'XiioHcd 
 ii; till- ii'iiioii under coiisideration boloiiii to the Meditiii, Clinton, 
 and Niagara ejioehs. The hest hicalilie^ for niakiiiL; L'eoh)j.Mcal 
 exaniinatioiis are at Tliorohl, Grimsby. 11 imilton. Duiidas. 
 Limehou<c .Station ((jr.T.ll.; and lloekwood. Nowhere in Ea.st 
 cni America arc there; bi'tter exposures of tlie various rocks of 
 this ajie. though in some h)cilitics, ospcciaily in the Western 
 8tatcs. the fossils are in a better ,>t.ito of pro.-civ.ition. How- 
 ever, in the altove inealities there i^ a very '^re.it difforenco iu 
 tlie ]ii-e.Mrvati(in of the fossils fnund. and iie.irly liOII species of 
 or^.ini,-in'> can l)e prociued from .1 limited number of localities. 
 A coii.-iderable vari.ition of tixture is observed in the rocks in 
 (he different pl.aces, .and .iltliouL:]! the number of species of animal 
 remains is consideiablo, yit owitiu to tlie cryst dliin' texiuic of 
 the lime.-'.ones, one is rew.arded with me.i,i;re ri'tuins lor his d.iy's 
 labor. 
 
 As we will see further on. the loeks untler e'iii>iderati<»n are 
 intermediate in chir.ict r b'twicn tlmse of the Sta^^ of New 
 York to tlie t;.istw;ird, and ihnse of ( Hiio tn the wistwird, bc^iiii; 
 more calcap'nu- tlem their equivalei'ts in the I'ormer St.ite. and 
 more arijillaeeous than those in the Litter. 
 
 In tlie study of the v.irious rocks of tin- Niauira uronp. I have 
 examined the microscopic il structure, .and have ma<le a number 
 of clu'tuical analyses. At the end oi" the ))re^ent piper there will 
 be found a c.italoi:ue of all the speci( s ol' I'ossils in my own col- 
 lection, with some lew th.it have bern obtained by others, but 
 of which I have not been fortunate etiouuh to obtain sprcimeiis. 
 This will be found to be the fulle. t eit.ilouue of Can idian fossils 
 I'rom the Niij:ara i:rouji yet publislu'd. 
 
 Aiiain, ;i lew miner.ils are jirocurable at various localities from 
 cavities in the Niauar.i limesteoes, ;is well as mineral w iters from 
 several natural springs and artiticiil openini:s. ill of which will 
 be noticed in their proper placs. 
 
 As no p.irt of tlie Province affords a greater variety of interest 
 to the student of ireolouy than the repon about the western end 
 of Lake Ont.irio, T will endeavour to 'j,ive 1 full but concise 
 account of those leature.s and objects of attraction th.it will assist 
 the geological observer and .student in the pursuit of this most 
 attractive and useful study of Nature. 
 
 f; 
 
 
 I » 
 
 ! 
 
 
 I • • • * • .. ■ « » 
 
 • ••• •« •• i 
 
 i mi i iiiiB i fimiipiw 
 
 FP*"*'"~ 
 
V 
 
 H 
 
 H. — TOPOORAPIIY AM) DISTIUIM'TION . 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 I . 
 
 ■T 
 
 H 
 
 
 Kxti'udintr aloni; the southern sliorcs of L;ikc Ontario, af dis 
 tJincos varyini: from one to ;i (I'W niik-s from its waters, tlnrf is a 
 ridge of liill-;, or more prnporly an iscarjiment, i<no\vii to um olo- 
 f^ists as the •• Niairara Kso;'rpmont," extmdintr from the State of 
 New York into Canada, and eritcrinii' our country near Quoenston, 
 wlxtiee tli.i nin.'>>, of tlic Xia-^ara Falls lias worked backward 
 for several miles. From tlie Nia-ara IJiver this ridev . xtend.s 
 westward to the town of Dundas, and thence the trend is a litth; 
 west of north to Lake Huron and Manitoulin Island^. 
 
 This rauue everywhere forms a bold feature. Along the 
 .-iouthern shon- of I^ake Ontario, the brow is K)l» feet above the 
 hike, while near tht " I'eak." north ot* Dund is, the height is: 520 
 feet, from whioli place the ascent is gradual as it extends north- 
 ward, until just wc-t of Iiim<hon>e. the eliiF-! have a iieight of 
 847 feet, whence the plateau gradually rises to *XM] feet at 
 Kockwood (on the (^i. T. Uailwayj, and ntnthward, in Amaranth 
 townsliip, it has an elevation of 1400 feet above Lake Ontario. 
 In its course, south of Lake C)iit:irio, th ; slope i.> general!)' more 
 abrupt than after the range assumes a northerly trend, — the 
 upper portion often formim,^ almost prpendicular cliffs from lOO 
 to 250 feet above the rising slope at its base. The brow where 
 tlie IL i\c N. W. Hail way ascends the mountain (four miles cast 
 of Hamilton) is ;}1J5 feet, and at the head ol' James street, 
 Hamilton, it is 3SS feet above tlte lake, while the plateau above 
 gradu.dly rises t(. 40;> feet, five and a half miles .south of the 
 former place, and to 485 ieet, two miles .south of the latter. This 
 height of land forms tin; watershed between Ijakes Ontario and 
 Erie, and from it the country gradually slopes to the latter lake. 
 
 The rocks of thi.s range belong to the various subdivisions of 
 the Niagara Group of the Silurian Age. The Canadian Geolo- 
 gical Survey, many years ago, separated the Niagara and Guelph 
 groups from the overlying Lower Helderberg group, and called 
 these. Middle Silurian, wiiilst the New Vork geologists placed 
 them all togetlier, and called them ll{)per Silurian. We will adopt 
 that nomenclature wliich recognises the rocks of the various 
 groups from the Niagara to the Lower Helderberg (inclusive), as 
 being members, not of the middle or upper, but of the one great 
 Silurian Age, and consider the Lower Silurian formations (Treu- 
 
ton and IIu'lMin HiviT LTiciups of Airu'ricM) d' tlir New W)rk 
 GcnloLMCil Survey. uikIit the n;iin<' C'lnibnt-Siluriaii — a name 
 trivcn by niu! of the rulliers of Ktiuli.sli (m'^Iul^v (i'rofc.->>or Sedg- 
 wick) before Sir H. .Mriiclii.>on incluilid tlicir Welsli ('(juiva- 
 lent;- a- llie lower portion ol" his "Silurian System," as the 
 cliiiracter of the oTiianic remiins is intermediate between Si,1g- 
 in'r/c's CiDiilirlini and MmrliisDii's Oriijlmil Sihirlmi Si/sfn)is. 
 
 In tlie State of N(-w York the Niagara uroup is divi(led in 
 aseendinir onler in<o the Onkida, Mkdina, Clinton and Nia 
 OAHA Kl'ociis, and overlies tlie Hudson lUver i'ormation. 
 
 The (~)iiei(bi of New York consists of a eoiiLilomerate. and is 
 watititiij: in ('aiuula. l)Ut all Mu^ other inenil)ers of the series are 
 present in tln' I'rovince. At tlu; head of li^ki' Ontario, the 
 Me<lina is underlaid by the rctcks ol' the Hudson Uiver epoch; 
 rind tlie rocks of the Nia,ti;ara period form the surface de])o.sits 
 adjacent to tin- like nyion, while twenty miles to the westward, 
 they are overlaid iri the iieiLdibourhood of the towns of (ialt and 
 Guclph by the deposits of the Guelph I'ormation. 
 
 In tlu' Xiairara PcMiinsula, south of Haniillon. the NiaLTiira 
 formation is succeeded by some ol' the uiembers of the; Helder- 
 beri; trroup, unless tluuc be some thin loiicealed deposits of the 
 Guelph i::roup not exposed. 
 
 The LTCneral dip oi' the whole series is 25.5 feet in the mile in 
 fi direction of ab"Ut twenty deirrees west of south. 
 
 
 •/ 
 
 \4 
 
 TIT. 
 
 OKOI-OOIOAI, SKOTIONS. 
 
 Durinu' the sunimer of 187'.>, the writ^ir. witli the assistance 
 of the l;'t(! Georire Beaslcy, Esq., (\ K., made instrumental 
 measurements of I'our Geological Sections — the most complete 
 that could be obtained. Two of these sections were at Dundas, 
 one at Hamilton, and one south-east of tlie city, from the water- 
 shed between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, alonj; the exposures 
 of the Niagara Limestones in the bed of the llosseaux Oreek, to 
 its falls at Mount Albion. These measurements re<|uired sev(>ral 
 days' levelling over many miles of ground. In addition to the 
 principal sections, several smaller exposures were measured in 
 order to compare the continuity of various strata 
 
 The thickness and character of rhe lowest portions of the 
 Medina formation were ascert;;!ned I'rom the log of an Artesian 
 well, sunk to a deptli of 1600 feet, in the western part of Dundas. 
 
 ^ 
 
1 1 
 
 / 
 
 \4 
 
 Mr. lic.sl.y j.ri'l riiys^lrcn-iii.otr.l (1„. lliickii."<0)r|u, . i, ili,. a.lj:i- 
 pcnt suiiiniif n!' fli.. Mrdi,,,, Mr.Mi]>. wl.idi i. '2CA I'.ct .iIk.v.- tho 
 l.<ko. by !,'v. lliiio (,,,„i alldwiin.-- iW dij.) with Mi.' iiH.iitli ..t' the 
 
 W<'1I Olwilicll «■<■ Iwi.l fll<. !•(•(•(, r;l, ;,ml W-.T." tllUS CIlil.lMl In Clllc'll- 
 
 I'llc ;ic('iiril-ly flir thickli-ss of the loriiiarin-i. 
 
 Holnrc .i.lvni'inL' liirtli. r we will -ivc a t;.l.iil ,t vi.'w nC (he 
 Coiir s<'cticitis in('asiu<(I. 
 
 The tir-t .M'fiinii is ,1 th" w. stmi mi] <>[' DuimIi.w, nifir the 
 jiliicowhiM' ilic ArtiH.ii Will Wiis sunk.) Thr hci-ht nfth.' 
 iuouiImI ill.' w.'ll w:is rduiiil t.. 1,.. l;!li C-t :il)'.\v I»"si .nlin's 
 {-';mal Al'tr-rwiinis w l.wli. .] t-. thr Miiimiit .il'll..> clifFs :.l.)iiu' 
 til.' x.iiKi uvstiTii si.l.' .,r ih.' r:i\!ii,.. which i> loniicd l.y (ho 
 "!'i"'i "Itii.. (wo !-trraiiis rr,,ii) S)Mn.'.T'-~ m.! \Vfh<t(M-V Fiills-- 
 tli«- iii-h.st p., ill! ,,f til.' .■x],ov,.,| i-ock. l„.i„.^ ,t ll,.- juiicti.w) (,r 
 (he iw,. -i.iis. wh.i-c tlic I..1, hc.i> aiv CMiiiiM.x.l (,rtl,,. i-h.rty 
 liaii.!^ i^iili.. same ii.irizcii ,.s thnsrwhi.'h I'oriii th.' ca]!]. in- strata 
 H.iUh .'!' II iiiiilt.-ii. ]iy iii.aiis ,,f (hi, Mcti..!! ,11.1 th.' Art.'Hian 
 well, w ■ wviv :i|,h. lo ascitiiin (in' wiiujc (hicklU'ss ,,( the Medina 
 ■'"'"'"I"" 'li'' wh.ii,. thickness ,,r th.' (Mint.. 11 i'.irni.iti.ni. .••nd 
 
 •tl^' i"'^ I |Mi|li.ei .iI'Mi.. Xi:,- 11- . [ilMlMT. 
 
 Hut lie- w.-ieiii H.le <'i' the laviii.' i- ni ; • (ii n ..n.- hiiielnd 
 <'•'■' '"^^ ■■' 'li'iii 'h.' .•is.,rii .M.ie. altieiii_Hi llie ro,-ks an- nearly 
 h.iri/niit;,,. This h-.v li-in .nvin- to ih- hie.) .]■ imd.ifinu in the 
 f-pir ot r.iekv heiw.'.Mi t\v.. -ivii va'l'vs. whi.-ii wili 1,,. lenice.! in 
 a liituir I'.ji'T (111 the suii'.ci' uv.dnjv. 
 
 T\,r V i\ me uv riri'iii just relerrel m is iii,m',. t\\ \n .'MO i'e-t dei'p. 
 i' w.' e..:ei.l lie |'i,.in ils e.ist.Tti (mi- nther inirih-'visteni ) side. 
 Owin- ! ' ihe ;i|iseii('e .i!' (h.' hi-her !..■.!< ,,|' th> s, j-j,..,, ^ye Icvelle.l 
 \l\> ill'' e-e irpni.'nt ..:i lie' (.pjin-ite si.ie n|' the uTrat '.li-'ii, ;.( tlu! 
 Jiille kill-, jusl e.isl (if the •' I*,' k." Wlie; ■' (1,.- hijll.st roeks ;ire 
 
 ''!'• '•■ ■! :<hiive the lak.'. all IhiU'^'ii tie' -oil ris.'- a i.'w |'..'t hi-her 
 a '-liorl .li-t lUce tn the nni-tliwai'l. 
 
 By tl.. M' iiiriisur'ineiils, md ih.' n e .^-.|■v '• ileulatiMii- in cmi-- 
 relatiai;- tl,.' elj leeiit uie ism-eiii.'iii-. it wa.- t'lu-el Ihat tin' wliol.' 
 thickii"— mI tjic Niauai'i Liniiip i- -de !.■.•! at jtinidis. .it' wliicdi 
 
 the liiwe-t Hiiit leet liehaii:: to the .MedMl 1 S.'l-ies. 
 
 The .-.cond s<'eti.iii i- iLmi'^ the Sydenham iMa.l at Duiiday. 
 The third section is at Ilaiuilton. h'tweeti thr liea-l .ilMaines 
 slrcLM an<l the Jolly Out road The i'mrt!) srethm, as w.> have 
 Heen. wa^ (aken aloni: the Mo-.-r.nix Cr.'rk to Alhi-ui Fans. 
 
 k 
 
r. 
 
 Si-:{ iKi.N I. (ill I>iiihIixs). 
 Ill ilrscciKliiiL' onliT : I'm (Is jn.) | ivcir inc(i>'ii( il iiIkivc l,iiiu'kilii. 
 Mi'ils i;i-2, tncaMiicd iit liii' sniilli-wisti tti sidr of (Jliii Sjiviicer, 
 fire ((iiiclutrd willi llmsc !i1m.v. Series oI IkmIs tiilliiliiTi'd 1 is at 
 Artesiiin Well 
 
 lifjs. N'iAi;\i:\ l''(iit\i \riiiN. Tliicknenn. 
 
 ;V... I'eH. 
 '20 i''ilir triflilied j^lc'lV (ireli;ii emis ddlnlnile. 'r<'li I'ed 
 
 -lili iiited. ( ll'i-lit ;il.(i\( I.iike dlitiirid 'ilT 11.) .. Hi.f! 
 ID DlIlK doli'lllites (soliiewlljil l>il lllllIlK ills) colitllillill.U; 
 
 1 I i|i( let idi.diy liifiSM'S dl II l.leii jjitid li|i|>eiillllice . . li.7 
 
 IH Meii^uie> ( dill ciijed Id . 'i 
 
 17 GlilV illld dillL ddlnlllite.- ill ihill iie(l> — llie llpper 
 Itcrtidii I'niiiiili;: Irnw ol e--i iii|iiiieiit just eiisl I'l' 
 •■ I'eid;." 2.S.3 
 
 Id Ivirt \:\ (lull mites will: edliejididn j lilli tllU' .'!. 'J 
 
 ir> Ddldllillie sliilies CdXi red Willi ilielllstlltidlis dt e|l- 
 
 s. mile :',,,») 
 
 14 (Jiiiy fiiiil viirieLTated ddldiiiites in thiii lieds with 
 
 eartlix pill tint's ?,H .A 
 
 10:^.9 
 
 \'S (.'lierlv ddldiniles ( ') I dill enli ij. Ii\ Illeiisiin Ilielit i'>. I 
 fell, I'llt aildwili;.'- !',.r dip. \)M feet liilisl lie lidded, 
 and tlii> i diine.ts Mie seeiidn at tlie l.iiiiilvilii 
 with Ihiit iiiea^nred at western side of liaxiiie lidiii 
 
 Wehsler's td S|ie||( er s Falls t^ . 1 
 
 12 Gray ridldiiiiles with minieidiis i heity nudnles. tiiis 
 I'diiiis the i row of cliff jit jiiiiei iciii of liavines trim 
 SpeiK e, - .It ,1 Widister's Falls l'',o 
 
 II Sliuly ddldiiiilo. w ith sleil,\ Imrtinjs '.^.O 
 
 lO (.'diii|iai I darU uia.N ddjdiuitev. iiidic or less arijilhi- 
 aieiiiii ecus, ill heds lidin twd lo twn and a half t'eet 
 
 tlii'k ... !(;.<) 
 
 Ddldinitii Mile .vhilies, with sIiiiIn (Idldlnites 1:{J 
 
 H I'dliipai t liuhl ;;ray ddldinite in clie hed. 'I his lied 
 is ediistant for niiiiiy miles, and it was trdin this 
 that the (li)i was i jihiilated. and ehei ked in hy 
 dtiier hed.s 5.3 
 
 7 Nia^iini ddleiiiite^, (d\eied here, hilt ex|)dse(l else- 
 where 10. n 
 
 G.l . 4 
 
 ' 'l.lNI'ON i>'dl:M A'llllN. 
 
 6 Clintdii hliiish shales, witli iminerdiis tliin beds <d" 
 ar;;illa( Cdii.; doldinites. scnic (d' w hieli are alsd very 
 fiMrii^iiidiis. others are nidic areniieeiiiis. Many 
 contain fossils. Portidus of tiie series are <dven'<i, 
 but, beiiifi; ix|iOsed in niinierou.s pla'cs, show tlie 
 rbiiracter of tlie wliole formation just deserilied. . . 77.,'", 
 
 5 Argillo-arcniu'Odiis dolomites, wiiicli may lie con- 
 
 sidiued as heds of p.-issiiire tci the Medina boneatli , 8.2 
 
illl. 
 
 er, 
 < at 
 
 c.»i. 
 
 1.9 
 
 7 
 
 4 nillisl) Sllll<lKtun.-S ill twn l.„ils, spiitlill- ill slill.s... V't 
 
 3 Cnarsi-sfKidstoii.-— tlic fji;\v I! wn— VMiviii- iiiii. ji ii, 
 tliirUiicss. This is si-piiiul.-.l iV, ,,i IliV hcls aLnv 
 liy sl.jily partiri^^ -., 
 
 2 Mnliiia sliuifs— -le.'ii, iv,|, nr vari.-al.d _ |,„itl v 
 '•'•vir.'il Jicrc, liiit varioiH iiortiuns .'xiMc^nl in lu.iiiv 
 
 ^ '''""■" ".Ml..! 
 
 I l'v<i, -iv,.|i.aii(| varir-ati'.l sjiairs (tu-asiiir.I in Arlc- 
 
 "'"" ^^''11) ;;;,.l,„ 
 
 r.j5.o 
 
 T'ltal tliii Uiii'ss SoO.d 
 
 Skcikin II. (at i)iiMi|as), 
 Tlii< .MTlinn ua> in.asiMv,! |,iitl,v ajoii- liir Sydculiaiu ,-,,;ui, un.l 
 partly i:i tlu' -Ini jn.t w.si uf it TIh' lucasiiniiK-i.ts arc in 
 • ifscciidiii:,' nnlcT, and tlic ihiihImts uf tlir licds rcfn- t<> tlic i-qui- 
 valfiit Ip(m|,< in Smtinn I. 
 
 Nia';aiia Kiikmatimn. 
 
 I'iirrty dolomites, luiinin- iaow of cs, urinnunt along 
 K'. Sy.lcidiani road. 'Vhr \\\^\>vv |.oition in the section 
 
 <fc r.|.r.>sented at tl i'eak." by inoie than looiret, 
 
 ^- I'ein- reino\,.d |,y .|eiiiidatio"ii ;or some distaiiee 
 
 liai 1^ (i|' t||(> h|(,\v . . 1!) ii 
 
 1 1 I'oloinitie sjiales n o 
 
 111 Coinpait uiay dolomite, ni.i.v .,r l.vvs ar-illo-arenaee- 
 
 ollS ill heds iVom :.' (o J.r, frrt thi.k! 11,1, 
 
 U // SliHJy <|olomites , r 
 
 1» '/ IVdomiti<' shales ,, ,, 
 
 ') . ') 
 
 S ('oiajiait -i-ay d.doinite in one I,,.,], hi-hly efystal- 
 
 liiie, with cavities lille<l witii minerals. ....,' ;,.(■, 
 
 V (i lay dolomite, more or less ar-illar s mj) 
 
 ( I.INTO.S I' OIIMATION. 
 
 (> I 'liuioii >li, lies, with thin heds of ;iren..-ur-illae(«(.iis 
 
 A dolomites, s((metime-< I'errii-inoiis, .some .d' the heds 
 
 :> are hissilil'croiis. Alnnit jn feet from the top there 
 
 IS a hud of red I'ernininoii.s, eah areo-arenaeeotis 
 
 sandstone, rieh in e;isi> of lus.xils ^r, - 
 
 ,, , HS.T 
 
 4 Hliiish .■<and.^tone si)iittin^ into thin -iahs 2.I 
 
 Shaly partin.i,' ' ' ' 8 
 
 3 Coarse t,M-ay .sandstone— tl (Jray n.md '— varyin- 
 
 in thiikness from •; 7 to '.1 feet .7 a I 
 
 See btdow, 
 
 2&1 Medina variegated sliales (as eah nlated) ,-j;i5.o 
 
 54G.0 
 
 Total thirkness 691 . 5 
 
mm 
 
 SkCTIoN 111 (!!' ll.'IMlilt.iM) 
 
 Th.s K..cli..n Wis nuMHuml ai.-nuH..- Ln-w ..f il.o .■HrmTmciU at the 
 nty Mf II.>nill..M, l.-tv-.n tin- ravin.- af ti..- luml ..f .huMts .troe. 
 
 ,J .he Juily CM." r I. ul-... half u mil. to th. eastward. 
 
 Tho M-. lion IH ,n d... < mlinK ..nkr. The- nu.uhc.M.K cf t..e bed- 
 .,„...., K .1>.. M.,.i..u wi.h .iM ,...ns,,..mllnK h.d. a. Dundan. 
 (Sei! iii'l"' in Api'i'i'ili-'' ) 
 
 /.V>/.< 
 
 A'... 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 SlAtlAKA KdKMAIION. 
 
 Thin guiv ,l.>i.'n.itos. ui.h an ahumianr.. nf rhnty 
 
 n,„|„|c.s. This hc-.l iK known aK .hr M hcrt [.'I 
 
 and forn.s ,h.> bn.vv ..f tli.- rsrarpuunt a. • a'"' <' ' 
 
 and ..'astwani, h.-in- ::HH Uvi ah.'vo lak.,- a. head of 
 
 .lumuH str.M'l. At hf:.«l ol' (jiu-.-n Ktreet this suri.".^ 
 
 its 19 f«.'f. thiilv 
 
 ArKillur.nn. .h.lun.it.N with >l"^ly .P"'-«>."f^^T"K 
 portion knoNsn as tlu •• Uiu. niniaij.K lieds.' Ueds 
 
 T/iicknetn. 
 
 12.0 
 
 r.-l foo. thick. (Sim- analysis and los.silri.) 
 Dark har.l doloniilir shalrs and dolomites weathering 
 
 to -ray-and lowr hods mo.st shaly. (See analysis.) 10 
 Thirk IhmI Kray .ry-stallliio dolomite (nearly pure).. . 4 
 Ar^rillo-a.cnareoiis .hdomite in heds from 1-1.5 feet 
 
 thick. (Sec analysis) 
 
 15.5 
 
 8.8 
 
 51.;] 
 
 Cl IN" '>N Kor.MATION 
 
 rt/; Earlhv dolomite, with shaly partini:H ^-'^ 
 
 Go Chinu.n shales, all dolomilic, with thin hedji of harder 
 rock, some of which arc arena( eons, and others to 
 a thiikncssofal.oiit 7 feet, are areuu-ferrugiuous. ^ 
 The upper feet may be considered us paKsagc beds (0.9 
 5 i'a8.sai;e heds of argillaceous doh, mites. (Top project- 
 
 ing portion is glaciated, and is -M feet above lake) 8.8 
 
 93.7 
 
 Mi;i;iNA FoUM.vTioN. 
 
 4& 3 Coarse gray sandstone— CJ ray Baud." Thi-; bed ^ ^ 
 varies in thickness *^-^ 
 
 i& 1 Medina variegated rod and green shales. Thickness 
 
 from . alculalion of Dundas Artesian Well 538 . o 
 
 545.0 
 
 Total thickness 690.0 
 
SkcTION FV. (Illoliu U.isscdllX Clerk) 
 
 TtiiH HOftion i\\i,un liosscuiix Civ.U, fxirmU iiuin AIMon FiiIIm (in 
 Uirlnii TM\viiNl,i|,) to (';ii|i.iit,i's I,iiii(Uilii>, oi, till' H.irnilt.'ri 
 iirid (' ..|,.(|,,riiii. mail. 'J"|iik line I'ullnws uciiily th.- stiikr df the 
 I'Mriiialiuii 'I'll,, s,., tioii IN ill .|.s( ,.|i,Iiii^ i.nlir. Tin- iniiiil-i'rinK 
 of Ihc 1m(|s ri'lcrii t«> lli. (•.)rrc>i|iciiiiliiii; sliata a( Haiiiiltoii and 
 Diimias 
 
 Only thf NiiiKani {•"oiin.itii.n is iiiMostnUil 
 
 ^"- r,,t. 
 
 Dark icray l>itiiniiii(.iis (lulnniitcs at Cariicntci's Liiiif- 
 kiln, U. VI, lot 1,^, liait.iii. 'llic tn|p licl is iw.i iVct 
 tliiik, with ^;lai i.itcil siiifarc 'l'i,js l,,.,] (.niitaiiis 
 
 niiuiidanic (if Stri>iiiat>i|Hiia 11,6 
 
 BccIk f'oiircalcij 42.7 
 
 Gri'j- l.itiiniiiKMis ii>i|uiiiit..'s (ilan;;.. VII. I<it 7. Hartoii) 
 bi'ils ii,'.':,_l.M fool tliirk. t oiilaiiiiiiL; i avitic.-i liliiMi 
 witli liariti'. calriti'.sclfiiiti'. lliiuritc. Kitlfnitc. s|ilia- 
 It'iitf, ami other minerals in heaiitifiil rrystuls, 
 
 liL'sities liitniniuiioiis matter 15.1 
 
 Covered hed.s . , 57 
 
 Eurthy eoinpaet dolomite (Kanire VII, lot .''.). 6.2 
 
 (The following; jn down the (reek. li. Vil, lot.s 4-1.) 
 
 Fine KT'ii'ied dark dolomite, in one hed, with }:la( iated 
 gurfaee 2.2 
 
 Areno-arj,'illaeeoiis (l(doinites. in thin hed-, witji shah- 
 part in.us. o.'J-O. I foot tlii( k '. 12.3 
 
 Dark iirown liar's, areno-ar;.nlla(eous, ;vitii films of 
 dolomite , 13 
 
 Shaly dolomite (with ahiindaii'e of Str>-fililayiivt) .. . 2.5 
 Blue arenaceous shale.s, hardened with erystalline 
 
 jiartieles of doionuti' 2.9 
 
 Arf^illaeeoiis (hdomitcs 3,2 
 
 Blue and red shaly rock 3.0 
 
 Dolomitie HaK'^(Avieula lied), dark brown arenftceous 5.4 
 
 C(>v(;red hed.s 3 
 
 Kartliy dolomites, forming bed of ireck 7.5 
 
 Covered beds 3 _ 7 
 
 Thin gray dolomites (areno-argillaceou.s), forming 
 brow of e.scarpmunt, just west of Falls 4.0 
 
 132.2 
 
 '112 
 
 ^ j2 Cherty dolomite.s, at Albion Falls 18.4 
 
 10 Argillaceou.s dolomites, in thin beds, with slialv part- 
 
 i"g« '. 22.6 
 
 9 riue hard dolomitic hhales, with bedt, of shaly do- 
 lomites 12.0 
 
 8 Gray crystalline dolomite, in one bed 4.9 
 
 7 Argillo-arenaceoufi dolomites, in thin beds 7.7 
 
 65.6 
 
 Vol. X. 
 
 Total tbickuess of Niagara beda 197.8 
 
 I 2 No. 3. 
 
mm 
 
 »Km» 
 
 10 
 
 IV.- -THE MEDINA FOUMATION. 
 
 Tn ronrrin..- .n tl,c r.oolo^.ic.-.l FuT-ts of tl.. St.te of Now 
 York, .e Irarn that iW M.-dina lornntion n«sts on what is 
 known a. '■ On-i-U Conulnn.r.to." whioL in OruMda County has 
 onlv a thickness of ^f, f.T. thnu.h .W.wlu.vc it is as much n. 
 l.)0 iVo. thick. whiU> in 11 . Stat, of l>onnsylvaM,a it ts aovc^ed 
 t„th.>....a,tor7niM:vt. Thnv .pp.ars to have h-.n a p-^laal 
 p.,.s:,.n. irnn. th. b n,] .>! .r:,y <MHls.nn.s t.rnunatnr^ the Iliid- 
 Ln Itiv.r lnrn.a,inn in ( In- ich. .nd O^w,-. counti.^, to the 
 ;.v.rlvln.. co..lou)or-.t<>. both of w!:ioh d. posits, how^vr are 
 w.ntin -n tho ue^torn part of the Stat<., and .,v entirely absent 
 ,•,„„„ th>. ^.rio. i-i C;,n-:da.;,sindicatrd at a short distance rast 
 .,f (,d<v;n..nn tl>o nurlh-w..st.'rn sido of I.ako Ont.no, whore 
 ,1, . u| per b.d^ b.4on. i"- to ,h- clos. of th. (-nnbro-Sihinan A^e 
 ;,ro Mvn to r-st b nva'h tho^e at tli^' (.ounn.M.c^'Ui.MU ..f Medina 
 
 Tn tneiii- ti;e M-lina f.rin.ifion iV-ui < )<wouo County, N.Y.. 
 it Is tound to iM«rH-.so in thi.k'uss uatil ir :.;t.d,H a dovolopn.ent 
 ,,r.,.v,ral hundred n- t in tho ^^■■•<U'Vu parr of th. State, and at 
 |),.,„p , at iho h> -d of Lak. Ontario, it is Hd:) lerl thick. 
 A ain the .roup .rr.da ^lly di.> out lo iho .v.-tward. and is .u.ly 
 rcprosonto.l In the St::t.' of Ohio by t. t. or twonty feet of red and 
 blu" motthd sli;il"s. 
 
 Almost th" wl'ol'' -a-h-s i^ n.ivle up .,f nioro or less calcareous 
 sird. s. some of which are a!s.» aren:ieeous (,Mid almost resemble 
 thin Ha- of unpure sandstone). Tn color t!,c .-hah'S are red. 
 „re. n, or varic-anMl. Th- seri- is capp. d by a coarse sand-tone, 
 ^■idci: is irn-ularly deposited o,d has a thickness io tho ia-i(m 
 „f Duod ..> and TIaniilton, v.ryin- irom sevm to t.a. feet. It is 
 known bv the naui- (d' the "Gray Kand," and is a characteristic 
 stratum from the Niagara l^iver to the Ge(M-i-n l^ay. Sorue- 
 times, liowev.'r, it thins out to men- wcd;ies, bnt the hollows 
 occasioned by the sudden thinnln- process is filled up with ( arthy 
 calcareous sandstones. This structure is well illustr.ated by a 
 section in the glen just west of the Sy.hnham road, Dundas— 
 the Ibllowini: section would not be repren iited lon-itudinally by 
 more than tidrty feet: 
 
11 
 
 2.1 feet JUuisli siiiidstoiK; 2.1 feet. 
 
 0.8 " Sliiily piirtin.Lrs 0.8 " 
 
 TJiin slialy siindstdins | 
 
 I" 6.7 " 
 '1.0 " S.ui'istoin- : Tiic •'(.Jrny Hiiiid." 
 
 1.3 " SiindstoiK- 0.9 " 
 
 Liy tlii> nir 111.- it will !»• mi n tii,;t ilic wlml" ^.'pies docs not 
 uiatcri.illy niter in thicktir.'^s, but tlmt tliu utidulation.s of tlic 
 S'..' "ac'o III' tlie ■"dray Bind" resulted frniu unequal deposits ol' 
 sand alonj:; tlio ^cv. lU'iriiins, md it'tt-rwirds the inccjualitios were 
 filled up by sodinionts (if sliirlitly different cliarieter. Sonietiniss 
 the -'Oray IJ.iiid '" sliow.s rijijiU; luiivks on it> upper surl';ice, 
 while tiio Dioro slialy D.irliuirs have tlu'ir ,-^urfaco characterised 
 by wave action. 
 
 At Grinibsy. the lower pdition of thi.s band i.s of the u.sual 
 gr;iy c(ih)r, but it parses into biiLrht red sandstoni-.s irregularly 
 deposited, und conspicuously mottled by large sjiots of a <^ray 
 tint. At this hicdity tin; Arthn^phjjcKs hdrlnni i.s very abun- 
 dant, .aid tliou::h fouiul in both the uray .lud red sandstones, 
 it is more cdunnon in the iVirmer. 
 
 At Diindas the cappiiit;' portion oi' th' • Gray H;iiid '" consists of 
 a bluisji s;indst(Mie resemblinii' (juartzite, though this subdivision 
 ill the character of the beds is not noticeable at Il.imilton. 
 
 All the thicker bids of Medina sandstone form excellent build 
 in<i' material, tliouij;h difficult to wcn-k on acciumt of its compact 
 ness and tou<ihness. 
 
 Along the runoit of the Ni;ii;ar.i Kiver more than 200 feet 
 of the shales are exposed. So, also. tlnu'C are excellent exposures 
 in many of the gorges about the liead of Ltike Ontario, Perhap.s 
 the best section of the sliales is 10 be obtaii:od by following up 
 the stream which flows into Burlington Bay after passing by the 
 village of Waterdown. In ttie deep gorge of thi.s stream tin; 
 upper 250 feet of Medina shale is more or less exjiosed, though 
 in Home places covered by landslides. The base ol' the Medina 
 is exposed at a short distance east of Oakville. 
 
 At Dundas, an Artesian well was sunk a few yoar.^ ago, and 
 the following is the leg of the boring, as publi.slied in the Dundas 
 Banner : 
 
 *:.» 
 
 1 
 
^■p 
 
 ■HI 
 
 12 
 
 Ilciildcr Till 20 feet. 
 
 Biu.'Cliiy 48 " 
 
 Clay and IJhuk Suiiil 5 " 
 
 Ucd Shales 341 " 
 
 Liinfst( mo and Grits fiSO " 
 
 Total I)ei)tli KOO " 
 
 The record of the eliar.ictor of the lower portions of the boring 
 was not uivon. The "limestone and i^rits" represent rocks of 
 the Hudson Hiver formation. The record ;i]so stated that at 
 290 feet from the surface there was a thin bed of sandstone with 
 a flow of iris and water; at :}<l(l feet there was a flow of water 
 risinjrciuht feet above the surfaee; at 1)70 feet there was a heavy 
 flow of "-as. This imperl'eet record is unfortunately all that 
 remains of much money that was expended in seeivinLi- for a supply 
 of water for tlie town. Tiie secretaiy of the Well iJompany has 
 since died, and the complete record is lost. IIow(;vor, it .serves 
 a purpose, and by connectinix the levels of tlie mouth of the well 
 (which is 1:^9 feet abo\e L.-ikc Ontario) witii the adjacent 
 Medina beils, we are enableiJ to calculate \\h'. thickness of the 
 whole formation. 
 
 Other wells Iiavo been sunk to a considerable d( pth, years ago, 
 but unfortunately their lous are not in existence. One, at an 
 oil r< finery, east of Hamilton, was sunk into the Medina shales, 
 or perhaps just throuuh them, when a siiffieient supply of water 
 was obtained, but which was strongly alkaline (see analysis below). 
 At 40 feet from the surface (about 27;') from top of the Medina 
 series) a thin bed of sandstone was found. Another thin bed of 
 sandstone comes to an out-crop at Hurlin^ton, on the northern 
 side of the bay of the same name. Tlie beils found at these two 
 places are probably of the same horizon aithoaj;h their con- 
 tinuity is broken by the cj'Uso which oriirinated Burlinuton Bay. 
 
 There was another important well sunk to a depth of 1009 
 feet, at the Royal Hotel, Hamilton, but tlioutrh some water wis 
 procured by me and then analysed, the record of the boring was 
 lost in a burning building. The east( rn part of Hamilton is 
 situated almost directly on Medina clays; but the surface of 
 the.se is covered to a considerable tliickness in the western part 
 ( f the city by drift, which partly fills a Pliocene valley. (See a 
 future paper on Surface Geoloiry.) 
 
 The character of the Medina shales is shown by the following 
 chcniical analysis. The specimen chosen was typical of the 
 
14^ 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 j^reen indurated .shales which uii woatheriug becoinu red. It 
 was obtiiiut'd from a freshly broken surf"cc at nn .-irtitical ditch 
 ill Ainsley's Flollow, west of Ilauiilton. 
 
 Silicii r)0-2 
 
 Alnmiuii 12'0 
 
 Iron Piolcixidc 1-5 
 
 Linu; 17-7 
 
 MajLciiosia 5-8 
 
 Carbon Dioxido 11-6 
 
 988 
 A portion of the lime and magnesia was present as silicates, 
 some of whieli was decomposed by acids. In varioi'.s aiialy.sis of 
 the ^ledina shale, made by Dr. 8terry Hunt, less than one per 
 cent, of fixed alkalis was found to be present. Uiuler the micro- 
 scope, tlHS(> rocks exhibit small crystalline doloinifie particles 
 scattered llimugli the mass, sometimes uniformly, and snuetimes 
 in thin layers. 
 
 Fnuii the geological evidence adduced by the Ohio Geological 
 Survey (as will be iii'ticed under the CMiiiton formation), the 
 Hudson River formatioii was raised up into a sliore line be- 
 fore the deposition of the members <if the Niagara group. In 
 the St:ite dl' New York the Meiiina seas laved tlie shores of the 
 ShawaMiiiuik Mountains, wheriee the pebbUs for tlie conglome- 
 rate of tli<- Inwcr portion of the series were derived. The western 
 m irLiin of the sea wa< b( unded by the " Cincinnati Arch," which 
 has been an upland since the close of the Cambro-Silurian Aire. 
 The arenaceous material of the Medina series was obtained 
 largely from the adjacent highland.s to the eastward, althou<jh 
 a portion of tht; sediments that form tiie " Gray band" was pro- 
 bably derived from the denudation of the more siliceous portions 
 of the Hudson River furmation of the Canadian shores. 
 
 The shaly beds ol' the Hudson Hiver stories, and particularly 
 those of the Utica formation of the Canadian highhmds, formed 
 an abundant source whence denudations could derive an ample 
 supply of clay to produce tlie wide-spread oft-shore deposit of 
 Medina shales in the northern portion of the ."-ca. The period 
 was Lretierally one of subsidence until its close, when thc^ "Gray 
 baud " was deposited, to be followed by the Clinton shallow 
 seas, which were to be filled up witli impure limestones alternat- 
 uvx with muddy sediments brought down from the adjacent 
 shores. 
 
14 
 
 Orgnnir Rrmdiiis.—Oxw i>r two fiM^^iiniits of obscure seu- 
 wtds Inve been tioticcil by Col, dr.iht in the sbalt's. otbt'rwi.so 
 tbcy apfx'.ir to he (livoi(j of" (l^;,^•^llislll^. 
 
 'J'lic "(ir.-i}' r.irid," iiowcvt!!'. rnnfaiiis a IVw fxxnly pri'^erved 
 casts oi'sbulls, b(!si(if.s scviral species of sua-wueds. Tbu fossila 
 ■ire usually lomid crowil <1 toL:' tin r on sonn; purtioiis of thi- stir- 
 liico oltlit; satidstoiii s, overlaid by more or less eartliy partings, 
 particul.irly at t\v junctim) with the nverlyinii Clinton, or tbose 
 b,ds th.il mi^lit perli;!ps b< eonsiibrod bids oj' pHss;it;'e. 
 
 'J be sr,(-uet;ds ail' thf ni(i-i enmnion. Art/irnp/ij/cii.s hurLini 
 IS ai)niid :nt at (i rim-by. Tbc br.ineln's ol' tbis orLranisiu is 
 ifionu'tiines C'lniii oU'd witli idb. d iindules, bavins;- ibe appearance 
 of fiiiit pods; bowever, sonir j)al{coiitolouist> consider J>Y/(ro- 
 f)lij/'-iis ,is woini tiaek-s, and. il tiiis be tbe e isc. ibrso lobed ex- 
 pansions are simply vxirm burrow.- :,t tbe end oi' tbe tracks. 
 
 A ennsideiabl" numlxT oC ntHloiibted worm tracks or Icbnites 
 is also (bund. .\il the fi^-sils consist of notbini; more than casts 
 in tin K.indslonc. 
 
 Tbe bdlowini; inea-n list of fo^,v;i|< has been obtained. 
 
 (\\TAI,C)(iUK OF .MEDI.N.V FCSSIf.S. 
 
 (i<'»pr(t mill s/i/'i-i'i-s IxPhmirf. 
 
 Art/iro/i/i!/cus harlain Hall, 1852, I'nl. X. Y., Vol. II. 
 
 !.<ir'ii/ii/ — Grimsby, Out. 
 
 " " Fruit (?) 
 
 f.OfdIitii — Ul'iinsliy. 
 
 PaUeoiifn/ciis sp 
 
 I.ociilii.ii — flauiiitdii and Urimsti\. 
 
 Z-iphrentis Lilatevaiis llnll, ISaU, Pal. N, V., Vt)l, II 
 
 J.ocalihj — Hamilton and Grinisliy. 
 
 Atrt/pa ohhit,< Hall. IS.'vj. Pal. N. Y., Vol. II. 
 
 l.oeaiih! — Hamilton and (iiimsliv. 
 
 V'.}Ji,>lop''is or//ioii»la ('(.luad. IS.'Jli, Ann. Kep. N. Y. 
 
 Liii'd iiii — Hamiltiin. 
 
 " Rp 
 
 Locoliii,' — Dnndas. Hamilton, and <irimsby. 
 
 .)lurch/.'<on>\r rn'miiia 'Jonrad, ]S4'J,Jour Aead. Nat. Sc. 
 
 LocaUtu — Handlton. 
 
 " ron<u,l,:t Hull, 18.^2. Pal, N. Y., Vol. II. 
 
 J.oc/i/iti/ — Hamilton and Grimsby, 
 
 Plnirotomaria litoro,i Hall. 185'_'. Pal. N. Y,, Vol. II. 
 
 Locality — Hamilton and Grimsby, 
 
 " i'ervetiisl,! Coniad, 18:i8, Auu, Rep. N. Y. 
 
 LocaiUi/ — Handlton and Grimsbv, 
 
 hhinten (several i^peeits) 
 
 Locaiiti/ — Hamilton and Grimsbv. 
 

 15 
 
 V . — CLINTON I'OK.MATION. 
 
 Tn •^outh'Ti) Hcrkiuur County, \. V., tlir M* Jiin foruiitioti 
 
 is wiiiitinir. aii'l tlic Clinton rcsis on lliin deposits of Oneida 
 cont:l'Mnir;iti . whicli it^i'H'dies (lut iartliiT to tli(> i>;ist. In the 
 more eiisrci-n p'lrtioiis of tho St itc of New York, wihtc the 
 Clinton .-eii'- sueo'eds the .Medina, it [Mi'take^i ol'it> litliolo^ieul 
 ciianieli ristio. However, as i!i' Clinton cxiiiids wi»t\vird its 
 shales beconie iiitei'ealited with c ileal". 'oui di'[»f)sits th t I'oiin a 
 oonspiciioHs leitiire. The etlcireous hid- incrcise in import inee 
 as ihc i'oini itioiii extends wesiwird in the I'rovinee ot'Onlario. 
 ami at llaniiiton tln'v so nearly re> nilile tIio.->e .ii' the overlying 
 Xii'_:ai'-i. th t the line of .-epiritioii heeoims alnio-t ailiiti'.o-y. 
 The N w V'lk * Jeoio-'ist.- pLci'd , L.rd i^vei" ol' ilo'i^mite, con- 
 tainiiiu icm. ii:> e,l' I'l'iifmnt riiti. and kiinivn ..,- ;he •• IV nlamerua 
 Rami." ..> tue up[).T h' d of the Clinton of New York, whilt; tie' 
 Canadian ( IiMloLieal Survy considered it :'s th" hnve-t bed of" 
 the Ni 1- ii'a Miie>, which in our I'lovine''. it nlo^t nearly re- 
 s''ndjle>. 'I'lie 1 ttvir d':\isie;i. heiweii t!:'' Cdntoii ,ind Nii^'ai-a. 
 T have ;idi.jt'd ill this jap r, il' indeed, a liivi-ion, exeept I'or 
 convene in;!', .-lionid he tn, d.. In I'lct, tie,; upper nine i.'et of 
 the Clinton dep()<n>, at II- niiltoti mi-ht will be ]iliced \vi;h the 
 Ni;<<i'ara ;d)ivi-e. N'or Te t|ic;-e ;imv p d;C' 'nl't'ouie d LTn'it\ds of 
 sejuratinii. 
 
 T.;. Clin;' 11 .iioup Ui.:y be described as dolomitic -ledes, with 
 iiuni' iiui- ihin bids of •iruillo-avi ii;,(;eeu^ d(i|wmit>>, some ni'\vhich 
 almost ie-anb!e impure s-mlslone. Tne i!i<lur..ted sh.ah-s arc 
 j^eiiei-dly of blue or daik .^t :y, but in weatlierin^' tie y assume 
 a red, brown or buti' eoloi\ -M Miy id' tlie more cilcireous b uids 
 are i^liiy l'"--ilii'eri)us. About twenty I'eet u om ihe top of the 
 sene tierr i- a red or brown le'i'rue'iieius caleareo areir.x'eous 
 rock, thou! ' i;^ht l(>et tluek, holdiie.- -'n .abundance of ca.sts of 
 fos.-ils, wliicii are mostly of the '^e^nera Mi/Jio'nji.n's aed Li'Kjiiht. 
 
 It may bv: here remarked that pom; of tiie L nmHihritiicliitte 
 sholN vetiin any pMT of their oriii-ia.d tests, while tin' LiiignliP 
 have their .>!iril.> well pri.'sjrvcd, aie! often of a blue color. 
 
 Thi> hi d of red lerru^'inou> rock is the iepre>cni,itive of that 
 peeuliir bed of oolitic iron ore, called •' Fossil Ore," t'orminjj; u 
 cl. r eterl-tic elejuent of the Clinton group, extendin.; frotu 
 Wisconsin to New York, and thcnco along the A[)palachiau 
 Chain rc/ Tenucssee and Alabama. Tn some places the "fossil 
 
mm 
 
 16 
 
 (Hi: " is only vcprtiMMitiid by ll'iriiiiinous stains on tlif rock. This 
 iron milder oiuii'' probably from tlie (loriudatinn of tlic vxtru 
 nivc iron ore deposits, lluroni.in Aire, just nortli of tlio Clinton 
 sea, in wliat is now Micliiiran. 
 
 Tlic lower nine I'eet of the ('linton beds ;nv coiiipo-ed ofaro-il- 
 1 iceniis dolomites with shnly p.irtinu^, wliieh are soiuetinios 
 )»i!iiinirious. Sonif ol'tliesi' layers are so ^rannlar ;ind .ireiiace- 
 (nis .-IS aininst to n'siinl)le s iiidstones. Kroni the lew fossils 
 nbtained lirre. these reclcs may b^' oonsidere(l as beds of [.assai^e 
 from the Mdliiia. Inchldinu the b(M],> that I hav*' placed as 
 beds of pass it;r It the h ise and those at the summit of the L'lin- 
 ti>n inniKitioii, tlic whole thickness at Hamilton is !>4 teet, and 
 ,1 Diindas .SS I'd t. 
 
 In New Vork. on thi- (l-iiesee Hiver. the Clinton j^rniip has u 
 tiiiekin',-s (if Sli fi'et, eousistin- of c ilcareous shales with thin 
 beds ol shaly dolomite, toi^ether with the characteristic (hj/ifLC 
 
 1 roll ii/'i heil . 
 
 In Ohiii this foi'tiiitinn is rrprociittMl by s dmnn-colored doio- 
 mitic linii'sloiie- which vary in thickness from !'> to 40 feet. 
 
 As has lieen nniiced. the Clinton deposit^ litholoii'ically re- 
 semble thn.M' nf the Medina, in (astern New York, while in the 
 wi>stern [lait nf the Slate, tln-y approximate to the overlying 
 iNiatrai,,. This nH>mbiani-c is still ^-reater in Canada, where 
 much (if the shaly matter is replaced by calcareous rocks, and 
 ill Ohio. accordiiiLi' to the (leolouical Survey of that State the 
 ar_'iilace(UH b als :irv. wholly replaced by limestones. Au''iin 
 thosi! ditfereiiees in the i'os>ils which characterise th'' respective 
 Cliiiton and Niagara formations in eastern New York lar«^elv 
 disajipeir in the more western deposits. In Canada the paljeon- 
 toiouical difference.- .seem t<. be due to the state of preserv.ition of 
 or-anic remains in the shales and limestones respectively ; for the 
 f-nms which occur in the Clintnn limestones are ,:;cnerally found 
 n the culc ire(nis rocks of the overlyin- Niagara, whilst the prin- 
 cijial differences are in those I'o.ssils preserved in the Clinton 
 shales, which are not represented above by similar rocks. Id 
 i'act there is no more v.iriation in tlie fo.ssils found in the Clinton 
 and Niaoara formations at li imilton than there is between tho.se 
 of the Niagara '■ Chert Bed " at Hauiilton and of the upper layers 
 at Burton, five miles distant 
 
 Profes.sor Orton found that the Clinton of Ohio contains 
 pebbles of the "Cincinnati (Hudson River) limestones." In 
 
17 
 
 th(! south- western p.irt of th.it State tho deposits ufidi-r consider 
 iitioti rest either ou rocks of the Ciuciniuiti j;roup, or on the 
 thin development of Medina shales (which are from ten to twenty 
 Ket thick). Tlie eonylomerates sliow that tJK; underlyini,' form- 
 ations of the Cimbro-Silurian Ai:e had been iiardened and up 
 lifted into cliffs and shore lines before tlie comnjeneement and 
 deposition of the sediments in the sea^ of the Clinton epoch. At 
 this time the Canadian Sea was one of shallow water. At Dun- 
 da.s, Hamilton and elsewhere, v.irioiis thin hard beds from the 
 hast! to the summit of the formation hav(! their .-url'aees covered 
 A'ith ripple marks. As (lie muddy sediments, which lilled up 
 the northern and north-ei.stern portion of tin; Medina Sea, were 
 principally derived from tin dchris of the lltica .uid Hudson 
 Itiver jzroups of the Canadian hij:;lilands, .><o also the (Jlinton 
 .-h.des appear tn have been deriveu .. m the same snurce ; but 
 these muds ;j;r "u.dly i^ave pi ,ee lo thr' organic liuicstone in the 
 west(!rn portion of the Clinton se i^. 
 
 Orgiiiitr Jicni'iiiis in llif iHiiitdu Fitnnutlon. — Rt'centiy an 
 interestiiii: !;roU[t of small fossil,^ wa.> discovered by (jleorij:;e J. 
 Hinde, Exp, F.G.S., in (ilen Speneer. Dnndas. The.-^e orj^'un 
 isms appear as black shining chitinnii,-^ objects on the -urface of 
 the stone, usually about the twelfth of an inch in lenf:;th or less, 
 and wore reco^'nized by Mr. Hinde a.^ the jaws of annelids or 
 worms. They will be found de-scribed and fi::ured in the Auj'ust 
 number of the -Quarterly .Journal of the Geolouical Society of 
 ].,ondon," for l.sTD. Kxceptin-; the j iws. no portions of the heads 
 of the animals were fouml. The followin<r is u cataloirue of Mr. 
 Hiride's species: 
 
 KK().^[ TIIK CLINTO.N BEDS. 
 
 Ennirilc!< c/in/oucnsin. 
 Fjunii-iti:>i oronalun. 
 Euniciira chir'j7iior/ihu*. 
 (Enoniles am/dus. 
 (En oniteii tragil in . 
 Ardltfl.lit.fn e.itijanx. 
 JjWnbricoiLcrcili-s liitailis. 
 Luin/iriroHi'riult's truiiigulartt. 
 Iiumhricoiicrcitex armuLua. 
 (jrlyceriten calceolus. 
 
 Besides these, he describes three species from the Niagara 
 formation ; and as I have not the specimens in my collection, 
 I will include them here with the Clinton species: 
 
 (Enonites ? infreqiiem. 
 Arabellites .nrnilis. 
 Slaurocephalites niagarentis. 
 Vol. X. K No. 3- 
 
1! 
 
 18 
 
 Till' In'lnu ill.: I- I i-iitiiinuMi' III' the (Miiilnii ln-sil> dltfiiiiicd 
 at lliiiiiiltdii ml hMiiili-^. Tlii^ '•!it;iliiL:iit' iIih-s nut cniitiiin ;i|| 
 llir spccii , 'li.it ;ii-.' iiicliKlril witli tln' Ni;i'j'.ir;i '.:r<tu|t proper, 
 wliicli Cnj, (iniiit .iijil iiiv^cirinvr rmiii'l 111 ill'' -o called (.'lintou 
 
 lieiU. llllt niiiv file more .•mi-piciliMH -ilM eie-. Ml- llid^e iidt i'diuul 
 lliulli I' ll]i it I lallliltiiii. 
 
 r.\l'.\l,li(J| K -^l- eiivi-i.V i.'dssll,^ MCiTiMMM; \r ll\MII.T(»V. 
 
 ci-Aia; \ \si. ,-i'::c II-.-, i;!-,ri-;::i.\ei;, 
 
 /l>l//i'.fl'ri,/,i^ :/rri,;7;' Hull. l':i|;in||t. N'.'i',. IS.".:', 
 
 " jiiil iiiiilil ■• •• •' 
 
 Units civ .uicill-, , I///,,' •• .. .1 
 
 Striiiiiii'i'/iiiiii s|' 
 
 ('i>iii,/,/ii///iiiii iiiihiitii II < Ilal!. l':ila'iaii, .\.^.. l-^'."!'.'. 
 
 Miiiiiii iili'i'iir't .'vi''7" ■ '■!/' '^:i\'. ■• IS 17. 
 
 X,ij,l,r,i,lix l.;i.,l. rii!" ll:ill. r;i;;e(.|il. \ \ .. Is.")'.'. 
 
 (1 riiiiliil it liii.-< i-liiiiiiii, iisi.-' 
 
 h'llli.lil.x r,ri,iyiiy 
 
 J'lihi iisl( I- ';i\uili . . S|ii-iii .a'. Niau. I''ii>>. 1 >s-J. 
 
 F.iii'iillUti,,. ,,/>• .;,,•,,,■!! I'liilli).-. .Mii;-rii.. Si;, .-^v.-t.. |s:i;t. 
 
 Ih liifiinn :■ ujlhs |I:|||, !'.i!;i.(,u|. \.V.. \<y>. 
 
 Chi! I(i"yi,i I'mii li.y.i 
 
 /■', If yh //,! rri-,'., l.'aH|.,,l.'|l,.. ^|l|l■|■|| . Sil. Sv.-t.. ISIill. 
 
 /■'"•'■"'•■/""■' Hall. :''ali l;.|it.Mri;,"_;,.iits. N.V.. i.sTa 
 
 ''I'll'-'- llall. l';i!;i'iii]l. .\.V.. iS.VJ. 
 
 ■' 'iir, ,,„/.< '^|Miic, I-. 11. s. \iaL;ar:i Fnssils. ISS'J. 
 
 /'l. /://:.,,:■■ ,.„: 1,1.1 II;, 11. |';|l,.|.,,||t, X.V., j S ,-, J . 
 
 Jili'!i<<i'i'ni r. I, .■.-■! SjMii, i-i- U.S. N'i.'i-ara I'Vissils. ISS2. 
 
 Ji'rlr/.oni .nniuhUn |[;|||. i';| Ijr, ,nl . N'.\'.. IS.",'.'. 
 
 '/\/ imi/'i/iurii Infii irii/nsii •' 
 
 Mvrii'l'i i'i/lii>:lririi (.') •• .. .. 
 
 A//ii/r/s (M'-n's/, I'l',/) i,,ii-i/nn'ils. . . ■• 
 
 i>lr"iili',iih'ii.i r/in,ii/„. ,■,/„/,'.< WaliliailirrL:-. .\( i, So-. Sci, t'iisai, 1821 
 
 (hihi.s rlr,i,n,i,i!,i Ddliiiaii. |S':;7. 
 
 Liiiiiul'i 'I'lli'iiijii (.onniil. Aim. Il-p.. X.\'., is:!',i. 
 
 "'"'"''" Fliill. I'Mlaoiil. X.^'., |S.-,J. 
 
 J'n.viiiliirilil (.■■) (i/(i/j 
 
 J'li.io l,,ii,,iiii/., Q>y 1 1, mill,., i. If, I .... ■■ .1 .. 
 
 ih/fiiiiiii/a .>j). (.') 
 
 Moilioli>/'.'<i.'<.sy\'] midefiird spe's. 
 
 /'lil/l/os/oimi inil;j,trfli.'<i Hiill. l'il|;e,ait. X.V.. 1S;VJ. 
 
 ^1» 
 
 Ortliin-i.niH r/nro/uni [(;i|l. I'ahnail. X. V.. \S:,'2. 
 
 Oi>ctjci'niii Kuhri'Ctiiiii •• .. ,, 
 
 Voiiuliiriu nidf/nrenyi.H. . . . u .i ,; 
 
 Tfnhiritlitc.'f /iy/n/i.y u .> „ 
 
 RuKivlinifi'ii hUiihdtii.^ 
 
 Ichnitox, I'oui- nud'.'tiamM spcc'K. 
 
1 
 
 H) 
 
 i.sTr. 
 
 \ \. M \«. \l; A I'lilJ.M \ I |i»N. 
 
 Tiiiimjiiii'hji iiiiil /)isiii/'iih(ii, .-■{)\{'\-\\][\>_ tin Cliutiiii Inriii- 
 ati'iii. til'' iii(>.>l iiii|inrt:iiit iiiiiiil.tri- I.I' ilif Miio- til'' NinL'ara 
 
 (pI'KjHT ; — is Illllcll Ihi'iT \s i'lf'i V (li'\ ilii|ii'il tli.ni tllf Inwcr |i(ir- 
 tioil.- (<{' the '^inlij, wliicli itlT liirui'ly m lilr t||i ol' ll|i'cl\,llli(':ll 
 (U'|in.»it.-. ()\vill'^ ti' illf li.ini liliH'st"IH'> 111 the Niill^ifil ('I'licll 
 surmiMiiiliir^ >• vi ra! Iiiiinli.d l.ii ol m'Ii Mcdiii i and ('lintim 
 sillily inclv's. it |(inii> :i cnii.-i.iiiiiiU- Ir.ituii- in llir rdiintry -till,' 
 .-iiiiiiiiir 111' iln' Nia^iir.i (sc:ir)iiiii'iil • a- aluii:: it- nuitlicrii ami 
 imrtli-i'Msti'Mi iiiaruiiis, (lir snl'tt r inaliiial rminiiiL: llic l>ii>i' of 
 riil'ji' lia.« bi-t'ii ri'tiiovi'd liy > I'lsii'ii. '■ ivini: alMiipt dills. 
 
 The iiiii>l rasti'iti i'.\|Mi~nt <■- "I' thi- t'driiiatiipii in New Yurk 
 afc near llic Inwii of Cat'^idll. im tlif lliid.-iiri Ivivcr. I'loiii this 
 phit-r it rxtriid> wcstw.iiil thri'Uuli tln' I'ciitial and wrstcrn parts 
 (•!' flic Srat'. liirininL; tin- Imid >l'ipr.-, a I'l'V. niilis south (if. and 
 parallel In, Ijiikv. ()iitaiiii. Kntciinu Canada at tin- Niajfara 
 liiviT. its dii'i'Ctidii i> wistward. nraily pai'alh'l with its «//•//.•(', 
 its I'af as i>iii'das. at llir fxtrcnn' wistrni I'nd d' Lakr Ontario. 
 Hi'i'i' the ranLic ot' liill> clianLii's it- onnrsr aii'l cvti'iids to (,'apc 
 Ilurd. and ihrnci' tliinuL:li .^^.lllit(llllill and Cnckburn Islands. 
 'J'lu' lanur of liiils Miulh ' I ih.' hikt;. a.s \\r liuvc iiotieod. is about 
 400 Icct hiuh and ui'iicrally ii.'> an abrupt rata'. Howi'vi-r, (roui 
 Duiidas to (iiorLiian l»av. altliou;^li tin- fount ly is of a hii:licr alti- 
 tude, till' I'eatuics ale le,-> bioken on their eastern .side, as they 
 reet'de tVoiii Jiake Ontaiio. 
 
 The southern portion ol' the b isin ol Jiuke Ontario is excavated 
 in Medina shales, while it> northern side is .scooped out of the 
 various rocks of the Hudson Uiver. and the shales of the Utica 
 foriuation, which onci' foiiiicd the ni.Uirin ol the old s^' a in the 
 Nia<iara period. 
 
 From the northern end of J^ake Huron the Niagara foriua- 
 tion extemls into Hruiiiniond I.-i.ind. and thence aloiiL: the whole 
 northerii and western >hores of li.ike Michigan. Auaiii. the 
 liiar-^in of the se is in this period .abutted against thi' Appalacliian 
 chain as far south as Tennessee, as is shown by the rem.aiiis of 
 their old deposits. The large island of the ••Cincinnati Arch" 
 ibrmed part of the b.irricr at the southern margin of the Medi- 
 terranean Sea, which extended over a region of thirteen degree.* 
 of longitude and eight of latitude, in the Niagara period, or, wc 
 may say, in the Silurian age. 
 
^i^ 
 
 L'd 
 
 III Catiiiila iiKiny ^tl•.•atlls cut tlirmiu'li tlu- rockH of tlic rcL'ion 
 iiiidi r ('(iii.siil'T.'itioii, Hiid -.rive fine fxposuri's nf tlicir iro'ilo^ical 
 structiiri'. Till" -trciiiis invari;ibly cxcavattf iiictunsrmc <;lcns, 
 at iIk' Ik id n{wlii<.li ire usually cuM-ado in iiiaLTiitudi- rmm the 
 Kails (•!' Nia'_'!ir.i to (.iImts fnriniiiL' a iiicTc scries of r.ipids. 
 
 />rr,/,,pw')if—Thi' licst cxpoMircs of 1 he Nla-rara fnrniatinn 
 in til.' St It'' nf Nrw Vnik .•ire at Ldckjiort, IJncln stcr .'itid Nia- 
 L'ara IJivcr. Ii all liiis :i tliickiii's>. of 'J(;4 lief in lliit State. In 
 Caiiadu tlir iij.[irr tK.rtion of tlir snio is >n dctindcd in tin- 
 nciLild'MMiJKKHl of I/ik- Ontario, tiiat it is iin|iossiliIi! to -jct a 
 '•"'>il'''''" ■"cclinn; 'Hid - vi'fi many miles away uImt.. Ji i);isse,s 
 into tlir nverlyiiiLT (liiclidi iMMuatioii. .IS near Kotdvwood tin linr 
 of jiiiictioii is uvrierally oli.^ciired liv drift. 
 
 At Hamilton. Iiy level nieasiuenient-. a section of (|,,. lower 
 t)'2 let (h. ill.; |.,.ds finiii 7 lo IL' of Section \\\) u US ur,i<U: by 
 ^Ir. S. n, Mi;i> :,nd my-elf. (,ei\v<'en II, e ( .\|,(.-uiv al lie- lied oj' 
 .lani.s stivot .-ind l!,e ■■Jolly Cm" ,„;,,). ,1 lidf mil,, ,o tl.o 
 ''■'■"'• "'■"■ 'li" '^carpnieiit .-.ver.i'MS :i!M» f,vi m |„,io|,i jihove 
 *'"■ "'"■'■ ''"''' '''icrty doll, miles (No. I_;,,f S,etioii>; |,,rm tlio 
 •■appin^ >tr,tuin of li.o ••.Mountain.- Alon- the Sydenham 
 
 road (section I[), the MVlion. ConipOM'd of the si-n- I.eds. 
 
 niivisnivd tWi fert fM'.v.n feet :.T,rc of t!,,. ••('!!. ri he,l " i. .x- 
 
 posed Imt.- tinn t llnnilton . \:^,in, ,, tic j.mks io-, of ( ile,, 
 
 'V'"-"' ^^i'l' <;i'" Wel.^fer, ii„. -, „„. ■■ Ch Tt 'l. .1. •' ioru. .j,c 
 
 cappin- Hiatiiin of i;„. ,.ii|V,, .„,,] i,,,^,. ,i„. \i ,,,.,, i,,.,|, .,,.,, 
 
 a lltti • ibick-r tlni! e;.-vvv|i,.p'. I lowev<T. o.i ii„. ■a.-tern nde of 
 
 Ill's- i-vi;ies ih-Te is ,111 'I dd i t Iom ,, | cxpo>ureof KM i)hM iieir the 
 
 '■ I'e; k." which ]r.\< not }>. en romoNod hy d-nndnioii. thus ^iv- 
 
 i'l- a nnxinnnn thicknes.> oi iH!) i; .., at ' Dun. his. However, hv 
 
 lueasuvin- tl,.. s-ctioi, at Aihion F.dl., „nd the., i,:ve;ii„_ uj, 
 
 Jlo,-— :,nx ^\■r.k nvl :.|on- tl,.- strike oi li,,. fMnnalio,, lo (,!.-,r- 
 
 pcni.r'.^ Limekiln^, on |., , If,, ;,,„1 j; ,„.,, V|, IJ.rto,,. ,wo miles 
 
 H.nth of th.. hn.w ol tli.. - .>I.,unlaii,.' ,,r ll.mihon. I succeeded 
 
 in nie-isniin- a ><.ctio„ ,,r ]<),S p ,., ,,„,„ f|,<. ^.,^,. ,,,• ^,,^. M,^,;„-a 
 
 (proper). The hci-ht of the last station is 480 feet above tho 
 
 lake, and in addition the rock.s an^ covered with live fcot ..f soil, 
 
 .•it the Church, on the .same l<.t. Here the rocks have their 
 
 surfaces -roovcd with ice action. If may be remarked that the 
 
 cappm- bed in this place is almost wholly made up of tho 
 
 remains of Stromatopora. 
 
21 
 
 This last section o.'irries us to a hiL'licr li(»riznr) tlinti Jiny othor 
 mpu^^ur.ihli'. yet tlio liit'licst tiionibcrs of tlif s< rics is still beyonil 
 our ri'.icli. iK'iii-,' covered hy tlic drift over the (gently s]o|)inK 
 country. However, il' we I'nljow tlie lirir of strike westwird, md 
 take tiie levels hen , md at the nearest exposures of the (lueli)h 
 foruiatioii. at (Jalt (which is i I'.w miles north of the line el 
 strike ol'tli,' i{;irtoii IJeds) and inalvc allowanc fur dip, it would 
 apjiroxiliiat( ly he found Miat fhe unexposrd upper hed> <if the 
 Niai^ara formation y<^tl:\\ to ;in addiliomd ^0 or KHI lect in 
 tliieknos. 
 
 Aecordiji- to the n'p.,.rts of tlif (j.'olo-ieai Survey of Ohio, the 
 foriiiatioii has a ihiekni'ss of 275 feet in Ili-hland county, and 
 prohahly ."{jd fed in l\\r. nnrth'Te p u't oi' tli'' Stiti', The Cana- 
 dian C'olo-ical Survey estimal-'il f.hr who].- thieku' ss at dyd feet 
 in the ni'iijlilriiirdond of Cap.' Il'ird. ifihe dip were unifi.rui 
 
 Thus \\.: ,(■(• that I'roin the w^iorn [.;ni <d' New York lo Ohio 
 thi re is no -reat variation in ih. tliicko' s.-, of the .\i ij:ara depo- 
 sits, win re th- surf tee is not r'Miioved hyero-idti, md we uiay 
 fairly place th- tceuuiulations in the (Jan iliaa portion ol' the 
 NiaL'ara M'a at L':^() fr<t. 
 
 Not (inly is the drpo-iiioii of liir whoir series liter.dly uniform, 
 but 'loTe ,ire iferi lin stiatM which ;tr.' r.eo.^oi/.(|)!c is (jonstant 
 over ihr r>'2i"n under cotisid'T.iiion. ( »f ihesi-, ihe newt i-on- 
 spieiuui- are il,- •• {ll.rn h,;:', " /N,,. \-2 of s-'ciinns ), uiid a tiiick 
 oonipae! b>ii < i' iiuht jr ly dolomii, (vMyini: iVoiii four-and-a-h.iif 
 to five and-a-l,alf feet iliick, '.nd nuinhered S in the sections). 
 Tt w,is Iron, takii- th • h'v.'is .f ihis |a-t bed ;,( Albion Falls. 
 Uainilloii ;;nd Dun. las. ihat I .>tii:iat-d ihe dip at i:")-.") fret in 
 th<' mile, ill diitelion, aljoui iw nly de'^r'-c,- we.-t (d soufn. Loc- 
 ally, howrvci, J ionnd liie oip -oiDciinic, imounlin-^ io liT feet. 
 The distance of (ho .-idrs of iiio triaoiile forne d by the three 
 stations above naund, were irdcn from ile- lai--?; county map. 
 The calculation aiireed o!o.-cly with thai, m id-.' from the approxi- 
 mate h( i-hr of the bai^e of the form ition at Liinrhouse. and that 
 known at Dinxlas, and l ikin- tie' dir>ctiuii .,(' the dip to be that 
 found by tlu' above mentioned Irianjjjle. 
 
 At Liniehouse the surfaces ol" snme oi' the strata are almost as 
 irrcfruiar as those (d'thc Medina at Duuda.s. On the north side 
 of the Dunda.s Valley the rocks in .M.tne places are almost hori- 
 zontal, but airain they are found dipping; a few feet in the mile 
 to the northward. This beini; the case, generally, would make 
 
¥ 
 
 ill" l>iiiii|i> \':iii.\ ati iiiiiicliu.il \;illcy. uitli llic j-lnpc in t aeli 
 ."id 1. s> tliaii fine (Iru'rcc. 
 
 ( '/I'lf ii'tf r !■/' t/n /i'of/>. - I II N( w Villi* till" liiwcr |t,(rt nC tlio 
 NinL'.M!! liriiriiioii i- niiri'xnlid \)\ SO leer ii\' iluk ioscilifcr- 
 nii- cak'nri.'ii-riiLiill.'H Miii.« .-lifili'.- , :it Tlinrnlil. ()iil;iri(i, tlirx; nro 
 iiiucli iliiiiiMi'. :iiiil ill lliiiiiilt"ii ,'iii(i l>iiii(l.'i> tlii'V .'lie not rcprc- 
 ^(•iitiil ]i\ iiiiii'i iImii Iihiii .-i\ ii> till li'cl nf iiiikMv sidiiiicritH 
 (S('. 1' '•! X ilimi- /. wlii'M' ii|i|M I |i(iilinii> iiniiliKitc into iiioro 
 rul('.iri'iiii> lirilv. 'I'Ih' ^'luriil (■Ininlcr id' tlic i^crii's ;it tlio 
 Vi'st'l'ii 1 liil nl l,.ii\r Ihiliiriii lii;i\ If II pi'( >'iili'(l liv tllf follow- 
 iiii: ."•('(.•lioii ill ill ,>ri'ii(liii^ order; 
 
 (.') 'I'liili i" i;.~ I'l (linK (nliili llhh >lii||r iiImI cilldiy) (loio- 
 
 liiilrs. \vitli sliiils |iiuliii.u- Si.iiif la>ii> arc tussililciiHis . . Kiliffct. 
 
 (A; 'liiiii 111 il> ni lif^lil-i iili'i nl linlniiiilir hhUs, coiitniniiij; 
 
 an iiliMiiilaiii 1 il . in ri> i.iiiliiirs: riissilit'cnnis IlifVi-t. 
 
 ('■) |).iik liliir II' i;r,n slialv tlnldiiiilis ; (<issilirci"iiis K! foet. 
 
 ( i ) l»iiliiiiiiii ( iini|ia(t >liai( s m f^ot. 
 
 (.) liiLrlil iliali I I y>iMlliiic (■(•iii)iiirt il.ili.initr. in dnc IkuI. 5 IVi't. 
 
 ( /') hark ;:rav (din part (Inldniili , in iiindrratriv tliirk IhmIs. 
 
 till li.\\ r.^l ol wliil II ( M||tjiin> /'< ii.'.iiiii i-iis. . , , 10 t'cft. 
 
 At Jjiini'iiniiM'. only tin- lower Ik'i1> arr ('X(ins(.'(l mtar thuirjuiic 
 limi with tiie ulllle(•lyill^ Clinlun mek.-. Here the deposits coii- 
 si.»t ol' iinlit ciilon il iloloiniies.ormiiriiriii texture in tliick compact 
 bed-, Imldin^ oii!\ ea.-t^ ol lo^siN 
 
 The reiu'esriil ilives (it this runiiatinii in C)liio coiisi«t of the 
 Dayl.iii linii'sliine of live feet in thickness, succeeded by (KM'eet 
 ul shale.-, over which there iire ISII feet of liincstoiies, and in 
 Tliglilanil Oounly the series i> surmounted by ;{0 feet of saiid- 
 stoiu'. In refeiriiii: tn tlie-e we.-teni beds, we liiid included the 
 (*ed irville limestones, bods which are considered of the same 
 hori/.'tii ;is the (Jiielph dolomites. 
 
 The color of the limestones becoujes lijihter on <roin<>' 
 Westward. (Specially alter tiiriiiiiu a point at Dundas, which 
 formed a ri-lit anj>led prominent cape in the sea of the Niajfani 
 period. Even within a few miles, near Dundas, one can notice 
 tlie liuditer color of the purei' calcareous deposits, and at Linic- 
 house, to the north-west of the old cape, coiorinj; matter and 
 shale arc alujost wantiui;', 
 
 (^>mpositiott and Chemlail Andli/als of the Li'nicsfoves. — The 
 Niagara limestones, in Canada, consist almost entirely of the 
 double carbonates of lime and magnesia, with a varying per- 
 
 
■••1 
 
 «!i'ntii'_'<' '•!' cliiy, IV"'" -;iip1 iii'l ilii.Mti'1 "t' '.li,. itknliiu' ••irtli:^. 
 Soiiii time-, liowi'vi'i'. tlicri' is itii ••xt'i'ss.il t'.nlHHi;itt.' nriiini' nvrr 
 
 wlial i- iii|iuiri| |mi- flic |irn<lllfti(i|l mI lli.' iliilllilr ,-;:rli(i||,itc. 
 UlllItT til'' lniiTO-C(i|M' tllis i'X^'''>S nf C'jlli-itc i< -cc'll '|i'(Ml|ivill^ tin- 
 
 siiiiill s|iici>. Iictwi'i'ii till' iiiKir 'I'.itoriiilv frvst.illiiir p irtii'lc- ol' 
 "li'loiiiitr. rill' <|ii;(ii'it_v 111' ir.Mi 'n .r«'iii",;illy -rnal!. "iil tprc-mr 
 ill till' -r.iti' m|' I j-oinxiil.', tli(iii'_:li in -niii.- m|" tin li. •]< it i'i-ciir> us 
 l)Vnii -. Ilituiiiiiiniis ciildiiiiu' miit'T is jirc.-t'iit in niinv "f the 
 stiiitu. iii'l in ;i iniiiil>''i- nf lii'N it M •(•;i>i(jii;illy ti!i-> 'in ill t-avifirs. 
 'I Ik I'l' .n'l' hill I'l'W licd^ (•:i>i III' Pniicjii- whii'li li;i\.' imi n .•nu- 
 ^iik'r.'iliji' i|ii:iiitity nl'cirtliv iintt' i i»i!>iiii 
 
 Tlic -liiiii'.- in tills I'l": inn (lifV> r tVniii iini' ,»tnnr- miiv in 'li<' l;ir:^'. i- 
 (|ii;iiitit\ n\' cl.iy :iinl I'tlicr -iliciti'- piT»i ni in ]il-ii'.' "[' ijp. ,-..l,',;i. 
 ri'Miis iiiitti r. I'lM' tlii'y ail ciitit.iin a 'ariT'' ii'icrhtn'^r nj' (MrliDii.ifc. 
 Ill lat'l niaiiy nt'tjic lii"rl« arc ol' an int.'itiH <lial.' rhai ai-ti'i\ that 
 
 il is llifliclllt Id drcidc ulirtlhT '.n mH tliClll cailllV li lln'-ln|l. ■,- nV 
 
 ualeaifMn- , -hales. Of m'v. imI !h d- ■! I laiiiilt.iM. 1 made tin' 
 
 clltlliicai analyses. In'^clln l' With a lllic|M>c(i[)ir -Xa lllinal inn. .i 
 lew 111' l!i.' results ai'i' Ii'Tc jiv i"i. 
 
 Aiii'/i/s,s I Till' -aiii|iii' UM- mI;. n iVmn niair tin' ha^' nt' 
 
 ih>' Miai-- I Nn. 7 "T sectiuii; Il il .I.'ii',' f'nt." ||a!nih..ii. 
 
 1 lid. r ; he iiiii-i n.ci!|.c nnly a ma--- mi" tr iti-]iar. m |iai'tii'li'-. id" 
 dnimnii.'. separated hy dartv aineriih'ai- eartliv niatter. was 
 visil/li'. 
 
 Caleiinii e;n Ik iiiite. |i; a; 
 
 Mairiicsiiiin (arlniuite la; ". 
 
 I''erriiiis earlioiiiite 1.7 
 
 L'aleiiim silit ate 
 
 Ma;4iifsiinii sili<iit- , ''' 
 
 AlniiMiia 11 
 
 Mliia () 7 
 
 M<iisci|!a' nej 
 
 ;ili-,S 
 
 Ait't/i/sis //.--This aitaly-is i-ej.re-.!)f.< the eemjie-itiMn nl" the 
 fliii'k lied (if li-':it LiT V dolnmite I No. ^ nf .-i i;ti<iii j at the -Jellv 
 Cut."' liaiuillon. .'ii.j rock is hi-ldy rrystalliiie. and .-hows 
 crystalline plates ol' criuoids iind shells, hut sekloui <a)ntaiii.s 
 complctt! casts of fossils. Ondcr tlie niicrn<co]ie it -how- a mass 
 orcrystallhic sciiii-n-ai'-paftMit particles ..I' doloiniio. lull nl'.Miiall 
 cavities, which arc often lined or tilled witli pine calcite. coiise- 
 ((uoutly tJic oavboiiafo of iiuio is in excess, 'riii:- hed contaiii.s 
 
m^mmm^ 
 
 24 
 
 uiaoj large cavititis ul" scvoral inches extent filled with ibreign 
 minerals, which will be noticed further on. 
 
 Calcium ca.-bonute 59-7 
 
 Ma>.^iiesium <;arhonate 38 2 
 
 Alumina and oxide of iron 1-5 
 
 Silica 0-4 
 
 99-8 
 
 Anah/sis III. — Tiie bed from which this sample was taken 
 is about five feet nbove No, 8 of section, and is one of the 
 liardet and more compact, layers (No. I) of section) of that por- 
 tion of the ^'colouical horizDii whicii I have identified as the 
 Niagara shales at ihc ••Jolly Cut." Hamilton. It is said to 
 produce hydr.iulie cement, but if 8o it would be of inferior 
 vjuality. 
 
 Calcium I'arbonate ;{3-8 
 
 Maf>nesium carbonate 2r)-2 
 
 Calcium .silicate 6-6 
 
 MagncKium Kilicate 21' 
 
 Alumina 5-1 
 
 Ferrous carbonate ] -8 
 
 Ferric oxide \ % 
 
 Ferrous disulphirie (Pyrites) 19 
 
 ^i'ifa 200 
 
 98-7 
 Aiia/y.si's /r.— The s.impi.' for this analysis was obtained 
 fron) the ■• Chert bed " (No. 12 of sections). The portion taken 
 wns free I'rom eherty concntions. as these portions would be 
 nearly made up of pure silicu. Under the microscope there 
 was only the r ual crystulliiu. structure of the dolomitic particles 
 separated by dark earthy matter. 
 
 Calcium carbonate 4fi.g 
 
 Magnesium carbonate 38-9 
 
 Calcium silicate 
 
 Mngncfiium silicate | -'^ 
 
 Ferrous oxide , 08 
 
 Alumina 24 
 
 ^"^'''^'«i 93 
 
 100-8 
 
 A large number of other specimens were examined under the 
 microscope, but they were all of essenti'-Uy the same structure, 
 
'P 
 
 25 
 
 »ud iijore or less ln>iiii)iroiiC()iis. except siinic of tlif more fl i<r,i:y 
 beds whore tliu er^stulliiiu talc nettus matti r w.is deposited in 
 »lterii;itiii;4 l;iyer;s with the more eaith} m tter. 
 
 As m;iriy itf the d;irk beds ;.re colored wiili bitiiniinous matter 
 some of the calcariMtus rock.- burn to a white linn'. 
 
 iiy w.iy orcomp.iriiij; the >iia;:ur.i roeks in C.'ii.da, witli llio.se 
 iu Oliio, 1 here quote seveial an dyscs of th»! lime-tones of thii» 
 Ibrmation in that State, as made by I'roi'es,-or Woimley. 
 
 Oakiuiii carlxinale 85.50 
 
 Magnehiiuii larlionate 11. IG 
 
 (uileii- & niagiu'.-i( silicates. 
 
 Aliuiiina and iron 'J .00 
 
 Silii eiiiis niattei' 'J. 20 
 
 II. 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 
 r,4.45 
 
 50. yo 
 
 55 . 50 
 
 54 . 20 
 
 42.2:} 
 
 M . T 7 
 
 4;;. 28 
 
 44.80 
 
 
 7 07 
 
 
 
 0.40 
 
 1.1.' 
 
 . :io 
 
 0.10 
 
 2.00 
 
 .70 
 
 0.(50 
 
 0.80 
 
 100.80 'JU.08 UJ.O.l 'J'J.OS 'J'J.'JO 
 
 Au't/i/sis of thv Slidlrs — As noticed belore. the Ni.i^ira «halci 
 are analoj;ou> to the lim. floors where the c .lear ou.s m tier is 
 partly replaced by ar^dlhiceous :iiiteriai. 
 
 Ani/i/ais V. — The sample hen e.ximined w,'S from one of the 
 most shaly i.iyers (No !) of tl.e S' ctioi. - ) of the sh..ly porti.>ti 
 of the formation a; the '-Jolly (ytit/" II itniltoii. Under the 
 luicroseope th" e.rlhy m t ' r m', in d lo be held together by the 
 cry^tilline p.irtich'S of dolmiri;'. 
 
 ('ill iuni (■.".rhoii.ifo. 2:i 4 
 
 iMap,'nesium carlKin ite 2',i) 
 
 Ct'e iiin ::i i,;ate ........ % 
 
 M;-.fj;uosiuin t: lify.f.e | "' 
 
 Kerriiii , i x.d j u 'j 
 
 Kcrric oxidj i o 
 
 AiiiiUinii i ,, 
 
 S; iva I 
 
 ■ J 1 
 
 rii- fnllowMiLT -11 A-: i ; ni' ; iL ■ N"a.:u-! s:, ;| ; of ;;iio was mado 
 by I'ro.'c: •. ; W'l n. \ : 
 
 C leiiun n -l:. : t;5 ;, ; co 
 
 .M '..i.::ai.'siiiiii (■■■ri.iuiiue ',',"'M 
 
 ill ii i iiui !-.i ' ii s 
 
 Aiuiniiia ana irun h !o 
 
 Sii.ca. ! ;' :i I 
 
 ^V^^l.•l• Ccnailiin'uh , 5.: ft 
 
 Voi,. X. 
 
 k2 
 
 No. 3. 
 
2() 
 
 Soiinu: of fhr Merlin iiirit I Dcjx/xltf,. — -From the character of 
 the rock> and tlioir distribution in the Niajjara [xniod, as seen 
 by jrhuicintr ;it a in.ip ol' thu Palivuzoic (jeoirraphy of America, 
 we see that, the meehanical se(iimeiits (shaly matter), of the 
 Tiortlieni and north eastern margin o\' the ohl inland sea came 
 prineipally from tlic Oariadian hi;ihhi?ids. Th'' Hudson River 
 }£roup formed the shore; line of most plaees. from the bi'^inninsj 
 of tlie Medina epoeh, both in New York and Canada as uel! as 
 alotiL': the •' Cineinnati Areh." The eastern portion (if the Pro- 
 vince of Oniariii was eovtred by the iimestoi;<>s of the Trtiitoji 
 (jroiip ; the eeiiti il portiiMi, hy the iireat accumulation of dark 
 Uficii .fJnilrs. and tiiese last by shales with intercalated limestones 
 and .sandstones of rhi; j'/iii/sf,ii i-jkh-Ii. ext(!ndin^' aloni; their western 
 margin, aiiil liirminii' the north-eastern shores of the sea, as de- 
 veloped at the be^innin::' of the Silurian Aj;i; (proper), in the 
 region iVom wh it i^ now tlie westi'rn end of Lake ()ntario to 
 Georgian Bay. 
 
 It may be noticed that the limit of the Utica shales is not 
 west ol' iIk' meridian of the Xiaiirara ItiviT. At the close of 
 the (.Jambro-Siliirian Alk; the deposits belon_uin_ir to that period 
 extended mueh farther southward than at present, [irobablv to a 
 latitude not far north of the southern .-bores nC [^uke Ontario 
 — at least, in its <'astern extension. It was in this ,^oft material 
 that the l.dve basin wa> subsequently excavated, the erosion bavint^ 
 estiiiiiled but a few mili.'s into tin; Niau'.ira limestones, and their 
 underlyiiiLT .--h iles. and left the <'searpmen. in bold relief. 
 
 Now, on examinini:.' the scidiments south of tlie Canadian .sliores 
 of tho.-<e days, we find only thin beds of shale in the more; eastern 
 deposits, but thest^ .;radual!y ihieken in extendini; westward, 
 until, in the neii:hbourhood of lloehester, they amount L(^ 80 
 feet (the place being south of the shores c(mipo.'^ed of Utica shale >. 
 Again, the .shales be^in to thin out at Thorold, Ontario, where 
 they amount to fifty I'eet, whih; thirty miles westward, as at 
 Dundas, they are only a few feet thick, and almost intirely dis- 
 appear after turning the ancient Cape and passing west of the 
 line f'rom this town to Lake Huron, as the waters, there, were 
 protected from the muddy eastern currents. The northern <'nd 
 of the sea was not subjected to the influx of mud to any extent, 
 a.s in tliat direction the shores were adjacent to the old cry.^tal- 
 line Huronian and other mountains. How. ver. more shales 
 make their appearance in the western area, having been derived 
 
27 
 
 from tilt' somewhat sli.ily Hudson i:roup nf the 'Cincinnati 
 Arch." or, perh.ips. from thv maririns of Mtdiiia shahvs tli.it may 
 have existed on the south-western islaml coast. Of cinir^c in the 
 eastern portion nf the dlil se i much shah) came from the disiri- 
 tegrati((ns of the other Appahichim liijrlilands. Duritii; the 
 Medina epoch, in this n-uion. live hundred leet of sliales wen; 
 carried down into the eastern or iiorth-(! astern portion of the sea, 
 whih' only twc^nty feet of sediments were deposited to tlie south- 
 westward. 
 
 Airain, tht; turbid watei's in tlu; Clinton e[)och interrupted 
 p'.;riudically tlie ^'rowth of impure org mic c dcareous beds, whih? 
 the Western portion of the (dd sea was nearly free fVrMii the influx 
 of mud. 
 
 ('/Ktnirtrr 1)/ the Marine. I.i/i- mid Orl(j!n of the. Liiii.fstatifS. — ■ 
 We liave observed that the y'reater portion oi' the upper bods of 
 the Niajrira epoch in New York, almost all in Ontario, and the 
 trroater jiortion in Ohio, together with a considerable portion of 
 the Clinton epoch in Canada, and all of tint liorizon in the 
 more south-western State, are Tnade up of dolomitic limestones 
 of a ^'n-ater or les>< decree of fiurity. Let us examine into the 
 condition of the sets and of the life that flourished at this time. 
 
 Durinu' the earlier days of the Mt'diterrane m se i in the Nia- 
 gara epoch, in the eastern and south-western areas, the waters 
 were of a turbid characier. tlnunh freer from earthy matter in 
 its northern extension. Jiiter, however, and durinjr the L'rt'ater 
 period of its existence, only a suuiU amount of slialy sediment 
 was occasionally carried down, thus produciiiLi' favorable condi- 
 tions for the LTiowth of marine life. 
 
 The limestones in Canada are of a hijihly crystalline texture, 
 and con- ipiently most of the traces of the oruanisms that Cf)n- 
 tributed to their original ibrmation are obliterated. Out of 
 numerous specimens of rocks examined uiultr the microscope, 
 none show any oruanic .structure, except some parts of tiiose beds 
 containing sjxfiujrs or sfroni'ifitjxtni, with heic and there a place 
 wheic a stray fossil has escaped obliteration, in the re jrystaliza- 
 tioti oi" the calcareous mud. In fict, as legards both shells and 
 corals, there is seldom anything left more than their casts pre- 
 servi;d in the stone. Even when, by chance, a portion of the 
 original bed has escaped obliteration, it has become highly crys- 
 talline. Here and there is an exception to this statement, as in 
 tlie jase of the phosphafic shells. Liiigii/a and Disciiui, in which 
 
28 
 
 frquontly porfioris of flic oriirinil tost-* rein'iin. [ri tlif ri^irinn 
 uiiilcr ciiii>lli>iMti()ti iMiarly 'JHH sp'cics of fo;-sils l),ivt' been 
 obtiiiio'! ffiMii the 1km1< p|' flic Ni lu' ira irroiip. yet the collector 
 may >piMi(l <! iv> ni'I ohtaio a iiiorr IimkK'uI of s[K'ciiniMis to re- 
 ward him for liis (roiihlo. 
 
 If iiiiy li !! ifii; il here tliat tliop! is a bed near flie to[( of the 
 Bcries af Diinda^-, vevcnil f et tliick. tliat appears to be made up 
 of bri cei 1, tlie fra^iiu'iits bi'ini; derived from older portions of 
 the adjicetit locks. 
 
 Diirinir the Ioult period required for thf deposition of the linie- 
 Btone-^. the eh if ictcr of the oi'i; ini>-ins which inhabiteil the sea 
 was sulijcet fo >oiii(' im[ioi'tuit chari;:es. One of these eotispicu- 
 ous jieriods has Ic't its siamp in the " Chert beds." wliicli arc 
 classed a^ No. 12 ol" the sections. The averaL;(^ fhiekiitiss of 
 this series of thin beds of limestone, filled with muuerous 
 concrefinns of elicrty material, is eiLihtcMMi or nineteen i'ooi. 
 The lin;:'sfoiies are dolomit s. as is shown hy the iircvion.-- an- 
 alysis. \\y far th(^ greater propurticMi of concretions show uo 
 oriranic structure, but yet, such 1 irL'e numbers when broken, show 
 the internal sCv-tions of sponjrcs. which mostly belong to the 
 genera ni' Asf///i>sj)n)i(jiii and Aii/nrdjiina. that the orii^in of the 
 siliceous no,lules is .it onee appircnt. On some portion> o,' tlie 
 brow of the escirpment, both at llaniiltou and l)unila>. these 
 beds form the summit, and as the surface soil of ihe rocks 
 weather, just beneath wh it is oidy a f'W inches of .soil, the com- 
 plete fo.ms of the sponiies become exposed by the action of the 
 frost and of the jiloutih. The sponiiv life was very con.sider.ible, 
 that it could h.ive aff(uded a sufficient source for so much soluble 
 BJIica a.s to have produced iIm; enormous amount of chert found 
 in these beds. We know also that the variety of species wiw 
 considerable. Nor was the .spontre-life ;dl that ad(»rnid the sea 
 at that time. These beds are by tar the ricliest itj variety of 
 Bpecies, from the lowest radiates to tlu; hi-iher types of life that 
 arc found in th<! Niau;ar.i series. It is also worthy of notice tliat 
 it is in this small series that the trreiter portion of the rich 
 Grnpfa/;f,'/aini,r, to be described in a succeediti<r paper, is found. 
 Just beneath tiie.sc beds (No. 11 and 10; which are more 
 Bhaiy in character (of which the upper strati are known as 
 "blue buildin.-r beds"), wc find our greatest number of Triho- 
 UteH to,i,'ethcr with die hiirh-type Crust. c-an. Ptrrngntus ,vf«a- 
 deiisis (Daw.son), recently discovered by Col. Grant. 
 
29 
 
 Ar.otlur (vmsiiicuous opocli in the liistiry of tlii.' ancient sea 
 is m irkc.l by tlio j>n\-,t hc<l vi' ildlomite (No. 8 of srction). Al 
 no titnt' w.is the s( a so IVcc f'louj the influx of luoch.iMieal seJi- 
 mcnts. This hcJ with .-i thickiios of ahduf Qvc foot forms an 
 endiiriiiir riiomiiii>iit lor the niyriads nf crinoids whose rcinair)S 
 mo.-t lir-cly !i«l to it- foi;i).iti i i, ;i]t!iou;;li subsequently it liai 
 absoihcil ni.i'jncsia. which in tlir rc-cnstiillizatioh of its niole- 
 cuh's h;is (ihlitcratcd all but the fiM;zUj(.'nts of thr (.ri:jin..l scij- 
 meiits of (h(!ir stems. 
 
 Another noticc-ible clian^jo in the rofk-ni.iking or-;inismH is 
 found in a bed of doloniilio r<'ck two .ind a h:df Ikt thick, almost 
 literally filled with the reni.iins of three or four species (A' Sfram- 
 (ifti/xiru. This stiatuni is nciir the surf.ice bod ;it Carpenter's 
 Limekilns. (H;ir)i:e VI. lot 1 ") r '' '' •♦on) .iliout three miles south 
 of the centre of the city of Hamilton. 
 
 Besides the remains of lile, as shown in these fcv more con- 
 Fpicnous beds, we find throujibout the whole \i.:i::;ira epdch that 
 Tiryoznni.s wiTc nnmeious; Crin<iid> were ;ibundint (in places, 
 as ;it Orim^hy, wlier<' some of the beds consist simply <d' njasscs 
 of these stems). Corals wc.vo. dominant in some localities, and 
 Moilusk^ of ovety cla.-s were l.iruvly ro|;resonted. 
 
 The Ni.i^ara limestones have been iariidv derived from broken 
 phell-, cor.ds and other calc.iroou.^- orirMii^ms, but 8ubse(|uenlly 
 the calcareous matter li;is combimul with, or a portion of it has 
 been replaced by, ma^riosi.i which had been pn'cipit.ited !imon"-st 
 the comminuted nrijanisms. 
 
 Henry C. Scuby, Ksr,.. F.R S., President of the (Jeolo-icul 
 Society of J.ondon. (Q.d.d.S., M;,y, 1879.) has shown that the 
 condition in winch c dcareous matter is pieseiit in the structure 
 of shells, m of allied fornix of life, Iims njueh to do with \hc. sub- 
 ecquent preservation of their rem lin.s in the rock, on tin ciy,-tal- 
 lization of their particles into solid limestones. 
 
 The principal ccndition in which lime is pic-ent in eaicaroous 
 or-ianisms is as the cirbouaie, eith. r in the !brni (d' c dcite or 
 nrajronite. However, there are some structuiHS like tie- Liiiguh:, 
 where the lime occurs, us the phosphate, the same 'is in bones. 
 The pliospb.ite of linx! is loss ajit to chan.1,'0 its molocul ir condi- 
 tion than the cnbonate, and, as ,. result, the shells of that 
 niMterial, or parti dly of it, arc -en(;rally better preserved in the 
 fossil condition th.,n those of the c irbonate. But these pho»- 
 phatic shells have not contributed to any extent in the formatiou 
 of the Niajjara liine&tODes. 
 
mm 
 
 ■ ii'r- m:';'aWW .■' -w i 
 
 [iHi]r"iifiiti» 
 
 30 
 
 The cry-stallinc form ol ar;i}.">nite may bo considered !it< ud 
 jibnuruial lonn of carboiiutA; of liine, .irid Mr. Sorby shows that 
 under viiriou.- circtiuistanct's. it is easily resolved into the more 
 >;tal)lo form ol' ealcitc. wliilst \\\c carbonate, in the crystalline 
 form of cileite. eaniiot U- ehanged by any known process iuto 
 tliat ol" arauoiiitc. Tlii.-e two minerals form the principal con- 
 .-litui.iit' of the tf.-'l.-' of .-hilL> — in some classes the ara<j;ooite 
 beinj^- prt'seni. in olln'i.- the ealcite, and aj^ain in others the 
 inner layer may he of .ir.i^unite and die outer ol' calcile, or vice 
 
 Ml. Sorby uives the followinji cla>sifieation of the mineral coui- 
 positioii of th(! different orders of siiells ; 
 
 (a) ('rualaceu. — 'J'iic laitKMiil iiiutter of erustaeoans eousists uf ealcite 
 hanleiied on the surface with piiosphate of lime. 
 
 (''/) Ci:/ihiilo}'<idii — Those shells are made up of aragonite togetbei* 
 witli a small amount ol' pho. ,)hate of lime. 
 
 ((•) Giisivrofjjiia. — In most of those genera the sliell is wholly made 
 up (jf iiragonite, l)ut in si»me the outer layer eonsists of eaieite. 
 
 ( /) J.umtih&r'iiic/iiala. — In many species of this group the tests are 
 composed wholly of aragonite, in some entirtsiy of eaieite, whilst other 
 shells have their iinier layer of one material and the outer of the 
 other. 
 
 (r) JJrac/iiopodd, are compo.sed wholly of eaieite. 
 
 (J) Eclunodfrmaiu. — Here the mineral matter is eaieite. 
 
 (y) J'olijzon arc ( ini])()seil of various mixtures of both minerals. 
 
 (/() Iljidroida and true nora/s are nuide up of aragonite — the former 
 class having a small (puintify of {t!iosi)hate of lime. 
 
 (i) roramin^/'era are prolnihiy composed of eaieite. 
 
 The removal of the organic matter holdinji the particles of 
 the sin 11 together distuib^ the httbility of the structure, and 
 not only c.iu.ses it to eruiiihle by the di.sintegration idong the 
 lines between the diif' rent minute crystals, but also hasten.s a 
 subsequetit re-arrangeiuent of the molecules into l.irij;cr and less 
 constrained crystals. E.•^peei;dIy is this the case with frajrnients 
 of aragonite which soon t.ike the form of Cidcite, as is shown bj 
 the experiment of Mr. Soiby, where powdered coral (:ira«ronite) 
 kept for ordy a few weeks in water began to ehan-ic into the con- 
 dition of ealcite. Monovei, t! is is not only an experimental 
 test under favorable eircumstances, but it is found tli;it the modi rn 
 limestones now forming about f-onie of the West Indian Islands, 
 have in places etdirely lost or are losing the natural forms of 
 the org.nnic fr;ignjents of which they uro composed. Again, the 
 
31 
 
 difiintfifrrated frjifrmoDts, wfiich .-irf nssuniinL' tho nmre orvstil- 
 line condition have tlioir interspaces filled with cirbonntp of 
 lime (iissolved in tlie water, which was j)rnbibly derived from 
 the ori>:inal niatorijjl of the shells. 
 
 If the or-.'anic rornains be included in a matrix of the s;inic 
 color, not only the form but ;dso tho cert.-iinty of its former pres- 
 ence in :iny position is iipt to be lest. Especially is this tlie case 
 with tho corals nnd sIkjUs which arc composed of arajj;onite. 
 However, if the surfaces of the or;jani«in> were covered by thin 
 layers of some foreiizn matter, as pyrites or mud. tlie former may 
 still be firnserved, but the place occupied by the structure will 
 be found to have a mor" liii;hly crystalline structure than the 
 matrix itself, as the carbonate of lime of the sliells. not havintt a 
 great surface exposed by beinir broken into fragments, has more 
 time for LM-.idual re-arranirement of molecules, and, coiise(|uentlv. 
 lar-rer and more perfect crystalline forms ire produced. This is 
 found to be jtarticularly th(^ case with liamellibranchiate shells 
 (arai^onite) in the rocks of the Niapira iiroup at Flamilton. 
 whcr.- only the remains of casts, procured in the manner just 
 described are to be found, althouirh some beds indicate that thev 
 were orij,dnai!y made up of a mass of these shells. TIk; best pre- 
 serv.'d fragments of orjranic structure in our rocks are stems of 
 erinoids, but these are ij;enerilly re-erystal.ized. althouirh thev 
 were even at first in the forms of small crystals of calcite. 
 
 The corals sxenerally have become silicifi<d but the forms are 
 so far cli/ino-ed as to show that theorinjinal calcareous matter was 
 re-crystallized before its replacement witli silica was accom- 
 plished. 
 
 Some of the Grapt(»lites are well preserved ..winir to the iarire 
 amount of corneous matter that may have arre.-ted molecular 
 chantre. From obscure casts some of th.' beds of limestones 
 appear to have been derived from Orthocerafa. iirachiopods 
 are the commonest fo.ssiis retaining: any of their orii:inal appear- 
 ance. Polyzoa are fairly preserved, especti, illy in the "Chert 
 bed." where also a ft w Gasteropoda retain tjuir cilcareoui* 
 structure. In fact nearly all the fo.-sils an- better preserved in- 
 the "Chert bed" than elsewhere. This fact may ii some way 
 be accounted for owing to the presence of soluble silica derived 
 from the spon^r,.? haviu-r cemented tlie calear(^ous plates toaother 
 at the time when the animal matter of the structures was beiuir 
 jrradually removed, for many of the fossils seem-Mo be saturated 
 with s-riiceous material. 
 
'«*;• 4 ' 
 
 32 
 
 Tilt' obliteration of the ori.in.il cilcirtdus or<:;inisiii,s \t;is cotii- 
 plt'tcd b}' flif plii.'oicil cIliiiuiv^ ulilcli itMiltcd in the eoiiibinalion 
 of tbo ciilcaK'ous iiiMtfcr, witli tlie ui.i^rin.siaii caiboii.itc and the 
 •ubs-((|Utnt r('-C!ryf«t 'li'/ation in tb'- I'orni of tbo dnublo s.ilt. 
 Aocordini.' to tbo cxpci ini( nts ni' Mr. Soiby tbiji \v;tH efTt eti d bj 
 the ni.iLiriosi.i rcpliciii^^ .1 portion ol tbt- liin<'. I5ut Dr. Sterry 
 Hunt, ni.iny years a<,'o, annonnci'd tli.t. a>^ iiniiealed by bis 
 experiments, iill in.iirnesi ai i notoins :iro deiivid Iroui tbu pre- 
 cipit;iti(in of botli omboiuti s sininlt.iiieously in .m inbind .'•alt 
 •ea. At least as far us tin Nia,L;;ira (](»loijiii(s are ei'iieerned. tbe 
 calcareous orj;;iiiisiiis bavc played a iiio«t iiiifiort mr part in fur 
 nisbinjr e.iic.irt'oijs matt r, ,iltlinu;:li tbe m ii:nesi,iii s .It may b:iv«i 
 been exclusively derived fmni tbe evaporilion of tbe w iters in 
 tbe immense inland Niacin watt is. fnr ;it (Jrimb-ya bi'd of ibi» 
 dolomite .>.bi'ws its derivatiiii .ilmosL ixelnsivijy Iioih erinoids, 
 and «t ll'iiniltoti a similar bid in a more liijrblv eryst.illine statti, 
 «nd filled witb j»ores from I be sbrinkaie. birms a marked feiturc 
 of tbe peries. 
 
 Ill tbf moleeiilir clian<r(' a ooiid(ii>ni Ion in volume would neour, 
 then by leaving' tbe mek poio'is and p rmittiii'.r the ea'boii itc of 
 lime of the caleireoiis fiis-ils to be w.i^hcd out; as ilhistntnl in 
 Uio proat bed of dclomil' (No, S ol sections) .-inii some other 
 beds, where tb- cvities have not b; n subse)|Ueiilly tilled wilb 
 «rgilh.c roiiH mud. 
 
 As a further illii-f ration of the siib^cqiifut removd f.f tbe. 
 materi:! .>f the "-LelU by w '.t, v.e n ,{ o.ijy <rn n lirilc b.'vond 
 Ibe pKMiit re-iion ul ^lll(]y k, ihe (mi i;.h dobeniics. whrre re 
 iiumcrnus casts uf .^:, (•!;•- i,i \\,c pi,, us slone, wiili t,,,. u; ..'.■; 
 •bell ;iiid !..-> C'ii;i.:; r'. iiioved, ihu.s havini: iiuiiiciiMis e .vities in 
 the rock. 
 
 Dr. Hunt h >; e(>!;''iict >! ;i s, ;.. (,' ..\|„riiii iits »l.ieli i!ir<i\v 
 lifi'h! (Ml ;;,(. .r':..;: ni' lir.liim:,, s. Ill i;il,, hisliiN wji r- tiierc 1.-, 
 a t'oti-idr.aiilc ( \ ; (liitinii -o lu. tm. t.,,. w ,u.r> e iil iniii;^ liirar- 
 boi.atf I'l >. ., , e I >■ ihii .-■ p r ,,; n oj ; ,, li,,. iiuic 
 and ihe I'l: n; . !■ • of M-iui,: • b , ,:it. 
 
 •ubsi (pieiiiiy <'n rv |i(ir:,iiiiii. 
 Tile > ..ts 111 .i_ ■ il r-;;''t ' e'- li < 
 
 to Inrm .loiili.v.' e ibon -e-. I'r. ;;. lis (ilsiiiu-i ;i i.ui i.t ird.-p rs 
 and oiiicr nek-. , n aluiiul ih-;' nf eaiimi atcs 1 I' .mh) . linu; jind 
 nia-M. ^i ,. .-.re cunit.nity b- i- :^ bi.iti 1; (h,,vii b >r :,m~ ii m1 
 «iu])ti>d iiitc U.j .ea b.sii.s. T.ivse ( he'iiieal prcci, itat s ini.x w^ 
 
 eat iioiiji t". 
 
 "i' m ;:)!;• J \V! ii-;,, 
 n till' h\ .il' iti'd liii ill. 
 lie lid 111 at Will coin I line 
 
witli (:i!m' •■'^|)l;i('iim' iicforilinj- t'l Sorby) n iinrtimi o\' tin; Cvil- 
 oar{V)iis s.mhI dcrivrd Irnni tin' ni'j.';iiii{,' rciiiuin^ in this iclmoh, 
 linvi' [ifdli.-ihly ill .■! mi'.it (l(u'"i (' uivcn lisi' (>> (Jiif Nii'j.ii'i liiiio- 
 Ptniics, ;ill dl' wliicli iiic riioii' or m ss dl' tin' cl.nr .ctcr nl' true 
 (loldiiiitcs. liiit wlit'l'i' soiiio (;i)i)t;iiii luoL'li.iiiiciil </r/n't'i-! :i^ silice- 
 ous ;;im1 iii'Liilln'i nils uiiul. 
 
 From t hi > ex .1 mi nation of iho chirnitci' of tin' liiiu'.-lnni. s nl" tlio 
 Ni.'i,i:.'n;i '^I'diiji, it ii not siii'i-ri-inu 'hat t'uic i> such .1 paiieity of 
 fossils in this uic.it ih st'lopini'nl of rm-ks m» 1 niiiciv coinposcd of 
 tlioir rtMiiaiii-^. In vcrv 111:. nv stiita 1 have ioiitid no fossils what- 
 over, and even in tlms" where thiy are ni'>^t a.hiuelani , n'lc is 
 rewaidid only ai'ler a I'Mii: iiuiieiit s<'aieii, Vrt, with all these 
 dilfuMiliii's. the u(^oloLiisL may eolkn-t in the re-ion of oiir study a 
 larui..' liumhip oi' speeies. of whicii iliere are citaloiuis tinder 
 tliose ])arts of this )) 1]) r on the .M.'dini and Ciintnii epochs, 
 and a stiii lar-cr li.-f at the riil of tlii.i poition ol' the ])a|M:r on 
 tlio Ni.^ara epoch [iidjiei. 
 
 VI r. MINF.liAl.S OCCL'llltlNti IV THE NIA(iAl{A GlUtUl'. 
 
 Exccpliiiu.' the h'ds of slon ■ lit I'.iv Iniildiii',;- jturpuso- and I'or 
 bnriiinu' to lime, there are no mint r /is about the wcstein I'lid of 
 Lalu' Ontirio oi" ecmomie iinjioriaiicc. However, iniiiv vears 
 a,ii'o s(um! I'ntile, atteiiqits w.'re in id.' south of tin.' \iil .^e of jJciius- 
 ville In work a small •'tiad" of j,ilrna The only smd^toMs tit 
 Ibr buildiiiL;- j)urpos(!s is the •• (Jr ly band '' nl'the .^^(l;nl ibriiia- 
 tioti. liloeks ol' this stone ol' vny diiiieiisin!! tliat c .11 be Inndlcd 
 ar(! obtdnable. This -toiP' has b lai cxteiisivily wcikial at 
 Dundas, Hamilton, (iiimsby and liv' ims\ iile. A l; re. t draw- 
 back in (|iian\ iiiL;' tlii> iintirid is that it can oiny j;c ])rocured 
 aloiiji' the cdu'i' of tin; esc irpnimt. tind ri(|niii's a vast amount of 
 the slialy locks of the Clieton form tion to l.n' reiiiovrd. and 
 even then tin; supply is o|" a limited (jii mtity. The stone i- very 
 touub and hard on tools. I ,1111 infoini.d that this laick was 
 fortiuirly nnnuf ictured int./ L;rind-t<ui' s. The m j^ rit v oi" the 
 beds of lini("-tonc a:e too thin, or ini' ri(U', Ibr aiivtl.inL; more 
 tban the louuhcst buihliiiu' inateii.d. lln ,,>vcr, th, re is a suffi- 
 cient number ol' layers to supply an abundance of buililinu niate- 
 rial of wiiich tiie liandMimest iscditaiiied fioni tlicmcat (h)!oiiiite 
 (No. 8) and tlie subjacent beds. In f .ct all tiie bed> belonging 
 to the Niagara scries, tiiat will at all admit of use, are (jUariicd 
 at Hamiltun, and the broken material of tlic " Cheit baud" and 
 Vol. X. h No. 3. 
 
 S 
 
wmiikM 
 
 otluT layers i> ii.^fil l<^r road niotul, .itMJ only tfi(! iiioro slialy 
 linii'stoiH'rt arif rcjocteii. The •• Uliiu-IJuihliim bods," altlumgh 
 somowliit lartliy. lorin fair hiiililiii.; material. At the old 
 quarry aloiiu' Hossimhx Creek, and elsewliero, in tliu hit'lier portion 
 nf tlie -cries, ■^'iMid, fairly tliick blocks of dnlomiUi can bo obtained 
 
 Tlioii','h the li'nestoiie.s are Lroni-rally ratlior dark, tliey burn to 
 whit,(! lime, as ibe coluriii'j; is licrived I'roiu organic matter. The 
 principal limekilns arc su(i[)lied IVom the liii;best beds of the 
 Niairara seri(!S in tb'' re;^ion of Hamilton and Dniidas, while at 
 liimehouse, on the (ir and Trunk llailway, the lower beds are 
 ]i<_'ht eoloied. rather pure, and i'orm excellent lime — Toronto and 
 many other j)l:ice> beini^ supplied witti imnnMise (juantities of the 
 product of this'' kilns. Some of the beds ;ilso burn to liydraulic 
 cement. 
 
 However, there are intere>lini;' minerals in this region, other 
 than those which em be turned to use in the arts. The first of 
 the.xe minerals that wi'will notice is ijjMii)iitt\ This mineral occurs 
 on both .-idcs of (ih.'ii .Spencer. It is found as an efflorescence 
 on the ('(litres of the Nia<rara shales which are [trotectcd by over- 
 hantiini: thick bt'ds of dolomite. This salt has ari.sen i'rom the 
 diHintej.;ration of tiie adjicent dolomitic beds and the action of 
 deconiposiiii,' pyrites. In various other protected places this 
 efflorescence is seen, but it docs not consist of pure ejtsumite 
 beinic mixed with carbon ile of limi', carbonate of iron, sand aud 
 
 In th- five i'lot bed of dolomite (No. S) fine c.ibinet specimens 
 oi' sclcui I' and ery.-tallini! Ijuritc. cm be obtained. Also massive 
 gi/psitiu, handsome crystals of v.nbdt.r (variety (»f doLC-tooth spar), 
 cctt.stifc, and quartz in small crystals, as well as iron pi/ rites are 
 ibund. .Many of the cavities when broken opiai are found to be 
 filled with alkaline waters. In one of the Clinton beds, east of 
 ihe "Jolly Cut" road, I have Jbu:id line red and lireen crystals 
 oi hiirite. Ilowiver, the handsomest specimens were obtained in 
 Carpenter's Quarry, on lot 7, Kaiige Vll, of Barton, not now 
 we ked. Fine spiicimens of crystallized dolomite (pearl spar) 
 citlcite (in larj:;(! .scalene dodecaheilroiis, and in other modifica- 
 tions of rhomboh;'dronsj, t>u)idi\ j>i/rit<'s, gulcito, purple, smoky 
 and yellow y/Hor'7<! in fine cubes, and .seviiral i'ovius lA' bituminous 
 matter, both liquid and solid (a variety of which was elastic) 
 were found in con.iiderable quantities filling the cavities of 
 the rock, aud often lining what were once crystallites. It was 
 
1 
 
 The 
 
 :{5 
 
 in bi'fls ol" yitiiilir horizon it Hi'ainsvillo tint the i,';ih'ti!i wuh 
 foiin(l Jiti'l woikril iii.iriy ywnrs u'jo. The hftriziri iif the beds is 
 {'roiii l.'!(l to 1 IT) I'l't't ;4»«-^v \\\o lui'^c oC thi* Ni.it:;ir;i in the ni'iij;li- 
 bourliood riC Uniiiltnii, 
 
 [ii inuiHTou- phiciis iiiiiii'iMl witt'i'-: .ii-i" t'ouiiii. Thcfi! .ire of 
 two cl.i.sscs — :ilkuliiie .•itid sulpliurt'lt<'d waters. 01' the I'oriiitT 
 chiss theii' !ti( iiuiutTous -[ii inu> :doiiir tlie sido nl tli(>0!*c.irpm(!nt. 
 Hitiiii.ir wateis have iilso h. ■en obtained in various wells tiiat have 
 been hortid to a eonsidei'^hje depth. One of the>e wells was 
 boied ni'aily, or perhaps, r|nite throuirh the .Mciiina shales at 
 tbi' Ontario Oil llelinery. oast nl' II miilton. The water of thiM 
 place, I analysfii in IsTl . 
 
 Sodium ell Inridi! . l!-28 
 
 MagMfsiuni i iilcridc OGO 
 
 Calcium (Jiiloride I 07 
 
 I'utussiiirn clilniide a traee 
 
 (Jalciiim .siilpliaie 0'2() 
 
 KnsidiK! -10 
 
 WiitfT 94-!)n 
 
 99-75 
 
 Another al' those ininei'al waters wa.> obtained at a depth of 
 1009 feet in (.^nnbro-Silurian beds iVoni the Artesian well at the 
 Royal Hotel. Flaniilton. The I'ollowinir analysis was made iu 
 1870: 
 
 Sodium cliioride ttS711 
 
 Magnesium cldoride 1-2723 
 
 Polassiuia ohloridi' traces 
 
 Calcium chloride .'')-2723 
 
 Calcium Sulphate -1 167 
 
 Silica, iron, cii^honie acid, ■> 
 
 iodine and bromine / 
 
 Water 80-9676 
 
 100-0000 
 
 Unfortunately the record of this well was burned, although a 
 little of the saline water still remains in my possession. 
 
 Of the second class — 'aiphuretted waters — we (ind a few 
 pprinirs, the principal beini;' at Mount Albion, and at Sulphur 
 8prin<r.s, Ancaster. One of the old springs near Mount Albion 
 la now dried up. Fronj others in this p! ice the supply of gas 
 has continued to be evolved for many years, and three jets of this 
 gari, es.sentially sulphuretted hydrogen, are used to light Albion 
 
 
:;t; 
 
 ^li'l-; i!it |.ni|)riii"i- h iviii;;- Iiuilt .1 res -rviiir ol" livtlruulic rcrinirit 
 ov r iIm' .-^iH : in'. \l '• Sul|'liiif *^|'riii'.:>," Ancioli r. ilic aiiidntit 
 ol'';ii-< i^ 111! s(» l.ir-c, :iii'l III'' Mip|.!v is MMrci'ly iiinid tli.iiM'iiuti:;;!* 
 to Mit'UMti- till! w.itiT, 111)111 wliifli till! .-ul|iliur is {)r< fi|iit:.ti;il uii 
 cxpiisur.' t(» till! .ir. Ill Iidlli III' tln'M- l"f iliiics tlio ;; .m ;iris«!rt 
 from ili'cuiii|(ii>lii.; pyi ill's in ili>' .«urr"iiii«rni,ii' rimks. 
 
 VIII. -r \T M.'i'in; il' M\ii\I!\ l"nsS||,S I'ltU.M CANAIHAN 
 
 i,(H' \i.n U.S. 
 
 Ill till' rulji'witi/ iMlil'iLiU'' I liiivi' I'liilra (MiV'''! |m '^ivc i full 
 li>l i.r :i'l tlic rc-,-.ils llrit liiivi' lii'ci) ili-iMi, I iTil ill tin' r('::i(in 
 uinl r I' iii-i(lii'iti"!i. As 110 i'\lrii-i\(' Cm 'vli n c it iln^uc h is li "cri 
 |iul)lislii'il, I li;iv<' li' III .iiiiiiu'rii'il III il(|icii(l l.itLiilv I'll iii.V own 
 c>l! iciioii, iiriiiv spii'i' s lit' wli. I'll I ivt' I'T'ii [iroiiilril to iii" l»y 
 Ci'l. <lr;.iit. A liw of till' iiicliidrtl >iui.'lrs ,iri' iii't in my i-n Irc- 
 tioii, Inviiiii Yi''|is lirCoii' I» 'I'li sent •iWiiy iVoiii till' I'l'^iuii hv tlio 
 colli i'liir>, 'i| wliniii Col. (ii;iiit i-^ ih.' lun-t imlrl'iiliuiililr. The 
 hc-l ('"'hiiinii (i[' Siiiiiifji s ami Strminiii'jiiir'i is tin* oi' Mr. A. 
 J'). W 'kir. or til' t'liruii'i" izroiip m vnal ^[ii'cii's invc rriiiaiiicd 
 illiili'.-ci ill' il, .'^niiir oj" I'll' sprcii ^, incluiliiu ni''^t of tlic diitp- 
 tolltr j'.niiihi. \wo tlin I'^l't; ^I'lTiMKN.s, (Ir-crii'tioiis ol' whi(;li 
 ari' ..iiiMil III li ' ] iilili -Im'iI Ihnl {'il. (ir.;iit ri t:iiiiril ;.ll liis 
 own colh rtiiiii. lie umild liavc In ni . lilc, iin ilnilit. to Ikim' cuii- 
 .siilcrahly swillnl my 'i~i. 
 
 Tlu' 1)1 >l lociliti.'^ al llauiilton lor (•oil' oiit;i;- t'n<-ils ••iri' .it tlio 
 ''.Jolly t'nt," :'iiil in tin' :iiija''i'nt np-iiiiiL:'^ in llic (|U>ini!"> aloiij; 
 flic sidi s i>l ill.' •• ^li'Uiitiin," hntli vwA anl W'-.-t ni tlii.'^ iilicc. 
 Al.^o, in I: r iiorurs a' tin' ln'a'l> oi' .lanii.-. and (^^lU'i'ii strii ts; at, 
 till' '■ i5!iiir." II'' .r tin; city ic.-tirviiir ; aloo'j tlii' I l.iiiiiU'in and 
 NnrtliAVi sioiii Kaihvay lu tho -iniiuiit of tli.' MHs; in tin' ra- 
 viius 111' r Mount Alliio, : on lots i .nul ."). llani:!' \' II . of 
 Hartop. ainim- (!;o IIo-cmx ('reck; Mid mi lot 1 ."», jt'iiji' VI, 
 of the s lino tnwii^lji]). At i)ntiilas, tlir v.ariou- Lilon^ fnriii tlio 
 lust liciiiti.s, as ,•(11 i'^ Sydi'idiani ti'ad. At (iiimb-y tlio 
 rich' :-t f.iuii I is fiiiind up {\\r " Havini'." wlnio tin' l'o~.'~iN aro in a 
 bi'ttci' stato (d' pic'snvatiou than at wws o'hcr pi lo' in our Pro- 
 vince. Other localiti'S aro .-it Thorold, liimchou-i' (on tli" C T. 
 Kaiiway). and Uockwood. 
 
3llf 
 
 37 
 
 CA . ALO(JlIi; OF NIAdAKA I'OSSII^S. 
 
 i!KNh:itA AM) ki'I-,(;ii:h. ^i;Tii('!:nv AMI ri:i ri;K\''K. 
 
 SlriipKifnprr't rnnrfnlrini (inliU'iiss, IS'jd, Oniii. I'l'tref. 
 
 Cdiiiiii/'nni ifinfri. Sp'TKcr. 1 HS !. Ni;i;,'ai'ii l''()s«ils, 
 
 " Tiiii'diiUi •• '• 
 
 Coni'iylomii <-nn^l<lliil}ini Hull, IS.".'.', I'al. N, Y. 
 
 " li()tii;i,il'iil Sliclicci, jKH'J, Nilljiliril KoKrtils. 
 
 Vir'jiitvldWd )■■ ! it'll fiit'i " " 
 
 Aafi/l'iyjoii'/iit I'lttrmunil (inl(iril>s, ISSO, I'rlicf. (rcrtn. 
 
 " .••;<. 
 
 Aufdcii/iii'ii i/i.hi/t Uiiliii.'^s. IMTTi, ('I'li. Nat. 
 
 IIYI>iU)Z(M. 
 
 'll'AITOiai'.-V.A. 
 
 j*/i>,'h>'ir'>/'luf- (/) JnlinK Spciirc',-, ISK'J, MiaLrarii Fussiis. 
 
 DciiJrii'/i'iipl'is riimnsuH •• •' 
 
 " nl.lllih'T. •• " 
 
 " dirif.-'oiii •• '• 
 
 " frcnlofiun ... •• '• 
 
 " iriii'iiriiciliK '• ■' 
 
 " /■■/iinofun •• '• 
 
 Cullofirii/iiyi iti hiiiri'iiais •• >• 
 
 '' ;iniit':i 
 
 '• (I ii'ii-Jrii^iiiifi'ii^-) vni!lir.auli.s. ■• " 
 
 '' ii'/it'i!iis •• •• 
 
 Ihchjourma n!i/'in.'i.'' Hail, iS'.'i", I'ai. N V 
 
 " (jrocdh ■• 
 
 " iccl'.<rri D.iw-^.ri, I S'.'H. Acml (iiol. 
 
 " Ir.iidLit.n SjiclH 'T, i '■'".S. (Jail. N'al. 
 
 Cuti//>tiyji(juia-i ciddulorr.iix ■• 
 
 " ^u'lir/rhniii.'' 
 
 '' liU'Tiiiii-iJi/t'osli:.'-; •■ i .'-.SL', Ni;.;.;:ir;i l''i;ssils. 
 
 '• (..') ni.!„i''i^- •• •■ •• •• 
 
 R/i!Z",Tii/,iit.-< Int'.lms-tK •• l.-'TS. ('all ?\at 
 
 Aciinlh'ii;rii}'tnx .iriiati •• •• ■■ 
 
 ■' vnlr.hcr '• 1 sv'j, 
 
 hwcmilis jihniitilo^a . !lall. l.'-::"i'.:, I'a!. X. 'i', 
 
 '•• hd!,t.... 11 a'l .•; \V'!il'i-!<!, I.--?!. I'.il. Ohio. 
 
 •• icnl.ini Sfx'ti ,»:;•, I SSJ, Ni.i.u'.ira, l''n-;sils. 
 
 " f>roiiL:'ii.aUcii •• ! 878, (!an. Nat. 
 
 J;Jl'n-'a ■• i. S ■<■_'. N:;i;.',ai-a l''t:-:sil.i. 
 
 •' rtiiiuilnsa ■ ■ ■• '■ 
 
 '• curvicornis 
 
 " fl/l//OVt.ljS 
 
 Thant'iD/nipia-i Ijrtonaiifi^ ■■ •• •• '• 
 
 ' {.') tnu It 'formic •' '• 
 
 Plilti;p\riii iifi foUacjus ■• 1.S7S, C\n. Nat. 
 
 Cydo'jrajjLuti roiaJeritatux •■ 'S.-i'^. NiaL-uru i-'tissils. 
 
fiJ*". !■■«>«/>,>>, 
 
 :5H 
 
 ACTINOZOA. 
 
 TAl!i:i,ATA. 
 
 Favoaifex nia>/ar,-nyis Hali, i,S52, Pai. N.Y., Vol II. 
 
 " /"WM'/.v Goldfuss, 182G, Germ. Pctruf. 
 
 Amrnccriinn (/']n;j'<;./es) con.urir/um. .Hull, 1852, Pal. y.Y., Vol, II. 
 
 Syringolihs /,,>n„„n.n.s ... Ilindo, 1879, Gi-ol. Ma^r. 
 
 Cladoimnt nmllipn.ii H;,ll. i8.f-,2. Pal. N.Y., Vol. II. 
 
 Sirinlojmrd Jl.-xi(ii^:i. '• a a a 
 
 IIa/i/.i//('s (uttriKilnliiK Liiininiis, 1 7(>7, Syst. Nat. 
 
 Syri)vjoi„>r„ r.rlir.iJIaia (?) Goldfu.s.s. 182G, Germ. Pelrof. 
 
 KL'CO.SA. 
 
 Ciiallm,,!,,,!!,,,,, raUmhua Jlornin.trtT, 1 870, Fos. Corals in Geol 
 
 Mich., Vol. III. 
 
 Oru,,h„mn .ioh:, M ihu'-Edwards, 187(;, I'os. Corals 
 
 ill Gcol. Midi., Vol. III. 
 
 .Prtrniii Slrrpirla^nvi cUiicoln Hall, 1852, l*al. N.Y., Vol. II. 
 
 ECiriNODEIlMATA. 
 
 ASri:H0lliKA. 
 
 Peuninr hcllulu. Hilli„,tr,s, I8(;5, Pal Fo.ss., Vol 1. 
 
 CUINOIDKA A.M) i; V.STOIDKA. 
 
 Lyriocrinn^ dv-iyh,, n.,i|^ j^.-.j^ ^'aX. N. Y., Vol. II. 
 
 TkymnocriiiM!^ I ilii formic a \Hr>'l " a 
 
 Ear.aly,,lnrnnm drrorns Phillips, 1820, Mmvh. .Sil. Sy.st 
 
 St,,,hanor.rinm anynlalus Conrad, 1842, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sc 
 
 Caryocrium ornalw Say, 182,-), « <. 
 
 I'OI.VZOA. 
 
 Crrnmopom foliacea ^.^^ is.G^, Pal. N. Y , Vol II 
 
 CUithropora (^ yraciU. Spencer, 1882, Niai,^ara Fossils 
 
 FemMMa rh'yan. u.^, 1852, Pal. N. Y,, Vol II 
 
 Polypora{l.,nn,i.:m :') ,,/6/a«.«,.,V;.. .Spencer, 1880, Niagara Fossils 
 
 Licnrnalm mnr'ntrln Hall, 1852, Pai, N.Y., Vol. II. 
 
 Trematopord osi.-imiid .. ;, _, 
 
 I5UA0HIOPODA. 
 
 SIMIilMOIlA. 
 
 •^^''■■f '" 'T''^'" Hisin^er, 182G,Ac.. Acad. Nat. So 
 
 ' ""V'"-'"s" Conrad, 1812, Jo.ir 
 
 '■ '■"*"'" HisinL^er, 1857, Petref Suecica 
 
 ; '";:''"" ^owerhy, 1825, Min. Concl, 
 
 Atnn>n / / '''"■"''"'"■■•' '^^^^^^ ' ^07, 2oth Kc^enfs lieport. 
 At>ypa u'Icr.lan. Linnan.s, 1 7.i7, Syst. Nat 
 
 Atl,yn.iM.rhtin,,)mliJo ijall, 1852. Pal. NY., Vol. II. 
 
 iiriv.\co\ioi,r,iiMK. 
 Rynco.Ma nryl.ria „,^„^ ,,,.^ j,^^, ^_^. ^^^^ ^^ 
 
 ohlusiplirata u « 
 
 " Ik 
 
 ^''■' '• " I! (. 
 
 " "'!m<i u „ ,. ^^ 
 
 „ . ., ,. , '^ ' Vanu.vem, ]84.>, Geol. ,S DiU NY 
 
 -(inunams Iiillinj,'.s, 1859, Can. Nut. 
 
II. 
 
 39 
 
 STIMU'IIOMKNIIME. 
 
 Slroplnmni,, pr'ifun.la Flail, 185'J, I'ul. N.Y , Vol. II. 
 
 '• rliDinhoiddlis Wiiliciiiltci-f^, 1.S21, \rX. S<)(\ Sci. 
 
 IJpSillil. 
 
 Slrophodonta ■•o'mijasciat.a llall, IHOli, 'j'l.vns, All). Inst. 
 
 Slrefitor/ii/)irun tenuis •• 1 858, 
 
 Leji/ciKi /r'iiisr('r:.i/./i.s Diilin.'in, 1827, Koiii;!. Vvt. Aiad. 
 
 Ihuiiil. 
 OtOiih rlrr/iin/iila Diilniiin, '• '• •• 
 
 '• jhihrllelum Elilll, I84;i. 
 
 " />orrii//i Mc(^<)y, 18UJ. Sil. l''oss. of Ireland. 
 
 Cli.WlAliyK. 
 
 ('ruiiia (inift Sjioiiccr, 1882, Niagiini Ko.ssils. 
 
 rlSOl.NIIiAK. 
 
 DUcina U'liiiilumfllala Hall, 1802, Tal. NY., Vol. II 
 
 cLiirn Spt'iu'cr, 1882, Ni.'luara KoshIIk. 
 
 I.ISi;i'I,l!>KA. 
 
 LinguUi idilatiiin Conrad, 18:!',), .\nii. licp. N.Y. 
 
 Inmrllata Hall, 1852, I'al. N.Y., Vol. II. 
 
 " in'/f:n^ Spencer, 1880, Niagara Fo.ssHh. 
 
 LAMKLI.II'.RANCHIATA. 
 
 Avicula I'liiiicr.nita Conrad, 1842, Jour. Acad. Nat. So. 
 
 Plcrima hrivi Hall, 18(17, 2(l11i Uegeiit s Hep. NY. 
 
 Posodimomi/a rho,:ihoid,^n '• 1852, I'al. NY., Vol. II. 
 
 Modiulofisit: mt/iulu/a •' " 
 
 «' sp '• '• " •• 
 
 (.ASTKKOl'OUA. 
 
 Plali/o.it(t/nii ii/.(i</(irrnsi.s Hall, 1852, Pal. N.Y., Vol. II. 
 
 Lmioxniia Irdu " 18G7, 2()tli Regents Rep., N.Y. 
 
 Plfurotamirrui r/iin'i/hrmi.i ...Speneer, 1882. N'iagara KohsIIh. 
 
 i''ri':i!oi'()i)A. 
 
 Conuliina ninf/nrrrtsis. Hall, 1852, I'al. NY . Vol. 11. 
 
 iii<i:/nij/rii Speneer. I87ii, Can. Nat. 
 
 •■ rui/ofii . •• 1882, Niagara KossIIh. 
 
 CKPll.ALCl'ODA. 
 
 Orthoccnif rir;/iit/un • • ■ -Sowerby, 18:1;), Min'cli. Sil. SyHt. 
 
 " ~innul(thun " 1 8 1 8, M in. (Jonel. 
 
 ■■<imi(tal()r . llall, i87i;, 28tli lieg. Rep. NY. 
 
 rrilii'-scenx 'J) " I8ti7, 20(1) 
 
 /'iiiirtirjinc. Speneer, 1882, Niagara FoKriils. 
 
 (i/rtoiUT'i-- rctwrn.iim " •• " 
 
 Liluite!' 'ii(t./(ir(iisis. ...... '■ '• '• 
 
 .\NNi;hIDA 
 
 CorniUi!/'.'' ifrxiio.'ius Miill, 1852, I'al. N Y., Vol. I J. 
 
mm 
 
 40 
 
 CRTjS'rAf:KA. 
 
 Ti:il.(i;:ITA. 
 
 niomus barrim.,. ^''"-'^l'- 1 ^'•'^^ "i'" ^y^*' 
 
 Ennnmru. orr,.>n, H >11, 18,V2. (vid Cybflc pnnrtata). 
 
 SphacrcTirhu. rominq.ri " 1 «« ' , '^"f' ^'^•-'- ''^''P' ^'•"^• 
 
 Calumau. h!au.'nh.<-Un llroiiKiui.rt. 1822, Hist. Nal. Cmst. 
 
 ••^ Foss. 
 
 IlnmnJnaotuA di'l/i/iiiioc /i/ni.'u" Groi'n, I.S:',2. 
 
 Dabiiaiiifr.s li.mu.'unis 
 
 Lichm ho/lorn: Iii^''^'"y, 1«'-^''' •T'^'"- A''"'l- N.'.t. Sc, 
 
 .4«ri«./«. /^.///i Spcnrcr, 1 8S0, N li.gani FohsUs. 
 
 KUUVl'TKlill!,!:. 
 
 riRTijgo'us CanaJcndi^ Dawson, 1879, <Jati. Nat. 
 
 AI'I'KNDIX. 
 
 Beside!- tho provinus citalo-uc; nl" Cossils fdund in the dilTorcnt 
 formations t-f l ) Nia-iia (Jruup in C.ma>la, .Mii.ssr.s. Nicljolsci 
 and Hinde; iiavd (iblaiiR;il tlic lo.lnwiug species: 
 
 CLINTON. 
 
 ttcolif/na; >:,'rii.fali.s at Duiidas. 
 
 Arc/iocouU-i sji!ir.''i/s . " 
 
 J'hiiiijlil'JS VHi;J''rii.'' " 
 
 SlruiifUojiorit Inn Hi at Ow(;n S;;iind. 
 
 Zai'hn'Hiis M'>U,i (.') " " 
 
 Ch;ii,:h:><jUr.i'erl at Diiiidus. 
 
 Phaiiiijiijrd <: !^i/onni;i " 
 
 PtiUi ii-Aijii (•/(/■'•■•^J ■ " 
 
 '• (.') idiij/'Jia " 
 
 " i'i(i)i:!'i! t " 
 
 Ti(']itorij''i I pLiiiiininvxa " 
 
 Oii/iis C!i!'i;inninaa " 
 
 Lc/ilacna neitc'ia " 
 
 Timlncuii/f'.s 7i(i;)l('.clus '• 
 
 Gli//>loniiiin'i jilunionuf: " 
 
 NIAGARA. 
 
 Slromalo/.or.r liinhu. at Owen Scniud. 
 
 IlrHoliti'.H iiitiimlincta " " 
 
 Fovoaitra venunln " " 
 
 " (;.') midlipom " " 
 
 « diihia " " 
 
 CofJiiles {/.iiiKiiiii) lumiiiala . , , . '• " 
 
 " liiiinla " " 
 
 Alveolites jhclicn " " 
 
 " niiijarensis at Ricliraond. 
 
St. 
 
 c, 
 
 nt 
 
 [■a 
 
 1 
 
 41 
 
 Astrxophyllum grarile at Owen Sound. 
 
 Cnunnpora annul aln " " 
 
 Syringopora reli/ormis " " 
 
 Zaphrentis Rocmeri •' " 
 
 Cystiphi/llum vesiculosum at Thorold. 
 
 Petraia pygmira , " 
 
 Diphiphyllum ctespitosum " 
 
 Clathoporafondosa " 
 
 " intermedia " 
 
 Relepora axperato-Mriata " 
 
 Trematopora oMeolaia at Niagara River. 
 
 FenesleV '■ tenuiceps " " 
 
 Athyris intermedia " " 
 
 Slrophomena mbplana at Thorold. 
 
 Orthis biforata " 
 
 Id the cataloi^uo abovc-iianicd we find at species of Clinton 
 and 49 of Niagara fossils, (•o'.leclcd by Me.«sr.s. Nicholson and 
 Hlnde, of which the above 39 specii's have not been obtained by 
 me, or in so poorly preserved condition as to be rejected from nay 
 cabinet. In the catalo.,'ue the nrmes of fossils are not usually 
 phiced in two formations, but only in that where they more 
 
 generally occur. 
 
 In the catalogue of the fossils of the Medina. Clinton and 
 Niagara, given here, there will be found 121 species of Niagara 
 and 53 of Clinton and Medinti, of which only a few species are 
 repeated in the lists. The principal omissions in uiy cabinet are 
 in the poorly preserved specimens of the Clinton, at Dundas, and 
 in the species found at Thorold and Owen Sound. Neither of 
 the lists includes 13 species of annelid jaws, recently described 
 by G. J. Hinde, Esq. 
 
 APPENDIX .\. 
 
 Catalogue of Fossils of the Hudson Rlvn- Format Ion, found in 
 
 the Old Beaches at the wcstn-n end of Lake Ontario. 
 
 The study of the occurrence of these fossils belongs, strictly 
 speaking, to the Drift, which will be described in a subse- 
 quent paper. From the Pulajontolo-ic d point of view, they 
 are more interesting in connection with this portion of the study 
 of the Geology of the Region about the Western End of Lake 
 Ontario than in that of the Surface Geology. 
 
 The following is a list of the fo.ssils which I luive obtained in 
 considerable quantities from t!ie ibssiliferous pebbles of both the 
 ancient and modern beaches in the region of Hamilton : 
 V07..X. ^i ^''•^- 
 
42 
 
 Stenopont fibrom, Goldfnss. 
 Columiuiria flur.nlata, r.illiiiRH. 
 Alln/ris /audi, Billin^'w. 
 Stropliomrna nltirndtn, ('oiirad. 
 Sirophor.icni) .'Jloi.Jr,!., dnmid. 
 /,,'l,l;r.na K,:ric:ii, Sowcrby. 
 Or!hi.-i Ir.Hhidiniiriii. Dili man. 
 (JiiliiH nccideiit'ili.^, Hall. 
 ()rllii< l>/!iJ-> Eitliwald. 
 Oholclla crasaa, lliiH. 
 Moilinlopxin modwlanx., Conrad. 
 
 Modh.inpsi. (s.>v.Tal undormined spec.e«). 
 
 C'liio.lonlji hiirri'.lt'r, Uilliugs. 
 
 Orlhonoln — 
 
 Ctanodont'i. 
 
 Jjjrolcsma jiosl^lriala, Emmons. 
 
 A»ibo)ii;chin radialii, Hall. 
 
 Anicnla dfmisya, Conrad. 
 
 Murchisonin ijracUh^ Hall. 
 
 Cyrtoliles or»<ihi.% Conrad. 
 
 OrlhocA'ra.'i lamMo.viin, Hall 
 
 Ormoccras crehisefilum, Hall. 
 
 Leperditiu canadeims, .Joncf. 
 
 APPENDIX li. 
 
 Since ^vriti,.o• tl.o V.^u-t on tho Pala3ozoic fioolojry of the 
 Remon ubout the Wostern End ..f J.akc Ontnvio, I have observed 
 th-il Dr IlmU. in hi.. Hcport on the Canadian Petroleum Regions 
 of Canada (18(i;]-«;<;), givos tl.o !o,^ of a well sunk on theeleventh 
 lot of the soventh ran-o of Barton, which is ms follows: 
 
 Limestones with a little shale 250 foot 
 
 White sandstone ^ 
 
 Red shales with bluish hands 595 " 
 
 Bluisli and grayish shale J^ 
 
 87:5 ''• 
 
 The loc.ition of tliis well is about two iu.d a half milecs south- 
 ward of tho brow of the ' Mountain " at Hamilton. The upper 
 250 feet include both the Niagara and Clinton formations, 
 which measurement is almost precisely the same as the thick- 
 tie«s of these strata a^cert:dned by measurement at Dundas. 
 Consequently, we may consider the summit beds in bcth places 
 as nearly identical, whilst the beds at Carpenter's Limekilns, 
 not much more than a mile distant from the Barton well, are 
 
 
43 
 
 it its mouth, but 
 
 to b'' 5'.).') <'(Ma. 
 
 ccolocically and ^'cographically higher than 
 
 geographically lowor thaa the inlerior beds at Duridas, ou account 
 
 of the dip of the strata. ^ 
 
 The live feet of sandstone constitute th.' prevailing "bray 
 
 Band" of the iMedina formation. 
 
 The thickncw of the Medina shales .ippiars 
 I have placed the thickness of the Medina shales at 5:35 feet ; 
 this being derived from the record of the well at Duadas, where 
 they are "underlaid by "limestones and grits," whilst in tlu> Bar- 
 ton well the red shdes are underlaid by "bluish and grayish 
 shale- " which probably belong to the Hudson River group 
 
 It must be remarked that the Dundas well is not far beyond 
 the turn in the bend of the Niagara escarpment, which I have 
 desiirt.atcd by the name of ancietU, Ca,.e Dunda«. Tn the pre- 
 vious Report attention has been frequently called to the fact that 
 all the shaly deposits decrease, and those which are calcareous 
 increase the moment that we pass around the provisionally called 
 Cape Dundas. In proceeding northward the Medina shales thm 
 out atjd are last seen at Cabot's Head, and, according to Dr. 
 Bell, are entirely absent from the series in the Manitoulin Island. 
 The' elbre this difference of about tJO feet is one of thickness and 
 not of error. It was also noticed that in proceeding south-west- 
 ward towards Ohio, that the Medina shales almost entirely dis- 
 appear. . 
 
 Had I known of the existence of the well in Barton at the 
 time that I took the levels over the adjacent localities, it would 
 havo given an additional point for correcting the estimato of the 
 dip The altitude of the place, about a quarter of a mih< north- 
 oMst of the well, is 435 feet above Lake Ontario, while at a 
 quar.er of a mile to the eastward, it is 424 foot, on a surface of 
 rocks. Calculating from these data, the dip would be between .. 
 and 27 feet in a mile, but as the well is between these two points, 
 we can retain our old estimate of 2.^.4 feet in a mil-. h:-v,ng a 
 dircctimi of 20 degrees west of south. 
 
 are 
 
'W 
 
 o 
 
 
 ^O^ OTTAWA. ^-^^ 
 
 y 
 
 
,-4 . m i . 
 
^'■^ 
 
 \'JHAL 
 
 
 ■ it' 
 
simvACE GEOLOGY oi-rnKUK;;u)NAm^^^^ 
 
 WESTERN END OE LAKE ON TAKIO. 
 
 I5v 1 W SfK.N.K.ii. r..A,S.., M.A.. I'll I).. l-.<i>. 
 Vioe-l'rosidont of the University -r Kin^'. CHo^e. Win i... Nov. S.-.i.. 
 
 X.. No. :•-.) 
 
 ].__iNTi«ti>r(THtN. 
 
 lay nny be made out ol' ,1,- .•x,,,.,u,vs .,r .1- old n.-k-lun,.. 
 
 Zi\ha&„-/J (;.W„J, i t .,.„l.v <.!■ local u,U.,es., lor 1,™,, a 
 
 „; e atlft -any .bi's^ eoneen,in. ,be veU. ,ubj.,e> o d.euu 
 
 !:; V ;-»bout .be ori,i .be U™e,.G,v,,, Lake, .be un.. . 
 
 ™d t tra„.poiU,liol, power ol' ,a„ o, Hoe ,ee. be.ule,- ,b 
 
 t^^^. cau.es wb,cb eo„,bi 1 .o .or,,, ,b,. r.r, |„e, ,„v.|„. 
 
 rcion of Caiiaua. . . ,,,.(■.,,,,. 
 
 I„ Par. I, o„ tbe Pubeozoie .JcoU.,y, .. l-r.,"" "1 .',■>> 
 f„, „.e, „er described wi.b .e.ereuce .o tbe exposures I 1 aU- 
 
 „rc'.or„„mo„s. Tbe prese,,, desc-ip-ioos of topo.rapby 1 : 
 
 rclcrrace only .o .be Surface Geology. 
 
 o,..ler to .„o,-e .uUy explab, .b- ca„s,s wb,eb eo„.p„e o 
 .,H„- about tbe present feature,, ,. is necessary .o waud .-o,u. 
 
 Tbedei.i,.i..,sof.bc.op^r,^.a,eap,rn™.t,^^ 
 the origin oftlie Lower Great l.akL> n.ae ^ . 
 
 ■T»Oiso,v..yonl.i'.e..a.a,0..,....n...;;-u 
 tl-ton.UM.ntano; vvithN......>t J- ;...-; ^^^^^ 
 
 Windsor, N.S. U.ad i-ofor.. th.^ -V'"" „ ■ '„. S.,. i,.tv. Tl,-- 
 
 s.uue papor was re-puUished ,u ^ ^l-'^- ;\ j;;,; ..^o,,.,,,.. A 
 logical Survey, with Notes Ly 1 ..'t- 'Z " ,^,.; •„„.,,•,,,, .pu.u iu> 
 Aion of the pap^ on t . On^ 
 Paperouthesubjeit, road l..'l.... AAA- _ ^.^^^ 
 
 Vo... X. 
 
»l 
 
 46 
 
 but will hero be ii^printcil witi 
 tion marks. 
 
 I -niiii' ,'i 
 
 ItL'nitioiis without (juota- 
 
 II. — TOINKJHAI'IIY ol TIIK UKOION AHOl'T THE WESTERN 
 
 KN'I» OK LAKE ONTAIIM.''" 
 
 Tlu Xi'iyiirii h'uriir/niini/. — This raD^'f ol' iiills cominonces its 
 foui'jsc in Ccutnil Now York, ain] cxtcmls wostwanl, at n<i i,'reut 
 'listaiico .south ot Luku Ontario. It t;ntors Canada at Quocn.stot 
 Fici^'ht>, and tluMicr its trend i^ to the wcstorn ind of tlu; lake, 
 where, iie.ii' Hamilton, it turns noilliwurd .and extt.'nds to (Jabot's 
 he.id and .Manitoulin island. Kverywhere in Cai. -da. south of 
 li.ike Ontario, it has an .ibrupl lall lookiriL; towards the north- 
 ward ; hut .It Thorold in.l other jtlaces to the t.'astward its brow 
 is nion; broken than at (Jrinisby, and westward. At Hamilton the 
 brow of tlie escarpment varies from I5SS to iV.Ml feet above Ijako 
 Ontario. About five miles ea.»t ul ll.imilton the escarpment 
 makes an abrupt bond enclosinii a triani:ular valley, down which 
 llosseaux creek and other stre.ims flow. This valley i.s about two 
 miles wide ;it its njouth, and lias ;i leiiLith of .ibout the same 
 distance. 
 
 About five miles we.^tward of Hamilton the Niagara oscar^ 
 ment beconjes covered with the drift deposits ol' a broken country, 
 or rather ends abruptly in the drift of the reuion. Above the 
 ranjj;o, tlie country i^radu.illy rise,"' to the divide between Lake 
 (}ntaiio and the Grand river, or Lake Erie, without any coii- 
 sipicuous features. South ea.^tward of ILimilton, at a point .about 
 five miles from the brow of the i-scarpment, wh^Tt the Hamilton 
 aud North-Western Hallway reaches the summit, the altitude 
 above Lake Ontario is 4!)3 feet. At Carpenter's (juarry, two 
 miles southward of tlie "mountain" brow, .at the head of Jameai 
 ."Street, the altitude reaches 485 feet; and near Aucaster the sum- 
 mit is 510 feet above J^ake Ont.irio. From eastward of Grimsby 
 (for twenty miles) to near Ancaster, the escarpment presents an 
 abrupt face from 150 to 250 feet below the summit (having a 
 moderate amount of talus at the base), thence it extends by a 
 more or less steep series of .slopes to the plane, which irradually 
 
 1 
 4 
 
 * The top().i,aai)hy is partly represented on map aeeompanying 
 Pala'ozoie Geology. IJurlington Heiglits is tlie spur of land between 
 the Marsh and Burlington Bay. 
 
 .J 
 
 S.i^l:i'>i-n,>lA 
 
47 
 
 inclino.s (somotitnos by ii succi-ssion of torrac-H. to tl„- Ink.. 
 
 luarL'in. 
 
 U» the northorn side of the town of Dundas. thr abrupt lac- 
 of the oi^carpm.'nt looks souihward. and cxteiids four or live luilc.* 
 westward, until tlie exposure beo.>uus covered by the drifi 
 deposits near Copetown station, similar to the u^rmination at 
 Ancast<r on the south side of the Uumlas valley, but not by an 
 abrupt endin- as at the latter locality. About two mile, east ol 
 the G VV. Railway station, at Dundas, the trend ot the ruu-. 
 bends more to the northward, and from this point there is h 
 marked difference in the conti-uration of the country below the 
 8un.nnt The ranuo, after ext^ndin- beyond Waterdown. turn, 
 still more to the northward and passes near Milton and J.ime- 
 house station (on the G. T. Railway), and the.iee extend>_ to 
 Georgian bay. The height of Cop'towr, above the lak.. is oU- 
 feet On the west side of Glen Speneer it is 4(»!l feet, and east- 
 ward of the same iior-o. the highest point is 520 feet (Nia-arH 
 limestone comin-z to within four feet ol" the surface ). At Water- 
 down the altitude is over 5(H> feet (?) and at Limehouse the 
 brow of the ran.e (though only the lower beds of the N.auar,* 
 limestones occur) is SIO feet. Farther to the northwanl the 
 country rises until it reaches an altitude of 1402 feet above l.ake 
 Ontario or 1700 feet above the ,.ea. near Dundalk station, on 
 the W G. k B. Railway. The features ol' the surface ot the 
 country abov<. the hi^d.lands north of Dundas are mueh more 
 varied than south of Dundas valley. As the trend of the esoarp- 
 nient turns northward around the end ol' the lake, the face ot th. 
 slope looks towards the eastward. 
 
 Bnsm nf Lahe Ontario -^-X^ is well known. Lake Ontario 
 consists of a broad shallow (considerin-. it< si/e) basin, excavated 
 
 • The vaiiuus Canadian railways an.l < ai.als. wh-.s. dovatiens a,. 
 ,eferml to s.a levH. take Lake St. PH-r a. .1.. datum. Tins ropre- 
 L-nts ,n.l. tld.. in the St. Lawn.n-.. Uiv... Th. e.evat.nn a....o. o 
 I,.k. Ontario is 235 i^^et (by the Uran.l Trunk ' -'-;>);":^ ^ ; ' 
 aeeordiug to difforrnt Cana.lian authnr.t.es. (ah<.v,- Lak. St. Ut. > 
 The U. ^ Lake Survey plae.s Lake ...dario a, .-U;.! ..et and Lak.- 
 Erie at 57;;-C(. feet above n.ean tide. Th. W.ik.nd «:anal idae.s Lako 
 L' at .20.7. feet beh.w Lake Kri. (whi..Ms no. .^^^^^^^ 
 
 aeknowled,ed to be 57. feet above n.ean oeean eve , ^ - * - 
 all future references to elevation ab<,ve nnan t.de. I hav taken Lak^ 
 Ontario at '247 feet. 
 
48 
 
 .'.'? 
 
 oil tlu! south, rii DKir-iti out of tlu' Mediua shales, and havintr its 
 f-outliiTu shores tVoiii one to suvoral miles from the foot of the 
 Niagara . scari)inei)t. Tlu: Medina shales form the western uiar- 
 jiin (wlKrc not covered with drift) to a point near Oakville. 
 From tliis town to a point some distance eastward of Toronto, 
 the hard rocks are made up of the different beds of Hudson River 
 epoch ; wliiUi the sol't Utica shales occupy the middle portion, 
 and tin- Trctitot. limestone tlu' portion of the Province towards 
 the east(>ri. end ol" the lake. 
 
 The couiitrv at the western end of the lake consists of slopes 
 '^ently risin<r to the foot of the Nia<_'ara escarpment, noticed before. 
 .Sometimes this elevation is by terraces, and again by inclines so 
 gentle, as between Lake Ontario and the foot of the escarpment 
 at Limehouse (on the G. T. Railway) where the difference of 
 altitude abovo the water is more than 700 fe(>t, witliout any 
 very eonspicyous features. 
 
 At the western end of tlie lake, the two shores converge at an 
 acute angle. At about five miles from the apex of this angle is 
 the low Burlington beach, thrown across the waters in a slightly 
 curved line, which fmnis the western end of the open lake. 
 Burlington bay, thus formed, is eoniieeted with the open lake by 
 a canal of the same name. This beach is mide up of sand and 
 pebbles (mostly of Hudson River age), and is more than four 
 miles long, but uowlien! is it hal. a mile wide. 
 
 No mean depth of Lake Ontario can be fiirly stated. For 
 geological purposes it has no mean depth, because it is simply 
 a long chani\el with the adj.icent low lands covered by back- 
 water. 
 
 Wes: of the meridian of the Niagara river the lake is evidently 
 filled with more silt than eastward, as we find that the bottom 
 slopes more irradually towards the centre, where the mean depth 
 (iu' easing from the westward) of the channel may be fiirly 
 placed at fOO feet below the present surfice of the waters. In 
 this section of the lake, the average slope from both shores may be 
 stated at 'M^ feet in a mile. At a short distance east of the 78th 
 meridian, the character of the lake bottom changes in a most 
 conspicuous manner. Here we find a deeper channel which ex- 
 tends for more than ninety miles, having an average depth of 
 about 90 fathoms or 5K» feet, with, in some places, a trough 
 about tiOO feet deep, generally near the southern margin of the 
 
Ui 
 
 1 
 
 r 
 
 90-fathom channel. Here :md tlicro is a deeper isoundin^— the 
 deepci^t bein- 12:! ti.tlionis cr 738 feet. The long chaDncl, sur- 
 rounded by the 90- fathom contour line, is situated at a mean 
 distance of not less than twenty miles from the Canadian shcre, 
 whilst its southern side approaches in some places to within six 
 miles of the American shore, witli which it is parallel. This 90- 
 fathom channel varies from three to twelve miles in width. Its 
 broadest u.id deepest portion is s(.uth of the Canadian peninsula 
 of Prince Edward's County. 
 
 The mean slope of the lake bottom, fron. the Canadian shore 
 to this deep channel just pointed out, may be placed at less than 
 twenty-five feet in a mile, with variations from twenty to thirty 
 feet in that distance. The mean slope from the New York shore 
 line to the 90-fathom channel may be placed at sixty feet in a 
 mile, but varying irenerally from fifty vo ninety feet. On examin- 
 ation we find that the -reater portion of this slope belon-s to 
 a belt which descends much more rapidly than the off-shore 
 
 depression. 
 
 That the southern side of Lake Ontario has a submerged 
 series of escarpments or one moderately steep and of great dimen- 
 sions, is manifest when we come to study the soundin-s. In fact, 
 if the bed of Lake Ontario were lifted out of the water, this sub- 
 merged escarpment would be more conspicuous than the greater 
 portion nf the present one. known by the name of the Niagara. 
 In many plaoes the descent from the table-land above the Niagara 
 escarpment is no more precipitous than the slopes ol the sub- 
 merged Cambro-Silurian (Hudson River, in part, if not through- 
 out "the entire length) rocks, with its sloping summit, in part 
 crnwned by a -ently sloping surface of Medina shales. Nearly 
 north of the month of the Genesee river, we find that withui 
 a sin-le mile the soundin-s vary from f.n-ty-three to suv.Mity- 
 ei-ht^fathoms (between contour lines). This gives a sudden 
 do^cent in one mile of 210 frot. As the sou.uUn-s are not taken 
 continuously t-. show to the contrary, n,ost of the change ot 
 levels may be within a few hundred yards. 
 
 In the re-ion of these soundin-s the deepest water outside ot 
 the 7is-fathmn line is 84 fathoms, whilst from the shore to the 
 48-fathotn sounding the least distance is four and a half miles, 
 thus givinu the greatest mean slope of the lake bottom at sixty 
 feet in a mile, before the escarpment is reached. 
 
¥i^ 
 
 r. 
 
 •^- 
 
 •» ( 
 
 50 
 
 An excellent series of soundiuos can be studied in a line nearlj 
 northward from Putneyville, N. Y.: 
 
 Distanti- from Putney 
 
 Vilh'. 
 
 0.5 mill's. 
 1.0 " 
 1.75 " 
 4.125 " 
 
 Depth ol Soundiuii-. 
 
 4'J tffl. 
 
 72 
 12G 
 240 '• 
 
 Slope from previous 
 Soi nding. 
 
 tJO feet per mile. 
 
 5.0 '• ■» Face of the f :'>T2 
 6.0 " je.^c'pment. \ 582 
 
 I 
 
 7.0 
 10.0 
 12.0 
 
 021 
 642 
 
 7:18 
 
 Ftn.l. 
 
 ( 
 50 
 
 14-1 
 210 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 41S 
 
 a 
 II 
 
 Section orLakeOntario from Poinl IvWrUcfht. OnUmo, toPntneyviUe,iai 
 
 From this table it will be soon that in a distance otloss than 
 two miles the slope of the oscarpn.ent is the difference between 
 5R2 and 24(1 feet, or :i3(i feet as actually recorded. At Hamilton, 
 the Niagara escarpment is only :iSS feet above the lake, which is 
 two miles distant, whilst the present slope at Thorold is spread 
 over nearly twice that distance. That this esearpment is not 
 local is easily seen. For a distance of over forty miles, from 
 near Oswe-o westward, it plunu■e^ down :U)(I feet or more in a 
 breadth varyinii' from less than two to three miles. Eastward 
 and westward of this portion of the lake this snbmerged escarp- 
 ment can be traced for nearly one hundred miles, but with the 
 portion deeper than the 70-fathom contour liavin- more gradual 
 soundings, as the base of the hills either originally had a more 
 gruduarslope, or the lake in its western extension has subse- 
 quently been tilled with more silt. 
 
 Although we have not soundings made very clo.se together, 
 yet tlie admirable work of the United States Lake Survey is more 
 than sufficient to prove the existence of a continuous escarpment 
 which has an important bearing on the I'reglucial geography of the 
 
51 
 
 1 
 
 region, and on the explanation of the ori;.nn of the Great Lakes 
 
 themselves. 
 
 The soundings do not show a conspicuous escarpment after 
 passing westward of the meridian of Niagara river, partly on 
 account of the sedimfnts filling this portion of the lake, and 
 partly because the lake in all probability never had its channel 
 excavated to so great a depth as farther eastward. 
 
 Attention must bo called to the fact that the depth of the 
 Niagara river is VI fathoms near its mouth, but that the lake 
 around t' - outlet of the river has a depth not exceeding four 
 fathoms witli a rocky bottom. 
 
 Another escarpment at the level of ]^ake Ontario, now buried, 
 was discovered by the engineers of the enlargement of the Wel- 
 land canal, according to Prof. Claypole (Can. Nat. Vol. ix. No. 
 4). When constructing No. 1 lock, at Port Dalhousie, it was 
 found that at its northern end, there was an absence of hard 
 rock which formed the foundation of its southern end. Rods 
 more than 40 feet long were pushed into the slimy earth without 
 meeting any hard rock bottom. This discovery will be noticed 
 
 in the sequel/'^ 
 
 Basin of Lake Er!e.—Tho exceedingly shallow basin of Lake 
 Erie has its bottom as near a level plane as any terrestrial tract 
 can be. Its mean depth, or even maxima and minima depths 
 from its western end for more than 150 miles, scarcely varies 
 from 12 or 13 fathoms for the grrater portion of its width. The 
 eastern 20 miles has also a bed no deeper than the western por- 
 tion. Between these two portions of th(> lake the hydrography 
 shows an area with twice this deptli (the deepest sounding being 
 35 fathoms). This deepest portion skirts Long Point (t'n- ex- 
 tremity, a modern peninsula of lacustrine origin), and has a 
 somewhat transverse course. An area of less than 40 miles long 
 has a depth of more than 20 latlioms. The deeper cha.mel 
 seems to turn around Long Point, and take a course towards 
 Haldimand county, in our Canadian Province, somewhere w.^t 
 of Maitland. The outlet of the lake, in tlie direction of the 
 Niai-ara river, has a rocky bottom (Corniferous limestone.) 
 
 The Diindas V<ill<'!/ ""<^ aJJaccnf Canons.— \\c may con- 
 sider that the Dundas'valley begins at the "bluff" east of the 
 Hamilton reservoir, and extends westward, including the loca- 
 
 • See lleport (4'Cliicf EiiKineur of Canadian Caniils, 1880. 
 
»' 
 
 tion of the city of Hamilton and the Burlington Uy, at least its 
 western portion. With this dotinitiou. the width at the "Bur- 
 lington heights" (an old lake terrace 108 feet above present level 
 of the water) would be less than tivo miles. At a mile and half 
 westward of the heights, the v.illey suddenly becomes narrowed 
 (equally on both sides of its axis of direction, by the Niagara 
 escarpment making two equal concave bends, on each side of the 
 valley, whence the straight upper portion extends, the whole 
 resembling the outline of a thistle and its stem), from which 
 place it extends six miles westward to Copetown. on the northern 
 side; and three and a hall t<. Ancaster. on its southern side. 
 The breadth between the limestone walls of this valley varies 
 .•somewhat from two to two and a hall miles. Thr summit angles 
 of the limestone walls on both sides are decidedly sharp. 
 
 Dundas town is situated in this valley, its centre having a 
 height of about 7(1 feet above Lake Ontario, but its sides rise in 
 terraces or abrupt hills — many rounded and resembling roches 
 montnuuees. On ascending the valley we find Jiat between the 
 escarpment.s are great ranges of pai'allel liills .-ei)Mr;ited by deep 
 irorges or glens, excavated in the drift by intL^rglaeial and modern 
 streams. This rugged character contiiuu'S until the summit ol' 
 the Post Pliocene ridges li;i\c a ii^'ight e(|ual to that of the 
 escarpment. As the gorges asceiul toward^ the westward, they 
 become smaller, until at some distance southwest of Copetown 
 and Ancaster, the divide of the present system of drainage is 
 reached. Some of these streams ha\(t cut thrmigh tlie drift, so 
 that they have only an altitude above the lake (which is seven 
 miles distant) of 240 feet, while the tojis of the ridges imme- 
 diately in the neighborhood are not much k'ss than 400 feet 
 high, though they themselves have been removed to a depth of 
 about another hundred feet, for tlu' drift has tilU'd the upper 
 portion of the valley to the height of 500 feet above Lake On- 
 tario. Even to the very sources of the streams, the country 
 resembles the rivers of our great Nttrtli Western Territories (or 
 those of the Western States), cutting their way tlirough a deep 
 drift at high altitudes, which is not \uiderlaid by harder rocks, 
 showing deep valleys rapidly increasing in sizi' and depth, as 
 they are cleaning out the soft material, and hurrying down to 
 lower levels — a strong contrast to the features in most other por- 
 tions of our Province. 
 
 On the .southern side of the Diuidas valley, a lew unimportant 
 
 } 
 
)■ 
 
 streams, mostly dry in sumruiT. Inivc won. l>.ifk thf liiiiist'in"! 
 escarpment, ovor which tlicy flow, to distance s vary in j; (Voni •. 
 low yards to a few hundred, makin<_' izlcris it whosr head in 
 sprinsi' time f-oiiie picturesque cascades ciui be sen. At Moun' 
 Albion, six mili's east of IJainiltoii. there, arc two ni" tlusc lar^rer 
 !Xorj!;os, whose waters, after passin;: over picturesiiue {'all«;. 70 fert 
 high, and throu.^li jzlens several liundred yard- in !''ii.:tb. empty 
 into tlio triangular valley noticed belnre. On tiic nortlierii side of 
 the Duhdas valley, besides small <;oi_t.'s with their str(Mm< com 
 parable to those on the south, side, there are several >>{' mucl 
 larger dimensions; for example that at Waferdown. six miles 
 northof [I.imilton. .Still larjrer is(Jlrii Sjn'ocer which has a <v/ttn>i 
 half a mile loll,u^ :><)() feet, deep and between 20(1 and iJdU yard^ 
 wide at its mouth. At the hi ad of this is Spencer t ills, i;!:* 
 feet high, and joining it laterally iher'' is another r"Hnii. with a. 
 considerable stream flowing from W hsier's fail-, whieh. h'.w 
 ever, is of less height than the other, 'fhe waters I'cdiii- the>-e. 
 streams comi' IVom northward of tin e-carpmeiit, and belmi- to a 
 system of drainage different frnm tho-^" stream.- which H<<\v dowi; 
 through the drift of the Dundas valley, and arc ol' much -reater 
 length. At the foot of Spcticer fall-, ih. wat.-r- <trike th. upper 
 portion of the Clinton shaly b( «1-, Tie Falls are tw . f-et deeper 
 than twenty years ago. Vet the stram \^ <uvi]\. and makes ;i. 
 pond below In the soft .^hale-. IIiM i( is difler(!ncc in height doe^ 
 not represent the rate of wearing <e recession oi' the precipice, bur 
 only the rom(»val of a little ({el.ris at the has.-. That the stream 
 is much smaller than formerly is jdaiidy to h'' ^em. I'-r :it present, 
 it has cut a narrow channel, fnim ten to lifteen yard> in width, 
 above the i'alls, and from four to hx feel deep on one .^ide of the 
 more ancient valley, which is about f)0 yards wid" and :;ii feet 
 deep, excavated in the Niagara dolotaite>^, 
 
 Th(! surface of the escarpment on both sidct< of Glens Spentc^r 
 and Webster presents a peculiar aspect. That on the north 
 eastern side has a maximum height id* 'i20 fe( t above the lake 
 On the same side, a section, made longitudinally, shmss ^^cveral 
 broad .shallow glens nearly a hundred feet deep crossing it and 
 entering Gh .» Spencer. The surface of the rocks is glaciated, 
 but uot parallel with the direction of the channels. On the. 
 south-western side of the same camm, we find that a portion of 
 the thin beds of Upper Niagara limestone have been removed. 
 This absence is not general for it soon regains its average height, 
 of about 500 feet. <> '-' 
 
54 
 
 < * 
 
 
 l)nn<l"s .)//Ar.s/i. — The fastc-ru i-nd ol" the Duridus valley con- 
 tains a lari^ro swamp, nearly ihvw inil(>s lon.i,', with a breadth oi" 
 about, throi -fourths of a niilo, known in the early scttlcnu-nt of the 
 country by tlu; iianic of (!ooto's Paradise. 
 
 This ii.irsl) was rornicrly connected by a small rivulet with 
 Burlin-t.' a bay, but this was yubsoquciitly closed by the G. W. 
 llaihvay. wh-n tlio cult in- of lA-sjardin's canal throu.iih BurlinL,'- 
 ton lui-li s was comiileteil. Into this mar.-h all the drainajre of 
 the DnvA IS vall'v is deposited, catisin"- it to lill up at the rate of 
 one-trntli >!' a loot jxt ainutin. 
 
 I],irl!ihtnv /f.'l(j/i/s.--\v,v()^^ the eastern end of the Dundas 
 vwanip and -^onie of its braiielu's, are the liurlinii'ton hei.uhts, 
 varyinii- IVun. a f-w hundrrd yanis to nearly a ((uarter of a mile 
 in widtli, ant ov; r 100 f'et in ln'i-ht, which have been an old 
 beach, it a tiur- wIkd tli" lake level was at tlie same elevaticm, 
 lor wo liiid iliat a lake heich •. xtonds aloni;' t!ie fl niks of the 
 est-arpinei't. I^>t,li eastward and lanthward lor a C(niMderable dist- 
 ance at th" -^aint! level. This is luentioned here as lorminpj a 
 most eiin-piciiiiti-. teirure, mid as ehanijing the physical character 
 of the we>t,ern extremity ol' P>urlini;Lon biy, and the outlet of 
 the Dundas valh^y. Vaiion^ terraces and beaches avr. i'ound, 
 both at lower li-vls, and also IV eminent s at hii;lier altitudes .donii 
 the .-.ide of tl.e •■ mountain,'" unlil -oinc^ attain a heii2,ht of 500 
 feet above Jiake Ontario. 
 
 Th,' drund Rir>r r./ZAy/.- -Tin; (irand river of Ontario rises 
 in the (;ounty of <Irey, not more I ban twenty-live miles fnmi 
 Georiiian bay, Thence it Hows ,-outliward, ami at Elora the 
 river assumes a (amspicuous leature. Here it cuts through the 
 Guelph dolomites to a depth of about S.O feet and forms a cunDu 
 aliout 100 fei't in width wiili vertical walls. At this |)1 ice it is 
 joined by a rivulet from the west, which has Ibruied a tributary 
 ainoii similar to th.at of the Cjraml river itself. 
 
 Th<.' country in this rei;ion is so flat tiiat it appears as a level 
 plain. Farther southward the river winds over a broader bed, 
 and at Gait the present river valley occujdes a portion of a broad 
 depression in a country indicatinij; a ibrnier and much more exten- 
 sive valley. In fict, the old river valley existed 'in Pre<2;lacial 
 times, for the present stream has re-excavated only a part of its 
 old bed at Gait, Icavini; on the flanks of one of its banks (both 
 of which are) composed of Guelph doloudtes, a deposit of Po.st 
 Tertiary drift, in the form of a bed of lirj>;o rounded boulders 
 
 
 r 
 
 ). 
 

 lit' 
 
 mostly of Laurcntian gncisso. 'riiiMiduntiy for I'uur iiiilt:> .•-uutli 
 of Gait is of similar ciiaractcr, IWrininL!, a broad valley, in wliicli 
 the present river flows. At this distance I'roni Gait the river 
 takes a turn to the south-westward ; but at the s^aine place, the 
 old valley appears to pass in a niNirly direct line with the eourse 
 of the present bed (before tiie inudrrn turn is made to the west 
 ward). As this portion of th(! v.ilii y now entered has not to 
 any extent been cleaned out hy modern i^trcjams. it liirms a bruad 
 shallow depression in tin country extending I'ln :i ll;w miles in 
 width. Yet, it is oi'teii occupiid with hills coni|tost!d oi' stratitied 
 coarse trravel belon^iii'i to that belt, which extends IVom Owei) 
 Sound to the county ol' lirant. and ciilli'd by the Canadian Geo 
 loj^ical Survey '' Artemesia izr.ivel." 
 
 It is tlirouii'h a portion ol' tiiis v;illi-_\ that tlie Fairchild's creek 
 flows. Many streams derive their supplies (.1' water from tlu; 
 Beverly swamps, and iei.'d the liindsay creek, which empties 
 over Webster I'alls and flows <h<\\n Glen Spencei tliroii^h the 
 Dundas valley to l^ake Ontarie. 
 
 The G. \V. Kaihvay at lour miles south oCGalt enters the (jlraiid 
 river valley and continues in it or its branches as I'ar as llarrisburj:, 
 thoujih the deeper depressicn '- near St. (Jeorue (a short distanet! 
 west of riarrisburu). After leavini; what. 1 consider its more 
 ancient bed, south of Gait (imlos the country between the pres 
 ont bed and Fairchild's creek was an island), the Grand river 
 flows southward to l*aris and IJiantfnid. liavini: a deep broad 
 valley. At Paris, Nith's creek ••nttirs the Giand river from tin: 
 west, and has a valley almost coni|iarable in size with that ot' the 
 latter at this town. At Paris, the Gruml river cuts through 
 the plaster bearing Onondaira ibrmation. Similar rocks appear 
 at various places along the river, where the stream has cleanecj 
 out a portion of one side or other of its ancient valley. 
 
 Between the elevated plateau (ol' nearly 1 00 feet close te 
 Lake Ontario) south of Brantford and that rolling Cduntry of 
 equal height near Harrisburg, the alluvial-covered plain of from 
 400 to 4G0 feet above lakt: Ontario, more than ten miles wide, 
 may be considered as a portion (»f an ancient etdargement of the 
 great river basin. 
 
 At the Great Western Ivailway crossing east ol' l^aris, the bed 
 of the river has an altitude oi' 495 i'ect above Lake Ontario, 
 whilst at Brantford it is 898 feet above the same datum. FroiD 
 Brantford the river winds through a broad valley, with a general 
 
.")() 
 
 , « 
 
 iMsu.'il> (lir<T,tit.ii to iSciK'CM, \\\uAv. tlio imiiiodi ito bod is about ;i 
 <|u:ii!(inr I mile wide, flowin- near ihc southiTM siilo of a valley, 
 iiion; than t\Vi> iniK's w'uh:. 
 
 Al Si'iireii lli»; bed ol" tlic jinMut river course is IJOS IVet above 
 Lakr Ontario, or only ".7 feet above Lake Eric;. Eastward of 
 Snirci. ijir iivor continues to have its broad valley as tar as C i- 
 yn-a. uli. r. the hard lied ..1" the river is below the surface of 
 
 liakc Kx'w. 
 
 Kvdiii Srn-'<;a In Ciyui:!) the iHroetioM of the river is nearly 
 •suuth, l)ut .11 tin: latt( r j.laec it abruptly turns nearly to the cast- 
 A-ard, Mid in a >hort dislanc it pass's to a flatter eountiy and 
 flow,- ••v.i Corniferous linn'slniK . After a slu.-ii;i>^h flow, it enters 
 l/>k.' Kiif (pas-iri^ thMii-h a inarsliy eountry) at Port M ait 
 I ind. ninrc than iificcn miles in a direct line from Cayuu'a. 
 
 Tin' (Jiaiid rivi'r val!-y (75 ilvi d ■(<p) is more than two miles 
 ill v\idtli and h-iundcd by literal Ivations of Idd fe(>t above 
 Lakf (li.tiri's or 11:5 !'.'<•( ;ihov,- Lake Erie; and farther by 
 bound 'ri(s; on both .sides, of MO feet above tin- latter lak<'. 
 
 At Duiiville, a few i.j^les iVoiu thi; mouth ..f tlu; river, piles 
 Acre drivt'ii to a r'Misidi i\;bl •. firptii "'.sithoat rcaehimr hard rock. 
 The luar-ins ol' th,' valley are .-mall, eoniposed of eitluT the more 
 <.r le.s- >h-.ly ( )ni)iida;_r a liick,-, or ('.ii-iiferotis Hmesfine. In tlie 
 mcanderin-> i>f tlie riv( i- iVnm mir si !e oi' the v.dley to the other, 
 it 'tccasioiKilly crosses .-{(urs ol earthy OnondaLia limestones, but 
 the ehai-.aeter is not such as to pn elude the possibility of an adja- 
 lUMit buiied rivev ehannel. .\t tiiosr, .11 the. wafers that could 
 o.ni" down ife (Ji-.nd river. .■v< ti vtith .m iner.'e.;ed piteh of the 
 contiliy. tid a hir,;-er preeijpit iiioii <>1' uioi-ture would scarcely be 
 able I'l more than exeav.t' its present bed. The eoiuitry on .itlier 
 oiu' -ide ol the river i>r dth'-r i-- remark ably i)i'okeu witiiiu the 
 limit.- i.f the valley, but beyniid it is ((jually n-m irkable ibr its 
 level surfaee. This broad iK'culi.ir v.illey bears .i strong; contrast 
 to that of the upi)er p.irtion nfit« course (is, at Elora) where the 
 i'lfinit could have easily becai .xeav.at.'d b) iIm! present strcnn if 
 t-uflicient time were iiiven. 
 
 ruturnin-' to the valley ol" Faireliild's creek, we find the stre.im 
 princip.dly flowint; in the iormer be'd oi' \h<:. Grand river, aban- 
 doned a few miles below Calt since the Tee A^e. This cv.' .'k 
 crosses the (Jreat Western Uuihvay at a level of fifteen feet below 
 the crossing' of the Grand river, at a few miles to the westward. 
 Au;:uii. the Faircbild's creek crosse.« th.; IJruUtfoid and llarri.s- 
 
iH 
 
 bur^' Kailwiiy at ;ui iiUitudr, olil^tT IVtl .ibovc Lake Ontirio, <.r 
 a liUl.- b'>lt)W tli;it of the r.nunl river at Br iiitford, ;ilthon,i,'h it 
 cmi-tics int.) it ;i iV.w miliv-^ ...t, nf die city just i.iim.id. Fair 
 child's .;rr.>k is now of ni-Mlcratc siz<; nioimd.Min- tl.rou-h tli.- 
 drii't I'or r. \vl(Uli o1" two luilcs. Tliis dril't is strilifi.'d clay. 
 
 Cmmtni l»-l,r.,iH tlir (><••',!, I /ilvr oml Diinilns Villn/s.- 
 Tlic wat.Mshcd hotWf.Mi t'nosr, two i.rusnit draini-o systems is at 
 only a short di.-tanc: s..uth-w.;.>l of Copctown, and the distance 
 in a dincti.n. IVuui tl^e K.iichild's to the Dun. las side of tlii« 
 divide is le^- ilian >c\'/!! mih-s, \sith .m awra-c altitude ol" h!s>, 
 than 1><I Teet. The hi-ln >: point that I iiavo levelled is 41)2 
 \hil above Laki! Ontario. On rec-din- -veslward iVoni th.. 
 divide, the country -r . lu.iily d. scends to the F.iirchild's creek. 
 The re-ion between the divide and ihe Grand riv.;r Is traversed 
 from novth-wesl to ••oMtlMaM by a considerable number oC 
 streams. ,dl with r !:;tively lar/e v.ileys. cut in the drd't, sincr 
 the pivMia system -f drnn;.-e w;,. inaugurated ia ii.ter-lacial 
 
 or modern times. 
 
 The .'.Muutry tVoi;i .Ier>'yville (about W') W'.'- ..hove lake, 
 slopes ,::radu;iily to the Gro.d riv.r. from six te ei-ht mile.'^ 
 distant to liie <outhw.ird 
 
 On e.^aminalion. it may be m e!> that the eountry is too hi-ii 
 to permit the r.;i:ehil]V -n , k or Or:nl river, as tley ir.; at 
 present situ te 1. lo tlow nver the hr]^h\ oi' land ie.to t ,e up].er 
 portion of the Duudas v.il.y. A- ndV. re<i to befor <, ihr, Nia- >ra 
 limestone lerminu lie- .M.mmil ..I'ti.e escarpmeni at Anci.ster and 
 eastward h.s a !,ei;^ht of .bout o<M) le.t. These buds dip at 
 onlv about 2.") re.:t in a mile, (t- ■ l-ut "JO decrees west of south) 
 and aie not '^-av r.lly eover.'d by :. ::re:,t M.iekness of urKt, but 
 H,:my plie^'sarcexpiis'd r ir ar (he surl'.e- We-Lwird 
 
 m n 
 
 oj Anast.r the,-<e lime-tone^ '.re nowhere to be t'.un.l, but th.,' 
 countrv i^ or.ly eONend witli dri!'., \t ' short di-^unee we<t of 
 this village, we lind .tnvm^ Ho^viu;i; north-e .-terly and .NstM'ly 
 with ver^ deep v.di 'ys in the drilt, indieatin- th • ab<eu -o of »!.<• 
 floor ofbm^.a.e to . depth ofnver I'^ti f-et belnw Che -ar[\ee o!' 
 the ..K-irpment. On .oin- we^lwiil we Ib.dth .t the stre un< 
 have tiot cut to an equal d-pth, but -n: still runn.n ■• deeply 
 
 through dri!t. ->,.,. 
 
 On reKdun- the divide weM of Anc.ster vdla-e, wo i.nd th.t 
 th. vdl-ys c.xc.vated out of the drift beh.n-in-i- to both the Dun 
 au« v.lhy ' t»d Gr.nd river draina.^e, Jnoscui 'te .t an elevatu)a 
 
nam 
 
 
 of about, 400 {hv.l Jibovo Lakf (Jritarii;, thus .sliowinj< the formor 
 coiinccliou of th(! [);isins iiiuit; than 100 I'cct below the rocky flows 
 which surround theiu. Even in tliis tlcpn^M'd area wells are 
 known to rc.ich 00 feet in thr tlril't without meeting with solid 
 rock. 
 
 On the iiortlu rri sidi; o\' the Durnhis v.illt'y the escarpment 
 after reuuhiii<i: Copitown i>^ hiiricd by thi tlrift. Althou<'h the 
 line of buried clills n.'cedi- >-oiin!wliat to the northward of the 
 dreat Woslern i!uilway, ye* thi're are oee-ii-ional exposures, as at 
 Troy and f)tln!r pluecs in iJeverly and Flamboi'o, wh(!r(! the under- 
 lyinu limestones como to t\n- surfiiec At IItrrisbur<; the lime- 
 stones are known to be ab.-eni fcir a il( [illt of more than 72 feet 
 as shown in a d(!ep well in the drill. 
 
 In the town of I'aris on*- wtl! eitne ujntn hard rook at 10 feet 
 below tiie surface, whilst anoilnr ;it lOO hu-x in depth, reached 
 no fartiiiM- than boulder clay. Tliis i.ist well niu-t have been in 
 a huriecl cjianiiel el" Nilh's creek, i.- outcrops of i;yp>um bearin" 
 beds of the ()iion(laL''a foiniatinu fre(juently occur near the summit 
 of tlK! iiills. it'iom what has jii,-L bi\ n writt<'e. it is easily (seen that 
 the Niagara limestones are abxiit from -i more or less horizontal 
 floor (which is over 50(1 h ct abovi lln; lake, on botii the northern 
 and soulheiii sides (»f tin; l)unda> valleyj which continues from 
 Dundas westward to near liarrisburu. wh< le it meets a portioa 
 of the Grand river valky. P.nt almost immediately west of An- 
 caster wc find streams running tiortiiward at right ant^lcs to the 
 escarpment, and cutting throu<;h drifr to tln^ depth f>f almost 
 hundreds of feet. In f;iel. if \\i: draw a lini; from Dundas to 
 northward of Ilarrisburi: (,i mile or twoj, and another from 
 Ancastcr simthward to the Giund rivei. we iiave two limits of a 
 region where the limestone fl-ioi- lias been cut away i'rom an 
 otherwise geneialiy level re-iion. The .-oulln;rn sid(! of this 
 area is the southern margin of the (Jrand river valley, between 
 Seneca and Llraiitford, and the we>t rii boundary is composed o* 
 Onondaga rocks east of I'ari.- t whieii p. rb:i|..s fnrms an island of 
 rocks buried more, or h>s in driit;. 
 
 Additional prool's may b; eiied. About .i mih; >outh of Cope- 
 town a well was sunk to the depth of 100 leet before water was 
 obtained. At two miles south-east of the same village there is a 
 small pon'd oidy 240 feet above Lake Ontario, or more than 260 feet 
 below the neighboring escarpment. This is in drift. Again, at 
 a mile north of Jersey ville, the country has a height of 4ti5 feet, 
 
 : ■^s^j.ft-jWfjMi . ii wTfM i Bff jIIIIWWIpllj 
 
■ ifiafmm 
 
 with ii well in dn' siiri'aco soil Id a depth of '10 tool. A small 
 rivullit flows in ii valley a fi'w huTidr''! yjirdn south of the last 
 named well vhieh has -i bod lit') feet, ahovi! tli(! like. At about 
 a mile wt.'st orjersciyvillc^, tluj altitude is 4i»S I'eet with a wi;ll 52 
 feet deep. Aj^iiin, at about two miles west of tin; sauiu villa'^e, 
 near the county line, the altitude is KK) I'ecit, with a well 57 feet 
 deep. About a mile nortli oi" th(^ last n lined stition is a ravine 
 4I5G feet with till! .Kljacent hills forty feet hii'Iier, and rising' in a 
 mile or two to about 500 leet. All these wells ave in the drift. 
 From exposuriN near Ancaster, it .appears that the unslratilied 
 drill has not an altitmhj of 400 feet. And as we know that some 
 of these sup(!rtiei.il beds are stratified olay, and over most of tiie 
 country ju^t described not a boulder is to be- sei!n, iKiillier on tin- 
 surf lee nor in the materi.il t.iken from the ;;iri'ater porti'/us of the 
 wells, it is probabh; that the water is only obtained on nearin;^; 
 the more ponnis boulder clay below. It lias al'-o been noticed 
 that two wells, .it letst, are 100 feet deep b(;f<ire reichin;^' water, 
 therelbre we may fairly place this as about liio infei'lor limit of 
 stratified sup(.'rlioial -;lays. It will b; nmi that westward of the 
 mi;ri(li.!n of Ancaster there is an .in';i of over 100 ^(juire miles, 
 where (he Nia;.cara floor is known to hi- remov(Ml everywiieri; to a 
 de| til of KM) i'eet, and in its eastern portion to more tli.in 'i^'A) feet, 
 and siill nearer Jj.ikc Ontario to .. measured depth of more than 
 200 feet, below its waters. 
 
 III. ruK i5(JUIF,t> KlVEIl CH.WNCI. iN liiK IHJ.XOA.S VM.l.KY 
 
 .\NI) IT.S KXTKNsld.NS. 
 
 That the Duiidas valley is ihat oi' an anci.Mil river valley now 
 buiied to a LM-e.it 'leiith with \\\i; ifehrh produced in tlie lee Ai^e, 
 becomes apparent on a c.arciul study of the rc'ion. However, 
 until a key was discovered the mystery of its origin was foiiiul to 
 be very obseun;. My own libers .at studyin.,' tins re-ion may 
 fairly be .-.t;/.ted as the first .sysr< ■mat i(! atteiin)ts ,it tiu; Milutiou of 
 the present cnnfiiiuratiou of the western end of iiaki; Oatirio and 
 the adjacent valley. A.ssertions h, '.e been made fiiat it was 
 scoope'i out by a ulacier, but this wild hypolhe.sis was only a 
 .■^taten ent joade without any leijard to iacts. 
 
 From the description of the topo;j;rapliy, .i,'tveri ai section ll. 
 of this paper, it will be Mim that the apparent len-th <d' the 
 rock-bound valley is six miles with a widtli i»f over two 
 mile.s; tlsen it wido;iH suddenly to ibiir mil:- (with concave 
 
 'i<mms>^<iKMaSiir,^i:.i_^^ 
 
4)0 
 
 «.}; 
 
 
 
 «;ur\(\N (»ii botli sides) alter wliicli it ,;i-inhi ill}' inoro.ixes in 
 widtli as it ()p(!iis into Liik-' Ontiirio 'I'lie direction of tim 
 ixis of tli<' Viiiley is abnut N. 70" K. Tlu snmniit edjxcs 
 il tlie roek-walls on both side> ;ire sli:tr|>Iy auj^ulir and not 
 rounded or truii(!;tt( d. This aiiunl-nity is nt)t due to frost aciion 
 since the Ice A;;<', to any extent, us i- shown hy the character of 
 'he tains. The ni(;k-i of the siuomit are rreijuently eovtsred with 
 ice markings, but 1 am not aw:iif ni' unv h i;ality where they liavo 
 been observed i.s briiij; piriill''! with tie i iiii; direution nf tho 
 s'alley, but on all >id'S one e.io uhs'i'v lie rn 'MMietinie-! at only 
 • niall aii'^les of le-;s thiiii .")<• di_r;is) inakinj »Miis|tieuous aiii^lcs 
 with its axis. Onv ex('e|itioii ijiay [)<■ ihmIi fo this •^tate.ment. 
 ()n a piojeciini; ledi^e ol' ('linl(ni liiuest(»he, .it llussi'l's quirry, 
 ntar iritniltoii, at a iieiixht of Jf) I Wri above tin hike, and liM- 
 i'eet bi lew the sunimit ol' tie' ludiiMlaiii. " d'ler ilie removal of 
 ■JOIiio t ilus, I observed that tie surl'ae.' was I'l-lished. but with 
 'Cratcdies s^) faint that tluy eouitl si-nei'ly \h- compared with 
 tbose (if fine .^ iiiil|)a|ier on wood; and ih • direition. il' determiti- 
 ible, wispaiiilKI with the nvi rhaiiLLin.L: r-e ir|inieiit. Th''ro aro 
 ui.inv tributary er/i./i.s', wliiidi tii' I'vitleiilly or'.:reati'r anti(|uity 
 than the fee A;^e. wiiicli eould noi iiaS' > .xeavaU'd by the present 
 streams, and are at all sort- "l' dir 'i-rii'n- cuiiipared wiih the 
 -triated purl'ace of tlu; count r\. 
 
 Till" topoAr.iphy (d' tht Iowit lik.' M-.ie'i- |irii-iud.> tho idea of 
 a jrhicier flowiiej; down the v.ille\ tc ilir iioiih-iMsf ward. Aijiin, 
 as the direelion of tie' ice wa- Niwafd- tin- s.)iithwesr, tlie waters 
 t'rom the melting jilaciers could ^e I'l;, How up an e-cirpmeut 
 Tiiany hundreds ol' I'eet in iiei^iii. Kvv.n il the iNia^vira e.scarp- 
 'jiei't did nor exi.->t eisewle re, tie- n<in-parallelisin of the strife, 
 and cdj^Cf; of the escirpnunt with their .Mimiiar summits, is suffi- 
 iieiit to prove the nim-ulacial (iriiiin td' tin' valley in tb(! hard 
 limestone nicks. .Nforeover, at ilie c i-tern end of tin; narrower 
 uorlion <d the valuy, tin re :ir( i\\<< e(>!ieivc curves ficlnjj; th(! 
 ake, which (d' uecrs^itv unnld lii\c lin'ii niuoved if .such a 
 .ri;j;aiitic iiriiidin^ auent had been imtvini; up the valley. 
 
 This glacier-origin of the vall'-y brmg ,ui abxdutely untenable 
 'aypothesis, I sought for sonie lliiviatile ;i.:'iil capable of effecting 
 the present configuration of tlie region. At the time, no idea 
 occurred that even the great valley of tho present is oidy a miser- 
 able remnant of one of gigantic proportions obscured by hundreds 
 of feet of drift. The question arose, could Lake Krie have ever 
 
MMmn 
 
 r.i 
 
 ouifitiod by tlii^ valley'.' 'I'liis ^ll<Il^(^stiutl did not lidld its -.'rouiiti 
 for any length of tiiuf, b*!cause tlu) pri'.^'tJt lnvi'ls ari' all tmt liiuli 
 Near Gait, the truces of the true origin iirst prcsciiited tlitiiisolvo. 
 A branch ol' tin; (ireat Wc.>luni l(ail\va\ txlnids frniii (iali 
 southward for about lour niih's in the valley nf tin- (liaiid rivei, 
 after whieli. without inakiim any im|iortaMt aseeiit. it |ms-;is iiitc 
 the broad older valley, described abnvi a> tliat in whieh Fair 
 cliild's creek now flow*. Alter a raieful examination of tin 
 rcyion, and of the railway livels. I eanie to the eonelu^ii'ii thai 
 this W!is an old burii'd valley. ll thru heeauie api-aront that it 
 the Grand river had oeeupied the .»ite ol tlu' Kairehilds',- creek, 
 that the latter probal)ly Howi d dt^wn the Diuida.s valley and that 
 tho Grand river, beiim one (d'the liirji«'.st of tlu' rivers of Ontario, 
 iniiiht have been a suffieient eaii-e for the ureat exeavation at tin- 
 western end of Lake Ontario. Having proeiired ;dl the levels 
 that bore on the snbjeet which were available it became iieces- 
 :^ary to connect .several jilaco mysell' by instrument.al measure- 
 ments, whieli work wa.- aeeomiilished with the aid of I'rof. 
 Wilkins. As th(> whole floor of Ni,i-ara lime>tone.« i,- ab.^ent, as 
 has previously been shown, the proof that th(> ancient Grand 
 river flowed down the Punda* valley was comjileted, and of this 
 discovery there was published ;i local notice in Aul'Usi, ISSO. 
 Siti;nilicant and iiiterestini; a> this fact w.is. rel itive to the chan^'c 
 of systems in our Canadian draina-e, a still more important i.ssue 
 was involved. When takin- the I'veU betw<'en the Dund.as val- 
 ley (modern) and the Grand river, il was found that the whole 
 calcareous floor wa> removt'd from a ba.-in sever.d n)ilesin width, 
 and that all the wells W(!re .-^unk to a considerable depth in the 
 drift before water could be obtained. On ^lancin.n at the map it 
 will be seiMi that the Grand liver from Hrantford to Seneca 
 meanders tlironj^h a broad course, which in its aiudont basin is 
 .several miles in width, but that from Seneca the valley is nar- 
 rower, and the course of the stream more direct, a> far as Cayui^a. 
 At Seneca the valhiy is two miles wide, and seventy-live feet 
 deep. Al.-^o the bed of the Gr.and river at Seneca is in drift 
 which is only P>7 feet above the lake into which it now empties, 
 as ha.s been pointed out in tlu' section. 
 
 Having observed tho connection between the Dundas valley, 
 Grand river and Lake Erie, it dawned on me th.it I had estab- 
 lished the knowledge of a channel having a very important 
 bearing on the surface geology of the lake region. It now be- 
 
 Voi.. X. '• ^'"' ^- 
 
62 
 
 Wettria.' 
 
 
 ^!''". 
 
 ■«i 
 
 •".10 iipparuiit rliiil Lake l']nv had Howod tlir(ju>;h the Grand 
 river valley reversed, to a point west or north-west of Seneca, 
 and thence by the Dunda.s valley into Lake Ontario; also that the 
 upper waters ol' th'; (jrand river, previously discovered as pass- 
 in<i' down the Duiidas valley, were really tributary to the outlet 
 >)[' Jjake Lrie, and joined it somewhere south oi' llarrisbur"^ ; and 
 that the basin between tli.. Brantlbrd (and the (irand river of to- 
 day) and tlie (Jreat Western ilailway, at Copetown, tbruied an 
 evjianded lakelet aloni;' the course of the ancient outlet of Lake 
 i^jrie, scooped out of the softi'r rocks of the C)iionda<ia formation 
 b"li)re noticed. As the watt'rs excavated a bed in a deeper 
 channel, ■■){' t-ourse this lakelet WduKl bi'come an I'xpanded and 
 depressed valley, >ucli as we nften sec ainoni^st the hills of drift, 
 
 — .y. 
 
 f^liag: 
 
 lYy.::. 
 
 JV. 
 
 
 :3fe;:i 
 
 L . .Kctkc Ontario 
 
 \oMj^ L_. 
 
 I'Mu. 'J — 1. Iliulsdn Iiivfv tnrniiitioii : 2. Medina slialcs ; :!. Niagara 
 .UKl 'Mintoii (Inlumitt's with sonte siiaifs. A, ('. D, 1'.. modern valley 
 at ini'iidiai) ol ]>urliii,i;h>ii iiei^hts: r, (', D. li, modern valley at meri- 
 dian of I)iiiiilas: a, c, d. e, li, sertions across, deeply excavated in beds 
 ol' streams in wistein part of the Dundas valley ; •!. i'.onkler clay 
 liilinn' aiK ient viiliey : ,"). Erie clay: C. 'I'lilns from sides ot cscari)- 
 ment : 7. did heaeli. los feet abov<- lake ,, I r,urlin,i:ton Heights : (J, 
 Desjardins canal leadin;< iVom Idiiidas marsh to Ihirlingtou hay; 
 \V. W, well at lit)yal Hotel, Hamilton ; W, another well at Dundas ; 
 L, O, level of F.ake Ontario; [,, FO, lov(d of Luki- Krii'. Hori/ontal 
 m.iiie, 'J miles t" an inch ; vertical si ale, |(.)() feet to an im h. 
 
 • % 
 
 
 w^tmxi^ MiKx.^f.'m 
 

 
 ()3 
 
 at a short distinct wostwanl ol' l)uii(l;i>. I'ossibly tlio Grand 
 river divided and flowed iiround .in islnnd. the wostorn side 
 of which is occupied now by the town of I'aris. At any rate. 
 Noitli's creek at that town, litrnied a larjze trihntary to the river 
 then flowing doMn to Lake Ontario. 
 
 From a careful study itl' tlie hroad valley oi' the lower portion 
 of the Grand river, it becomes appii'ent that it was a jiortion dl' 
 the outlet of Jjaki- Erie, whieh passin;.:' to the reu;io!i of Seneea 
 villau'o, turned towards the Dunda^ valley, altiiouuli the present 
 river exposes shaly ()nondai.;a roek->. (H'casionally a- it ai']»ro:iohes 
 tlie marjiins of the old valhy. 
 
 Again Mr. (\irll lias shown that the .\ll(!i:hany drainage' passed 
 near Dunkirk into thi^ Kri(> basin at a place just opposite tf> it> 
 outlet, as indicated by the ])resiiU writer. 
 
 Much oi' the I)undas valley is nii'lerlaid by stratified FiTie 
 clay, which is known to extend to a (U'lith of (iO l'ee.t below the 
 surface ol Laki' Ontario, aeoordint: to Dr. li(d)ert Hell. In the 
 upper part of tlu' valley, sire ims havi exposed »onie deposits of 
 unstratified elav iilleil with aniiulir shinule. derived iVoin the 
 thin beds of limotone I'orniiiej- the uppei' portion ol' the Niaiiara 
 formation. In the I'asteni ]iortion fif the valley, the I']rie elay is 
 overlaid uneonlorniably by brown Saiiiicen elay or loam (stratilied;. 
 Fn tlu- upper portions of the v.illevthe hilN an' eapjted by brown 
 clays or sand-^. But alone some of the iiillsides excavated so 
 deeply in the drift, we liiKi ohl i)e;i('lie.~ resting; uneonlorniably 
 on boulder clav. 
 
 Near tlie centre if tlieeilv of Ilaniillon. in the wider portion 
 of tlu; Dundas valley, a well wa< sunk to the ilepth of ov<'r KlOO 
 fcctt. 'IMiis well revealed a most interest iiio; lict. Tliouuh 
 known to nic several years a^o, F did not a])ply it until recently to 
 its true boarintz', since diseovei'inu tlie oiiuin of the Dundas valley. 
 Mr. J. M. Williams sunk this well, at the {{oy.il Hotel, in Ilani- 
 illon. He told me .several veais aee that he had to sink tliidUiih 
 l!00 i'eet of boulders, before e(nniim to hard roek, thus e iu>in'_i 
 tlic outlay of a lar_'-e sum ol money in e.\ce«s of hi- ealculations. 
 Unfortunately this well-record has been lo-t by lire. .\t that time 
 the fact was so fresh in hi- nn'inory (improved by the extraordi- 
 nary cost of the well) that his statement could he relie(l on. bein<r 
 experienced in well-borin<fs. The mouth of this well is \\'.i feet 
 above J^ake Ontario, and tlierefore the hard nu^ks are absent for 
 a depth of 227 feet below the lake surface 8ee ,«cction. V'v^. 2, 
 
F!i»*>, "8 
 
 ■f 
 
 04 
 
 r 
 
 >- i 
 
 1 f 
 
 'i 
 
 t: 
 
 As tlic valley is five iiiilcs wide at this place, and as the well 
 !s (inly about one mih; distant from its southern side, it becomes 
 apparent that the valley in tlie centre must liave been much 
 deeper. ^Moreover, il' we produce tlu! southern side of that 
 jiortinn ol' (he valley, which is over two miles wide, we find that 
 the well is less than a (piarter of a mile away from it. Now if 
 we connect the t'.p o\' the Me(lina .<liales (240 feet above l^akc 
 'v)ntario) with the base of the drift in the, well, and produce it to 
 "lie centre of the valley, it wnnld indicate a central depth of over 
 '(00 feet. At tlu! basi.' <i!' the drift there are nearly fifty feet oi' 
 Mf(liiia shal's. tirlow which arc the Hudson River rocks (more 
 iir K':^s calearedus and arenaceous, mixed with the shalch). 
 This hai'der fni'ination aldiin tin' bed nf a river wovild be less 
 'Xt(■ll^ivelv renidved by aiiueou.^ action than the overlviu"- Medina 
 shales, especially as the pitch of the wat.'i's would be much lessened. 
 This L:rapliic iiii'thod of calculitiun seems ,is perfectly admissible 
 liere as it 'loi's in detci-miiiiiiu nther constants of nature, llow- 
 '.'ver, 1 have placed the cstiniatiMl depth in t!ie section at about 
 711 fathoms below the lake surface, which depth is perfectly com- 
 patible with the soundinus of the lake ;it no very ureat distance 
 to the eastward. Mven this depth uive- onlv very ticntle slopes 
 irom the sides oi' the I'iver valley. It should be remarked that 
 Burlington bay is excavnted from stratified clays in places to a 
 depth of 7S feet. Hut this water is siltin-' up comparatively 
 (juickly. 
 
 Now we !i:iV(! seen that the deep excavation in the l)unda.s 
 valley and westward ise'Ut thron-h more than 2')(l leet of Ni:iL;ai'a 
 .ind ('linton rocks, mostly limestone, nnd to a depth in the 
 Medina .-hales, so that thetntal known depth ofthero/7V;» is 74:{ 
 i'eet. but with a calculated depth in the' niiddle of the channel of 
 about lIKMI feet. This depth i'or a co/)*/,/ is not extraordinary for 
 lOasti'rn America. [ii Ti^nnosee there ai'e river valleys exca- 
 vated to ade'pth ot liilMI fe,.t. And in ."ennsylvania Mr. Carll 
 rejiorts others to be eipiallv <leep. 
 
 Ai:-ain. this I'reiilacial i-iver explains the cause of the present 
 topioiiraphy of the wi stern end of Lake Ontario. The draina-e 
 hy this river swept )>ast llu' loot oi' the submerii'ed escarpment of 
 Lake Ontario describeil in preceding' jniue^. until it ri'acdu'il the 
 iueridian of < ^sweuo. 
 
 With such an outlet, and with the ancient (ii'and river 
 valley burie I by 2'reater or b'ss deptli, we have an easy soluti"ii 
 
 '^'iti 
 
MM 
 
 
 fi5 
 
 to the problem o\' tlie (Iruinntre <^t' Lake Erie. Moreover the 
 present barrier between the lakes may have quite probably been 
 increased by local elevation of the land as we tiiid the indications 
 pointing to the Dundas valley bcinu: along the axis ol' uji anticlinal 
 of less than one degree of dip. 
 
 Attention ha.s been called in this paper to the deepest portion 
 of Lake Erie being southward of Haldimand county, and about 
 the end oi' Long Point, and extending transversely towards the 
 Pennsylvania shore. 
 
 Ho I'ar, our remarks have been ajiplied to (.'anada. 1 1' we turn 
 towards the American shore, we will see that tlie observations 
 made tlicre go very strongly in support of what has Vjeen written. 
 Several years since Dr. Newberry, Mr. (Gilbert, and others, called 
 attention to the deeply buried valleys of the Guyahoga, Cliauriu. 
 Grand, >Liuinee and other rivers in Ohio, which emptiel into 
 Lake Erie much ])elow their presiMU levels. The Cuyahoga has 
 its channel buried to a depth of 22S I'ect below the surfice of 
 Lake Erie of our time, whilst the deepest water in tlie neigh- 
 boring portion of the ^ake i< less than a hundred feet. 
 
 In Report III, oi" the Pennsylvania (Jeological Survey, issued 
 in November, 1S80, Mr. John F. (Virll published excellent maps of 
 the Preglacial drainage of that State and the ni^iizhborinLi portions 
 of the adjoining States. This report on the PrcLiiacial river> is 
 the lesult of tive years' labois in the oil reuiLMi<. and many of Mr. 
 Carlfs results have been ileri\ed from the facts madi' known by 
 the borings lor the mineral oil. 
 
 Besides (tailing attention to llie very dee'ji valleys n\' erosion 
 amongst the mountaiii-. Mr. ("aril has -liown ihat in the oil 
 region,- the river valK'y> are Ireipiently tilled with drift to a depth 
 of iVom ■_'<•>» to 4r)0 le( t. Tn I'act nearly all the present rivers 
 flow over e'ds deeply liiled with 'Irift. The map of the Pre- 
 glacial draii ije shows that the u]ipt'r waters of the .Slleghany 
 emptied by Oie Cas>adaga river. reviT.-'d. intn L;ike Erie, near 
 Dunkirk, and had lor tributaries many ofhei' stream- now flowing 
 southward , for example the Conewaniio. These stream- drained 
 an ai'ea of -HHKI mile-, which now -ends its surplu- water- to 
 the Ohio river. The French and other river- now emptying 
 southward from the Conneaut basin, emptied in Preglacial times 
 into Lake Erie, westward of Iv'ie city. Again, the Chenango, 
 Conno(|Uenessing, Mahoning and other tributaries of the Beaver 
 rivt'r (it.-elf now emptying into ihe Ohio) tldwed northward, by 
 
 I 
 

 ^U 
 
 the M.'ihonini: rivi'r. ivvorsod. into tlic state of Ohio, to near the 
 sources of the (J rand ami Cuyahoira river?. Hence Mr. Carll 
 (lid not continue its eounse, on tlie map. hut from the study of 
 the levels and character of the country, as dcscrihed by the 
 (ieolou'ical Survey of Ohio, I hive connected it with the Grand 
 livfT of Ohio as rc[)reseMle(I on jny map. In addition to this 
 drainage T liave pointed out the prohability=- that the Mahoninir 
 ;.nd upper Ohio, with the Beaver (reserved), Mahoninji' (reserved) 
 and (irand (olOhio) rivers fornu'd ,i nearly straight valley, from 
 the western side of the mountains of A'irtiinia to Lake Krie. 
 
 Thus we lind three lartic areas lunv flowinj;- southward formerly 
 ciwptyiim into L;ik<! Erie hasiii. 
 
 The ileepe-t ]'0rtion f.f Liikc Krir i^ hftween these ancient 
 river niouth> and the ancient (1^li(,iirh, mritf ol" the Erie drainage 
 hy the (Jrand river of Ontario. a> de-eribed in these pat,'es. 
 
 Thus we have shown a consecutive system oi' drainage of the 
 lUrmer waters of the burie-l channels into Lake Ontario, and 
 tiience runnin:^' ah.ri-' the fi.i.t of the submertred escarpment of 
 tic. latter lake to its eastern imhI, reeeivi!i<; the (Jeiies<e .and other 
 lariic rivers alon^- its (iourse. 
 
 Not (,nly is the Dundas valley a ileeply buried channel, but 
 nearly all the -tre.iins that enter l.ake Ontario are flowing- over 
 more ^r le.-v deeply buried elianro'U, 
 
 Oi'.KiiN OF Till-: Ldwi.i: (Jiiioat Jj.akks. 
 
 AH oi' thv eliain of tJre.a Lakes f.f North America are excava- 
 ted principally out of the more or le^s siialy almost horizontal 
 rocks ci' the various basins. 'J'iiey are all valliys of erosion 
 (exeeptiriii- perhaps, a portion of L;,ke Superior.) The erosive 
 action of the atmospheric agencies wnuld tend to wear the coun- 
 try into tindulatintr basins, — ior only sueh are the bottoms of the 
 uie-it J;akes. It i.^ true that sli-ht ueoloi^ncai undulations may 
 h.ive determined the position of tiie ] ike-basins. Tiie basins of 
 liakes .Nlicliiuan, Huron and Ot)t:iiio. especially, are traversed 
 Ity lonii- sub-lacustrine valleys !<'seinblino hose (»f l,ir<re rivers, 
 and bounded by (iscarpnuMits. which rise abruptly several hundred 
 feet high. The deserij^tion of the hike beds— the probibh; Pre- 
 ulacial outlets of Lakes Superior and Michi^ran (di.scliariiing 
 their wat'.rs tothcMissi.s.^ippi valley ; the outlet of Lake Huron 
 
 * Se(; I'roe. Aai. J'iiil. Soe. XIX, 10,s. 
 
 
tl7 
 
 (at loast during- ;i jjortioii ul' its Iiisttiry) across tlu' southwestern 
 counties of the Province oi' Ontario, and enterini;- the tlrio basin 
 somewhere between Vienna and Port Stanky ; as well as a 
 ibriner outlet ol' Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, have been dis- 
 cussed somewhat fully in my i)aper publislied in th(! Transac- 
 tions of tlie American Philosophical Society, already referred to. 
 In order to keep nearer to the present subject oi study, I will 
 confine my remarks on tht; •• Origin of tlie J^akes,' to that of 
 Jjake Ontario, for the other Idces ^ive correspondiujjj testimony. 
 
 Dr. Newberry prophesied that an outlet for Lake Erie into 
 Lake Ontario would be discovered near the Wcjland canal. This 
 outlet in an unexpected p(tsitioii T liave diyeovered. and in a 
 position which explains more perfectly the (;ausi of the topography 
 of Lake Ontario than any that could have been di.-covered forty 
 miles to the eastward. 
 
 When was the advent of such a drainage system for this con- 
 tinent ? Homeof our American friends, who have advocated the 
 sub-airial and fiuviatile origin of the lakes, have jjlaced it back t(» 
 the Devonian A<io. About the commencement we know uothinir. 
 It would be safer to place it after the Pahxjozoie time, for probably 
 some jiortions of the Province of Ontario were covered with 
 carboniferous deposits, as well as Michigan and Ohio, which have 
 subsequently been removed by denudation. 
 
 ExauHitinn iif Ijiihr /j((s{n!<. Having seen tlie course of the 
 Pri!glacial drainage, let us ask how the broad lake troughs could 
 be excavated, lict us look at J^ake Ontario. 
 
 The river coming down the Dunilas valley Howed originally 
 near tlie out-crop ol'the Niagara limestones, elevated by geological 
 causes long ago. The direction ol' the stream was parallel lo its 
 triTid. On the one side were the soft Cambro-8ilurian shales, 
 geographically higlier. geologically lower ; on the other (soutlieru) 
 side, the Niagara limestones, beneath which were the soft Me- 
 dina shales until these were worn away in part. As tlie slialy 
 rocks were removed and the limestones were u!nlermine<l, the 
 Niagara kscarpment was produced. liow far these lime- 
 stones have receded towards the present face and summit of the 
 slope, is a question yet to be decided. As the wati-rs sunk to a 
 lower h^vel a second escarpment was produced ^ the one noticed 
 at Poit Dalhousie, at tlie present lake level). Afterwards the 
 Hudson River shales (with some har<l rocks) wert." pierced whilst 
 yet there were capping Medina shales, forming the surface of 
 the country between the river and the limestone escarpment. 
 
'•■1 
 
 
 .^ 
 
 I,, 
 
 All this pro?up{tOso< tlie continent at a liij^her level (at least 
 ♦iOO foot). Durini; yonu; portion of the tertiary times, at least the 
 oastorn portion of the continent must have stood a thousand or 
 twelve liundrod foot hij^her than at present, as indicated by the 
 soundiniis in the St. Lawrence viver (near the mouth of the 
 Su'zuonay), in tlu' Now Voric Harbour and off the mouth of the 
 Cliesapeake Bay. 
 
 The rate at which tiio upper lakes was excavated would depend 
 partly upon tlu- rate oi' tlie excavation of the Dundas valley and 
 its extensiuns through the limestone at tirst by a slow abrasion, 
 and the solution of the carbonate ol' lime by the carbonic acid 
 held in the water, and afterwards by tho undermining of the 
 hard rocks on the removal of tlu' .Medina shales. 
 
 At the time when tlu' ■• Preulacial outlet of t!i(! Basin of Lake 
 Krle, \e.'' was written (Feb. ISSb 1 felt confident that the 
 Preirlacial outlet of Lake Ontario would be more or less easily 
 revealed, and therefon- neglected to give due consideration to the 
 orosion that would be effected by the action of the rain and rain- 
 water. Thi may well be summed up by(|UOting from a criticism 
 (HI my above mentioned paper, by Prr.f. J. P. Lesley, the Direc- 
 tor of the Geological Survey df IV'Hnsylvauia-'- ■' For a number 
 "of years T have been urgiuu upon geoloiiists. especially those 
 ■• addicted to tiie glacial hypotheses of erosion, the strict analogy 
 '• existing between tin- submerged valleys oi" Lakes Michigan, 
 •• [luron and Erie, and the wiioK' series of dry Appalachian 
 'Valley- of VIII,' streiehing from the Hudson river to 
 '•Alabama; also of Green Bay. Lake Ontario and Lake Cham- 
 " plaiji, with all the dry 'Valleys nf [[ and IIP' One single 
 '• la\v i>f topography governs the erosion of them all, without 
 '■ exception, whether at present traversed by small .streams or 
 '• great rivers or occupied by sheets of water ; the only agency 
 '• or method of erosion conauon to them all being that of rain 
 '• water ; not in the ibrm ol' a great river, because many of them 
 '• neither are now nor ever have been great water-ways. As a 
 '■ consequence of their abs(tlute similarity of geological position, 
 " general form and common genesis, their age nmst be one and 
 '• the same. The sea has had nothing to do with the production 
 '• for it has permanently invaded some of them, or oven 
 '• temporarily others. [c(; has had nothing to do with their 
 
 Sec lleport Qi of that Survey, 1881. 
 
" production, lor those in iim ulaciul ri;«:iori> viiff« r in no ii>j)ect, 
 " fron» those nearest the Gulf of Mexico. I also loim aj:it ur<:ed 
 •' on theorists the necessity of taking into aeeounl as ,i priuif. 
 •' factor the imdcrground nohitiun <if Ibmxtinn strnta. and thti 
 " subsequent aqueous removal of the fallen dehrls u\ ov«rlyini^ 
 *• strata, the rootinj-s of eav»!rns and the steeps of clift'^. . . 
 '• A curious illustration is offered b^ tlif peninsula ol Vin-ataij, 
 •on the surface of wliicli arc no >treanis o( \vat(;r. tJH.- drainayv 
 •'of the whole country bcinu undt'ru:rounil. It is useless to 
 " repeat the oft-told demonstration ; but it is well now that Dr. 
 "Spencer has disembarrassed u.> of the chief difficulty of oui 
 •'last pre-receut water-system of the ntwlli. to remind tht; 
 •• admirers of his j^nat discoM-iy that his m.w found ancient. 
 '• Grand river did its work not, otdy with the constant assistant; 
 "from the be-inning to the end, of millions of smaller rivers, 
 "creeks, runs, rills, but also in such .-subordination to them as ;. 
 '•general acknowledges to his troop.-, or a contractor to iiis arniy 
 ■of navvies. . . . Our (Jreat Lake basins although travtr>eJ 
 " by a great river, were n(»t excav.ited by it. l)ut bv a nniv.r.^.d 
 
 • vertical descent of rain-water upon the areas, lowering theii 
 ■•■ surfaces gradually and nearly equally at all point> while ut tin- 
 •' same time mining it througiiout the whole e-xtent of it.> lime 
 •• .stone underfloor; the ujaterial being removed in the ordinary 
 
 • way, by rills, rivulets, and the great i Ivors to tin- .sea." 
 
 On former pages an attempt ha^ hw.u made to give th<'. 
 phy.sical configuration of the bed ol' Lake Ontario, and but liitl.; 
 was said about the former outlet of the ba>in heeiui.M- little i,* 
 •ibsolutely known. 
 
 Before considering the glacial theory of tlie e.\eavalion oi' th" 
 lake, let us examine where there could have been an outlet to' 
 the waters of this great river .■system. 
 
 Posnhilities of av outkt hif th< St. Ldmnno. The north 
 eastern portion of Lake Ontario is very shallow. Althouirh th.' 
 country surrounding it is low. yet it is underlaid by hard rock-, 
 which arc so frequently exposed, through the moderate thickne.«s 
 of drift as to preclude the idea of a great buried eliannel existing 
 adjacent to the St, Lawrence, which a short distance below the 
 ▼ol. X. H 2 So 5 
 
I 
 
 ^i 
 
 
 /:• 
 
 •i»' 
 
 •1.'. 
 
 t 
 
 •Hf 
 
 M 
 
 70 
 
 wiitlct ul' till L'ikc flows ovtT liimniitian rocks. HoW(5V(:r. in 
 northern New Ynrk, but (southward of'tln'St. Lawrence, there .'irv 
 ■-.iiiH' iiiiimpuriant buricl cViuiiiiols connected with the Ontario 
 h.isiii. Th" St. li.iwreiiee river itsolf is modern from Lake 
 Ont.irio to tin; juin^tion nf tlie Ottiiw;i river, though the lowest 
 jiortioii of the liver i< eiiiispicuously of nrieient diite. witli pot- 
 linle> indic;itirr_' a deptli of rii'.irly 1200 feet. Without a con- 
 siihirahle eliaiiLre of level, sueh us either tluit which would be 
 yirodiKn'd by :i loc il -iibsidenee of iiortiie.'istern Ont.irio and the 
 upper >'t. liawreiKv, or m very Lir(;it northern subsidence durinjr 
 ;i period of southern ehivitioii iny possibilities of the pregiacial 
 "Utlet of Ontario basin by tlie St. Lawrence seems impossible. 
 However, tlic oscillation iiypotlusi.>« >-('euis to be more and more 
 ■supported by ol)serv,itioii. 
 
 /*()ssihi/llii's of •III until t ii> tlir xoHth-t'Hsti'r)! fud of the lake. 
 Hetwtien the eastern shor(!s of liuke Ontario and the foot of the 
 Adirondacks. the broad plane appears to mark the former lake 
 bottom bel'ore the, hike contracted to within the present limits. 
 
 This remark holds ^■ol»d for tin- •• (Jreat Level " between the 
 southern mriririn of tlie lake and the escarpment to the south, 
 although ir»'i feet above it. TIk! level country south-east of the 
 lake is uu(h'riai<l by almost iiorizonta' ^'alajozoic rocks, which 
 are exposed alontr many ot' the strcjams, and are covered i^euerally 
 with no irreat thickness of drift. Thcsi! rock exposures occur as 
 tar south as a short distance north of Onuida lake. They artr 
 also seen alon;^ the Osweijo river, and the lowtir portion of the 
 Seneca. ILtwever. there is a deeply buried basin in the reirion 
 of Onondaija lake. Oiie.ida lake is only titl feet dcM^p. and 127 
 ti.'et above hike Ontario, and is situated in a basin of drift. 
 
 (Jnondaiiu lake is 119 feet above Lake; Ontario, and is about 
 t)5 fet'.t in the derpi si soundin::. It is a modern lake situated in 
 a threat drift rilled basin. The shallower portion of this basin is 
 toward the norlliern end of the lake, ii increases in depth on 
 approaching Syracuse, but ai;ain becomes .somewhat shallower on 
 passinu- southward of this city. The drift-tilled basin reaches to 
 ;» depth ot about 2!H» feet below tlic surface ol' Lake Ontario. 
 Southward of Syracuse the country ri.ses to the escarpment form- 
 inji,' the southern boundary of the Ontario valley. 
 
 
71 
 
 Fnr many ycirs, .«uj;^i:sti(tii> li,.vi Ixm-u uvidv tinit lUv I'r.- 
 ;^'luciiil outlet ol'LiikLi Ontirid was 1)^ tin' l»uii>il l)a.Mii jii>t ti.- 
 ^cribod, fniptyiiiu its water.-, by tlic Mdliawk and llnd.-un riv.-r.. 
 iuto tlic Atl.iiitio. Ilowovc'i. tlii- ."uiiui .sled dutlct is mt \n» 
 .siblf, witlidtii coiisiderrblr idcjil i-ii ui'^r d| clrv.itidii. ;i> .-Imivmi 
 by Mr. Cirll, fur tln' Mdlnwk ri\t r pus.sc.-. nvoi inciaiiidi plm: 
 rocks at liittlc Kall.i. Ih-rkiintM- (Iduniy, ai an eh vatidii abd\' 
 fjiikc Ontirid dl' abdut 12.') t'ti-t. withdui tii>' [idssibiiitv i.l' ai. 
 adjaciiit buried (diannrl tbionuii ilic ran^- d|' hills, tlimui;!. 
 ■which the Mdhawk valley is cut The Oudnd.i-a basin, then, 
 appears to have be' ii originated hy .i rivei exlendiiiL: IVom th.'. 
 Adirondack mountains westward, and « ni|itviii_u intd the Ontario 
 basin northward ol" the I'auiua l,.ke. I'drniin- aidn- l\ir edur>'- 
 
 the basin, now deeupiod by drill maleiial <nil (M: ia^a lake. 
 
 and perhap- that id.->o <d' Oneida l.ik' . 
 
 Mdstol'tiie other lakes id' wiitrai .New Verk. especially thu.^i; 
 havin<j,' a more dr less meridldnai dii. ctidri. lie in ^reat v.dh y.s, 
 and are only cld.sed u\, aneii nl ri\. r valleys. .Vil of these hikes, 
 rXCept tW(», Seiioc.i and Cayn-.i. are ,ii a oonsiibMabK; eh'V.ii inn , 
 One of the dee[>est d|' tluvv elevated lakes is Skeneatehs (III:] 
 feet above Lake Oiitarid, and ;;2ll leet deep;. Thi.- lake, ami 
 Owasco lake, have ndrthern modetn outlets over rucky hanier^. 
 They lie in vallc^ys .-ever.d hundred feet d :ep (;;i»() feet ei' innie; 
 and evidently emptied into the Sus,|Urliann.i rivi;r in sunie for 
 iiier jieid(.uit'al times. The vadey-- df tin si' lakes as weli ;,.-, 
 .-several river valleys in Me- reuidn now havlni: nntliurn outlet.-, 
 rsueh as those of OnoiuLe^a. .Mid IJiituaniii creeks^ all radiate; 
 I'rom adjacent er eomnidii pdints as tiny ext aid eoithward, 
 evidently shewing a former sonthirn di.-chai>^'. However, it is 
 exceedin,i;ly difficult t<t de1(M-miue In.w much of the valleys .are of 
 Preglacial, and liow much of Interuiieiai or Tostiriaciai d,it ■. for 
 then- are evidently three perioiis of erosion -the valK)- pnuhu;eu 
 in Inteijihicial and Modern epdch.- coinciding;. 
 
 Thus far no apparent oullei el' lln iinat. .mcient Oiitaiiu ba.-in 
 has presented itsidf. (.)ne otlier rout<- at lirsi, appe.ired pe.ssible 
 —fj,i/ the. Scncat Ijdlce. Chcininu/ ■'hi/ JSnsqi/i/ifnimi liinrs. The 
 feature.'' favoring this suLi-e.slidn are ; the -leatcst liepthd!' Ji.ike 
 Ontario north of Seneca lake; the depth nf Senec.i lake, wliich 
 is 012 leet (42;> feet below ihe level of Jiako Ontarioj . the 
 
 n-^wm:i^jiamm!.^mnmm 
 
"I 
 
 ^mawmmmmmm 
 
 72 
 
 i 
 
 •5 
 
 XT- 
 
 ^'8 
 
 «'■• 
 
 If' 
 
 ' •- !«r 
 
 •'o.. 
 
 'linet ciiifiimify ol' Sni.Tii litkr viillcy with that of the Cheniun*^. 
 at Klmirii, ami of tlit; latter valley with that of the Stisquehanna, 
 iit S-iyii'. Thf \ alley of Clieintmu above Eliniru is much smuller 
 Mian the [Mtrtjitii Iclow. wliicii joiii> it at ii eonsiderabh* aiifi;lc, 
 Ituf this portion of tlie river just above Khuira is more modern 
 than tilt; l*rei;lafial eouoe nf the (Mu!iuuii;j;, which from Corning 
 jiasseJ direetly to Seneei valley at Horse; Heads. One thing is 
 I 'Ttaiii. the Ontiirio hasin as it was emer^inj; from the last sub- 
 ""ideucf ol' till' iee aye, Mowed by the route indicated and liii'^ered 
 stitfieieiitly loiiu at th*' leve] .if tlu' upper part of Seneca valley, 
 *•» produce beaches -it the -aiiie level alonii' various portions ol 
 tlie niaruin of the basin. 
 
 I'm1«'«'> there was i ^reat relative (tliaii^e of continental level. 
 Oif route just, described eeuld not have beieu the Preglacial outlet 
 if tlir li;i»iti i»f Ijiike Ontario, a- ;i considerable portion of the 
 < ihnii ot' till' Siis(|Ue|ianiia for -everal miles below Towanda (7HS 
 )<'et abovi' the sea i • lia> a rocky bottom."' Oayuga valley would 
 tot afford any better outlet. a< its .-ummit is 2<K> feet higher 
 lliaii that III' the valley of Seneca likr oid connects with the 
 Sus(|iieli.iniia by diminished v.dleys. 
 
 A pot-hole at the mouth of ('hesupeake Bay indicates an 
 aucieut dejtfh of the Su<(juelianiia Kiver to at least 1170 feet 
 ix'low M.'M ]i \cl. Many of the streams in northern Pennsylvania, 
 now tributaries ol the Susipielianna, indicate an r)riginal nortli- 
 A-ird flow t(i S<'neea lake. 
 
 i)s<ill(iti>iiis Iff tin ConliiKiit ill flic /jii/:t iKjioii. — Until re- 
 '■t'utly my investigatiotis bearing on the :jrigin of the great lakes 
 have l»een mainly based on the hypothesis tiiat the closing of the 
 hasin>« was not occasione(l by the elevation of the lake margins, 
 by means of the local elevation of the t-arth's crust. This hypo- 
 thesis then necessitates the (existence of buried channels being 
 outlets of tlu; lake basins, which, if their contained drift were ex- 
 eavaled. would reston; the Hri;iilacial drainage. My recent ob- 
 -■-ervatioiis in New York and elsi.'where have failed to obtain any 
 proot> ot' the (;xistenee of >uch channels. 
 
 t>utside of the ni^ion of the lakes, in the iled river valley, 
 vhere are known, at hast, two deep bore-holes far apart where the 
 <irift exrend> to a level below that of hakt; Winnipeg, and iudi 
 
 ■S :^ 
 
 
nuH 
 
 73 
 
 catos that it' tlit 'irit't wui-f r<;ii)»jveil IVoiii tli<: Rcd-MiuucMota 
 valley tliu (Iruiuu-o of -luiue ul' the ^rcut lakes ami rivers of the 
 Canadiau North Wtsst lerritorie.- would flow to the Mexican 
 Gulf (as first poiuted out by Giueral WarrciiJ without the ueces- 
 sity of a loeal ehaiige of level. This fact extended to the lake 
 rcgious strengthened my opinions as to the eorreefness of the 
 above hypothesis. 
 
 Whilst the tiuvialile oiij:,iu nf Lake Ontario is apparent, yet 
 the failurt; of demonstratin;.^ a drift-filled outlet for the basin 
 (which is uUO Icet below tlif lev.l of tliu .sea) has forced me pro 
 visionuUy to aeecpt I lie hypothesis tiiat the basin was partly elosed 
 by oscillations of the rt'^iou. as stroujily set forth in an able letter 
 from .Mr. (J. K. Gilbert. 
 
 A> in «;vidence of local uscillaiion. Mr. (Jiihert has poiuted 
 out that the Irondetjuoit Bay. near lloeliester, was excavated to 
 the depth of more than T" leci. and two miles wide, by stream> 
 of Posl-ghieial (or lnt,er-u;laeial ) date, :ii;d subsecjuently submer 
 ged to tlie above depth. From this, his conclusion is that at the 
 time of the excavation of this tiord valley, the relative altitudes 
 of the locality and tiie rock >ill over wliicli ]>ake Ontario dis 
 charges difiertid IVom their present status by more than 7(1 feet. 
 Corresponding:; perfectly with lronde(|Uoit Bay i- Burlington Bay 
 at Hamilton, with a depth ol 7S feet, with a elosed beach across 
 it> mouth. From this and other local feature-, the surface t:;eol- 
 <i'^y uf the Dunda.- valley wouM indicite a L;reater elevation, to 
 the extent of more than 7S llet at the he id than at the present 
 outlet ol the lake. 
 
 lict lis consider for a moment the physical effect that would bo 
 produced upon the .■>iralilication by the sabsidenee of the north- 
 i'astern [lortion ol' liuke Ontario ;ind the upper St. Lawrence. 
 Tlie dip of ihe rocks at tiie western end of l^ake Ontario is 
 about 2.") feet, in a mile, westward of south. At the eastern end 
 of the lake. 1 bitlieve, it is snuuwliat greater. The deeper por- 
 tions ol' the lake are more than lH mile> from it> present outlet. 
 Any local depression gradually exteuding not th-eastward from 
 the deepest soundings of the lake, to even the extent of 2') feet in 
 the mile, would lower the ciutlet by the St. Lawrence to an ex 
 tent fir greater than would be necessary to drain tin; lake, pro- 
 vided this ehan'.;e took jdace .it a time of high eoutinenfal elev.i- 
 
w 
 
 I 
 
 I- 
 
 ¥ 
 
 
 ticuj, lliu- pntdiioiii)^ ii brniil ilr()riv>i li villi^) \N\' ktn»w that 
 the valley of tlu' lower St. Ij.iwrenei i> .»ubun.'ru<Ml to the depth 
 ol'at lea.st lu arl} I'JOIt ll-ct. TKi roek) boundaries of the roi^ion 
 could >c;iret;ly more tli'ni iiidicilf tlii> eliurim; ol' iitvcl as the dip 
 ill the roeks would p is^ IVoiu iIk (">iiilitinii nT ll,') Hu't in the mllo 
 or le.sh to almost ahsulule hoii/oni.lit}, and we have no means of 
 eompiirisoii II", liowser, tl, 'I'Mitinii', took plaue to the north 
 ward to .1 greater exletit then (in si/iK h vsurd. siicli us uji^ht be 
 ueeasioned by a ehaii::i' ofilir <'i'iiti' ol' iiravity of tiif earth, then 
 the ii'^ion to the southward ol' ih* iaki > nii^hl be relatively 
 suffici(!ntly lowend is to p. rmii i portion ol tin drainatre to puiss 
 I'Ut by ( ither tlic >I(»Iiawk or S( nic.i hakr valleys, which 
 I videiitl} durin;_ suuie poiti.m ol tie' l(;i A'^r disehar^tMJ walcirs 
 from the exp.mth'd basin ol tlir |ak''. Tin' loeal o.MMlhitions would 
 also be in(!essary in the i-xplan.:lioii nf tin- eoniph'te closing of 
 till' outhus of the lake by tluM' laniti-s (a- al.-u those of tin; upper 
 lakes). I'riil'. Ijcsley sri m- tc lav or th^' hyputhi'.oj^ ol" the former 
 nutlet of the (Jntarii. '".(.■.in by the Mohawk onl liudson ri\ers, 
 but points out that thi v Ih^y i.» underlaid by .-olid roeks at 
 Little Kails (ILrkitner County j at an I'lcvation ol' ilfjO feet above 
 tide. Therefon.' the deejjiist porlii»n ol thr lakf would \n\ 850 
 feet below this barrier in the i^rrat valley. In elosini: flu^ para- 
 graph, till' above named distin^uishi <1 ;.,'eido^ist s.iys that if the 
 above route be correct, then I lie country about Jjitth; Kails must 
 have been cliivated ((juery : by the Mohawk uplifts, atJ iteujs of a 
 more p iieral [lud.<on liv i uplift.-, nmri' than OIH) fm-'t. And 
 this may possibly ;j;iv(' us i ruile ieolo^ie.il dafi for the elevation 
 nf the Catskill ' njoiint'iiti plat.':u, ^lopin- w^'.-tward into Penn- 
 >ylvania." 
 
 It is by IK' iiie.uis muM .-.-ary ti' :i--unir th it the loe d elevation 
 which cut off any outht to the ,^ea, by ■ illi< r ili. St. Lawrence o" 
 Mohawk-lludson ri\(;r.-, took plae- duriiiLi' or at the close of the 
 Ice Al'C for the pt;rlod of tin riv^'r-v,dl(;y.<^ ju.->t dtwcribed dates 
 far back in yeoloiiieal tine;. Il tin- expl mations brounht forward 
 be wholly correct, then thi; dat. of the e-unmcneeinent of the val- 
 leys should be placed after the elo.-.(; of the Ptiljtozoic time, as the 
 valley of the Susrjueiianna, and Mune of the ancit'Ut rivers entering 
 the lake basins are partly excavated out <d earboidferoua rocks, 
 which had been previously elevit d. 'rhi> would .iij;ree with the 
 
 ■ 
 
 A 
 
 
 ■H 
 
 i-;, 
 
 
 ■t 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 \ ■.* 
 
 
 r.l' 
 
 1'', 
 
 '% 
 
 
 i>>' 
 
 
 Iv 
 
 
 .«. 
 
 
 
 
 k. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 

 older portion,'- ol' Uv Mi'«si>^ippi ri\(T. Ilnvvi^vor. tin- (Jroit 
 River A'j^o did nut culiiiiiiiit'' until the middle Tertiary timop. ;»> 
 nhown by the iributnrics nl' tlir miolt'nt MiHsinsippi. 
 
 In thi> Ice \'^v the outlit> ni' flu l;ik('« wen' close<l by drift>. 
 in Jiddition to ihr ;i;^'etiey of Ine.il o-,(;ill;itioti. Wliether the fill- 
 in<;H of the v.rlley- W(!ri' produced by L;,liu;ier ictinu. by the .imMicy 
 of iccbi'ri^s. or by tlmt of floutin',' \y,in ire, ;i ritionul expiiiiiiitiitn 
 ini^rht ho ;>iveri ; but a)" fhi> depend* upon unsi'ttled irhiciiil 
 j^oolo<j,y, I will not h'Te df^lay by entcrin..' into discussion How 
 over, th<To .ippcMi-s to be every evidenee of :in Iriter-i:;] leiul eprtch, 
 when the ijreater portion of the present Duiida^ vtilley. the 
 Ni.iij'ira river, by the old hurii •! ehaiinel ol' St. I).ivids. ;ind 
 niJiny other v.illey*. iverywheif iti thi' l;ik<' region, were either 
 re-exoavjfted in ihv. drift, ^r t.ri,i:;inally opened; and thiit tlie 
 second elosinfr or filliii.; of these v;illey.>,i \v,i> not .lecoinplished 
 throu;;h ;my jrlacier iietion, bu! )triiieipally throUL'h tli<' e^ijncy 
 of pan>ic"' ,in<l currents. 
 
 J/i/f)ijt/i*'tiriil (ilarirr Oriijiii uj ihi. Litkv.s. The bypulhe.sis 
 that the lakes were excavated by •jrlaciers will now be briefly ex- 
 amined. One cannot <1() betti-r then uive a suiniuary of what 
 Frot' Whitney (in Climatic Changes) says with regard to the 
 erosive power ol' ice. •' Ice fur ■•« li;i.- no erosive power. " 
 (ilaciers an; not frozen to their bed- Ice pttrmeatcd with water 
 acts as a flexible body and can flow aeeordiiis;ly. In neitlu'.r the 
 iilaeier rejrions of California nor in tlie shrunken glaciers of the 
 Alj)s will it be found thai ic' ,-eoops out channels with vertical 
 sides as water does. 
 
 •• N.o chanue of I'oriu can be observed at the former liiir ot' ice. 
 Aside from the morainic accumulations. Here, is nothiiiLr to prove 
 the fornusr existence of the lilaiiier, except the si;iootli. polish<;d 
 or rounded surfaces of the rock,-, which h.ive no more to d(> with 
 tilt! licneral out line of the cro,-s-sectioii of the valley than the 
 mark.- of the eabinot-miker s sandpa[»er have to lio with the 
 shape and size of the article of furrjiture vvlmse face lie lias iione 
 over with that material. " 
 
 The most imjtortant work ni a tilaeieT is the scratchinf; and 
 ^foovinu of surfaces. This ui;'y iiowtvtr. be done by dry rub- 
 bini!, .itid therefore isolated -eratidied stones (u patches are uo 
 
 , 
 
 ** <^'-ii»>iA »■;,*« .■-. ■ : 
 
■j^y'*'ti»F)lJ.ftBJ"T.'# " 
 
 
 in 
 
 
 
 ♦'■•;' 
 
 f 
 'I- 
 
 ir. 
 
 » 
 
 1 
 
 'XT' i 
 
 *.. ,.■' 
 
 evidencf. Thf utidrrlyiiit: rook snrlaiTs ni;iy losr their sharp- 
 De!=s, owing to cnnt!iin("«l (lotritns in tho !(',(>. ;tn(i hocomc- rounded. 
 The ground moraine is neither clinr.ioteristic nor important. 
 There is hut little detriuil material lieneath Alpine glaciers, and 
 this is the result of water more th;tn ice. Tlu; only characteristica 
 (if ice action are striation .md polishini;. All floating ice shod 
 with stones frozen in them will sorfiteh surfaces ovtir which they 
 rub. The only ghici.il lakes th;it are fftrmed an; those where the 
 pre-existing valleys have b''en closed hy mor.iinie matter, but the 
 waters will soon re-open these dams hy running over them. 
 
 Such are the deductions of the late OiriY^'or of the Geological 
 Survey of Californi.i, a in.'in who li-i.- had opportunities for study- 
 in" the action of "laciers Ix^tter than nicst aeolo^ists in America. 
 So far Prof. Whitney's inve.stig;ttinii« ari' :i]n)lie;ihle to our great 
 lakes. 
 
 Mr. George J. Hinde. F.G.S.. (mw n\' the few neolofjists who 
 has written from a Caividlan stan<lpoint i.-- :in uncompromising 
 glaciiilist. On the uncertain <videnep of ice scrntches iti the 
 north eastern (nd of Lake Ontario, and .ilsd on those of others 
 in a similar direction at th(> W'\'st> rn end of tlu; hike, he a.sserts 
 that Lake Ontario was exe;ivat( «1 hy a glacier. I)r Newberry 
 accepts his statement, but eonsiih is th it ;i Pre-glacial valley de- 
 termined the direction of th(^ continental glaci(!r. 
 
 Mr. Hinde also asserts his h(>lief that the buried valley of the 
 Niagara river (by the way of St. na\id'si a-; also tlie valleys at 
 Dundas and Owen Sound, inof nl.ioie.p ruioji, We have proved 
 incontrovertibly that Dundas valley is i buried river channel ; 
 ;ilso Owen Sound and th(^ St. David'- valley .ir' hoth beds of 
 ]*re-";la(!ial or Inter-'dacial rivers. 
 
 Let us analvzo the dinctind nf ih,- icr scratches in the 
 neighborhood of the western end of Like Ontario. I have not 
 >een any (out of very many sets,) which parallel with the axis 
 of either the Dundas valley (except pr»isi'hfj/ nu(.' polished surface 
 in the valley), or the axis of the lake, but always at considerable 
 angles. In the region of Kingston, the prevailing scratches are 
 S. 4r)<^ W. (Bell) and ."-ome other.- at S. "^f)^^ \V. neither of which 
 directions are piirellel with the 3xi> of the lake. Granted that 
 Mr. Hinde observed scratches that were parallel with the axis of 
 the lake, they of necessity vvinild liave been at an angle with the 
 
 
^■ yUMBW - 
 
 iliHIMM 
 
 ■■i 
 
 ( t 
 
 cs,-. 
 
 thu lake, tlie> of necessity would iuivu liueii at an aii-lu with the 
 submero-ea escarpmeut. If any ^lacier could have; seoopod out 
 the basins of Lake Ontario, it left the suuiniit edyes of th •• 
 Niagara escarpment as sharp tis possible and not planed off. Also 
 if it excavated the deep trough of the lake, it leit a suiumit of 
 soi't Medina shales over tiie iiarder Hudson Kiver rocks oi' the 
 escarpment, beneath which are lltica shales. Fmni Duudas t 
 the Georgian b.iy the f.ice of tiie e.^cari.nieut (Xiauara) is 1 
 abrupt, but even h.ri'. there h is not been lel't more than .')(i I'c.i 
 of drift at its foot, and this mostly, if nut altoiiether. str.ititied 
 (exceptiu,i: in channels ik.w buried, j 
 
 The observathms of Profc-t.r II. V. llinde. on the coast o! 
 Labradore. ;ire here interesting. \lc i,,is >hown th;it />.n,-;<; , at 
 the present time, is polishino the sides of cliffs, and ha> hrei; 
 eoutinuin- its action whilst the coast has been rising several hun- 
 dred feet. Even under th(; led-es of ov'erhau-inu roek> the actioi. 
 1-^ now ptiii-' on (a phenomenon which, il' in ihe \Ac reuiou. 
 would be attributed to -1 leiers). Also, he ha,> seen houlder-ela\ 
 bein>i' formed at the pre>ent time by the action n[/„i,,.;,r (frozen 
 sea water;. This, with a thicknos of eiu'ht ur ten feet uets pile.l 
 up by the action of wave.v ruui wind, arid eousequeutly in the 
 bays of the coa.-t of Ji.ibradoi it [oli^hes rock bottom.^ to a demh 
 of fifteen feet or more, below the >urfac,> of the water, and minds 
 off rou-ii surfices. I have fie.iuently >ee-:. myM.il, i,, norilu'n, 
 reyhms, high boulder.- tran.-pMi-ted by the le- to which they were 
 I'rozeii in the margin or>Hiill hik. >. 
 
 From what ha-« l)e,.n writt 'n. it -'em- t . the writer that tin 
 -lacial origin of l^ake Ontario does not rest on a single ba>i> 
 further than that ice scratehings (|»roducible by eitiier glacier.- 
 or iceberL:>, neither of which need be great erosive auents) are 
 -een at various places about Lake Ontario, both above and below 
 the water level. The remark- applied to Lake ()ntari(. hold 
 good for the other lakes. The de.-Ltription .,f their tu[iography 
 strergthens the [iroofs that their ori-in cannot be accounted tin 
 by glaciers, because ue tind the i>luids at the western end o! 
 Lake Erie, or northern cud of J.ake Huron, polished and stri 
 ated. 
 
 One thing is certain, the valley of Lake Ontario is one of erosioi. 
 -pot of giacier-erosiou — in operation, during much of the time 
 
 '^'"L' -X- ,, V,, . 
 
■W^'^' 
 
 1« * 
 
 J*^ 
 
 ^^' 
 
 \% 
 
 :-'J. 
 
 iliat ha> clap.-iud -iiur. at lea^t, tlio cIum.' uI' the Palxo/.oic timo?«. 
 vioscd partly )iy driit, but al:<() appiUi'Mtly liy uieat L!;eoloiiic-al up- 
 lifts, (.'itlui' alouu thv .Mowhawk-iluilsDii valley, ov else the 
 inft)nsiiiL-uuu^ broad valley nl' tlu' up})er ]iortlon of tho St. ^jUW- 
 iciK-c river, lorined a cuiitiimatioii ni' tlie. Uiiitavio plane, whieb 
 in it- inn'lb-ea>teru arc;.' bee.iiiie elevated, and now ooiistitutt's 
 *be sli-lliiw floor ol the lake and tbe adjaeenl low uplands. 
 
 .\<ji r,;' Xniri'ir'i III r, r . 'V\\M tlie Niai;ara riv^'i' is Vost-iilaeial. 
 :;r li'a<f I'roni thi> Wliitlpii il to (^uecnston. is apparent. It is 
 '<uo\vn thtit the Niagara riv(>r loruerlv left its rivtiseiit uourse 
 
 i''ar tile Whirlpool and flowed down tbe valley of St. David, 
 •vhieh is now tilled with diift. This \alK!y (throuub the lime- 
 stone e-eai'pment) is not so 'ji'eat a- 'be presiMit ciruui. This 
 biirie<I vaiiey of St. DaviU eould only have been ])rodue.ed al'ter 
 ■)ie eli^iii- ot the Duitda- valby outler of tbe !']rie basin, for 
 
 mfil tleai rlie water- flowed a; a very Hiueb lower level. There- 
 '<ire. it '^eeins lu'ee^sary lo regard this eiianm'l (not ot very lireat 
 ■iiaunituiU') as an inter-.ilaeial outlet i'oi' liake Erie. 
 
 Tbe -eoloojvts of tbe Western States point 1' tbe Forrest bed 
 a- a period of hiub elevation. ]preeed(;d by the Krie elay (strati- 
 fied) and suceei'<led by the yellow stratifie'l olays or loam, cor- 
 respondini: to the l^rown Saui^een elay of Canada, which is 
 
 nieonfiH tnabie to the underlyinLi' Krie I'fiys (or Boulder clays in 
 'be upper piMtion of tbe Dunday valley). So, fir tbe present. 
 ivc fjok upim tile <i\(\ rour>e of tlu; NiaLi'ara river as the channel 
 "Xeavatrd dui-inu' this ,varni inte'riilaeial period. 
 
 .by n/' /In. Xi'hjiii" /\s,;ir/)ii(' lit. -'V\,[< is manifestly of Pv' - 
 ..:iacial ilate. and owes it>o)'i^iii lo \diiuri d und fiuviatible aetioti 
 'n'forr the advent, of the ler Al;''. 
 
 \'. — (1eNK1!\I- <;|,.\i lATMi.V OK I'llK ror.NTRV. 
 
 Tbe ;^laeiation <<[' ib'' ea-teru part of tbe I'rovinee of Ontario 
 i- lieuerally south-eastward in the liasin of the Ottawa river, but 
 iu the norlbein sitle nf iiaki' Ontario it i- generally south-west- 
 ward until we pa-> tbe re'.:iori of the Dunda.- valley. 
 
 The count ry nnrtb of J.ake- Siiperii.r and Huron, a< wt.'ll as 
 uioiiL: the' '■a.-tern portion oi' tl>>' latter lake, have the ice mark 
 ItiLis al>o in a Liemra! Miiitbwe'-l iliri ction. Hur iVotii tbe hei'j'ht 
 
mMMIMIiUMglMWm 
 
 of land betwoon th. three um.t l.kr. (llun.,, ( )nt.-ino aud Krie), 
 \\\o striation,^ are more (Vo(,ueiitly towards tli.^ south-.-ast. Tbi^ 
 direction contimio to tlu- Townshiiw ,,1' H^vrrlev and tlv ij,)rtb 
 .vu portion of West FlanilM.ro. It also eontU.uos aloou the. 
 (irand river vaHey, in the Nia-ara i:rninsula, as is shown at Yovt 
 (ii short distaneo east of Seneea ), B,u ah.n- th(> Niagara iv^carj, 
 uicnt. on the nnrtherr. side of Dundas (in thr township of Wes^ 
 Klaniboro) w,. find several >et-. ..f striation>. the piwailin. dirw- 
 tion hein- westward, or a frw dc-rees south ol' wc^t. On th.^ 
 escarpment south .,f Aneastrr ,-,nd llamiiton there are several 
 sets of icc--r(^oves, but these vary Generally frouj 8 10- W to 8 60- 
 W— bein- more to the southward than those on the north sid-. 
 of Dundas. The same ivmark appiir- to th^' eountry ti.rthe' 
 eastward, even to the .\ianara riv^r. [n manv places two r.p 
 .■von four or five different s,.t> of iee-m.irkin-s are se,.,i. 
 
 The following table represenl> x.nu- of the principal -lacial 
 markiu-s, adjacent to the western end of J.uke Ontario. 
 
 lilsT OK [cK (i|{(i(>\ !•;>. 
 
 ^""' _ I.oeAI.ITV. hi.R,T,„.N. 
 
 VVi'st Fhimlior.i ('I'nw ii>lii|, ; 
 
 Nfar •• Prak.' at (iiiihI;i>, |.i cv.ii li,,- ) ... 
 ,uruo\'es 1 
 
 Neai' ••['..•Ilk," at J'iiii(l,i>. utin r -lOdve- . .\. ;:;- w. 
 
 (( ,( ■' -^- '''■'• ,»• ■ > >-uuif ;ui' 
 
 „ ., '[ " ^- ^~" ^V. '. I'nive.l ill 
 
 ^- '^"^ W. J same sot. 
 About ■: m. s. .siiai,;ni.-(i;,.ll; s, ejo jr. 
 
 IS. of Flauil-ere villa-.,. / 1>,^.|| , 1^- '' ^ ^V. rwitli etJe-i - 
 
 { ^. •;;.' w.) 
 
 " i< .1 
 
 " •• S. 21'' W. 
 
 Ueverky : — 
 Near Slietiield (Dell) S. 72° Iv 
 
 " '■ ^ m. soutli-\v<->t (Drll;. ..s. -iijo j;; 
 
 *■ •• 2 111. south (jjcll; s. ,s<jo !■; 
 
 Near Troy (Bd 1 ) s. Ti';^ K 
 
 1 m. S. oCShefiirhl and '.'..■,, mm (r.,-ll;..S. 7;to \i 
 
 Aneaster : — 
 At AueaKter village (IJell; s. ,Vjo \v. 
 
 2 m. east of Aie^aster vilia.-r (f!cll ) . . , ..s, rp w. 
 
 "'■SFiS 
 
z-^'rA-^'V/ fTrT:wi .p uniiiw n .m' .v .Jtj>i « mmimv,9mwmm 
 
 nmmmmamF.mm'ymm 
 
 ■ i; • 
 
 so 
 
 A I lldss.itiiN (.)iian\. lilt- :; mimI I. ll. \'l l.s. in-- \V. 
 
 ■■ t'liriu'Ht.TS •• Int7.1!,\]| Oliirr set S. lo" W. 
 
 N.n.T s,;t, S. 57'' VV. 
 
 ,.,,,., I s. riT' \V.((loui)ly jir'vfil 
 •■ l-n.Mluln. In, !.,. liM. {,,„ns,„„ian.lst.iat.Ml., 
 
 ,, ., I S.i;,") W.((lt:'ci) unnoN'^s 
 
 Nr.ll .\v> lUin, nil llinlllit;ii|i.;it 1 1 aiii I I (nli, -, ,| .-_■) j,, widi' ) 
 
 At Kiiss.'l > i,»ii;iny. lirad ul .hull-'- JSt.. | 
 
 lliuuiltdii. nil ii ird-c ni Mc.liiiii sand- I 
 
 stniii'. on side (ll cscnilillii'lll. 2") I I'l'i't ^ S. ^0 \\ . 
 
 mIhivc l;iki' and 1 :: I l''i't liidnw -.iini- | 
 
 iiiit ) 
 
 At Vnrk. nil llii' <;i-atid livci- ( lldl ). . . . S. ds" K. 
 At \\'liirl|inn|. Niaizarii river (din-<finn "( ^^ mMV 
 
 nl ri\(:I' almin S. 7."i v.. I'l N. T") \\'.).. J 
 
 At Nia-afa Fall- (I'.rll) s. L's" W. 
 
 At ll.i.kw nnd (i'.rll) S. ;'.s'' K. 
 
 Ill -niuc ra-(> till' nK:k> jiii'soiUi-il a imlislicd siirt'acL' with 
 nmiuTnu- tinr -enitclio. in ntliers tlnic air nrodviii^.s ;i few 
 iiic-lio liniad. ami |uTlia[is (nic or two dvv.]\. \n otlun- places, 
 a^ain. tlii'i-t arc dccii troughs si-ooin'il out of the surface rock, 
 (hie nlthc nio>t iiiteri'>t iiiLi M'rii> ortnnmii-- is jusl north of the 
 '•Peak." at Duii'las (at .i hciu'liL o|' .IK; f''et aliove Ijuke Oti- 
 tivioj. Here thi' clayey earth has been reiiiovtHl, and the sur- 
 fice pre-i'iit> thi' appearance of a .-cries of crests and trouiiis 
 <d' wave.-, liaviiii: a distance between the crests of about eight 
 i'eer. with .a depth v.-irying iVoin lialf to one foot — the direction oi' 
 these is about S (i.')^' \V. Tlieir siiri'aces are smoothed and jjolished 
 .lid no aijiaiii r-iriatcd \>v several .^ets which cross them at small 
 angles in a niorc western line. These iee-iiiarkings continue in 
 -tr.iiu'ht iiiK-s. -evatchinu both the tnuiLi'lis and crests (of tlie 
 lar^:"' .irnoves) eipially. In -ome case.- 1 have noticed acute 
 VieiidiiiL:< of the -tri;ttion<. 
 
 i)\\ tlie iiortheni >ide n\' the ])iiiidas valley the Ijrow of the 
 e-eai|>ni'nr i- abrupt, not having the HiiLile at the <uiiiniit planed 
 off. (xcejit nil Hie western -idi' of (illen Spencer, when' 10(1 feet or 
 more have lieen ri'inoveil. by causes to be explnined below. The 
 Vrnw of the escarpment on tlie southern side of the Diindas val- 
 h'V and Haniiltiiti is e.junriy abrupt with that on tin; northern 
 side id' the 'own el |)uiida<. Vmt iIk immediate brow is about 
 lUill'eet lower. Nowliere in tic reeion about llamilto' ".n:I 
 
mmmfmf.i ■ .-awt jipria 
 
 .SI 
 
 Aucastor do we tiiiil the luec ol' flu- cs-.-irjuinMit with it> ,umli' 
 jilaned off, ;iltliouj;h tlio top is in very many places icc-scratclicd 
 to tlie very iiiaviiin, in Jireotions varyini; IVdni 10 tlcLiVi-'cs or less, 
 to 20 degrees, with its general trend. 
 
 The general axis of the Pundas valley may he iilaeed at I'rom 
 N 70° E to S TO'-' W. Nowliert! hav^ T ohserved the -triatio'i- 
 parallel with its d.reetion, e.xeept at about two miles ea>t df An 
 caster, and at annther place at Hamilton; hut thi> l.ist, at 
 Hamilton, re(iuires I'urtl.er notice. 
 
 At Kussel's (juarry at the head nl' .]ame> Street, a large 
 amount of clay and ruhhle, derived IVoni the harder bed> n|' the 
 Clinton (and Niagara also) formation, was removed in lO'der to 
 (jUarry som*' ol' the u])per beds of .Meilina sandstone. This 
 sandstone is overlaid by a few feet ol' earthy dolomites of tln' 
 (.Million divisions, these forming a led-e 254 I'eet above tin.' lake 
 and 134 below the summit ol' the- mountain. 11( re I observd 
 that the surface had been polishe(l and scratched in the side of 
 the escarpment at a dei)th of \'A\ led, ahi.o,-t v<>rtically below 
 its brow. The direction wa- S. Sd"-^ W. or parallel with this 
 margin of the Pundas valley, or the •• .Mountain." It is furth(,'r 
 worthy of remark that although the surfiee wa< polished, the 
 t-triations were very faint. 
 
 VI. — I'OST I'l,l(iri:NK DF.I'osiTS. 
 
 Havini: notieei] the -eneral -laciated surfatie- of the hard pal- 
 joozoic rocks of the enuntry. it becouu's necessary to study the 
 comjiaratively modern dejiosits wdiieli rest on them in order to 
 understand the cau>es wliieh [iriMlueed the modern topouraphy of 
 the country. 
 
Vm^r 
 
 ^wnm mmmmmiMummmmi' 
 
 »i': 
 
 82 
 
 Till IwllowiiiL; t;i))K' >liou.> ;i chi.ssi ticitioii of tlie y.< .lugic:il 
 .■[■ochs newer tliiin the I'lioceiie Tortiury in Amcric.i, repi\ ■ iitod 
 in (loscendiiit; ordir : 
 
 IN WKSTiJIX oM'AKHi 
 
 l\ MAMKliN (.NTAinO, I K,^C| V A l.KNTS Kr.SK 
 
 i,ii;i:!;k('. ktc 
 
 SVJIKIIK. 
 
 Ilcciiit .Mii(|( II] I'));!, ic- I 
 urcsiMitcil li\ >l]i-ll-iii;irl. ' 
 iihmIciii alliiviiiiii, etc. 
 
 (•IdtT MikI.th Em. (I'x- .Mml. n, Kia. 
 ' ;iv.itiiiii> el vallivs in 
 tt-riacfs (lui'iim a soinr- 
 ^\ hat iimic ilcvati'd coiiti- 
 
 lU'lil). 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miiddii 
 
 Ki 
 
 1 (..!■ 
 
 Eu 
 
 IH.pt') 
 
 
 
 
 Uciiulci 
 
 r. ( 
 
 r So 
 
 ■(.II.' 
 
 Glaci 
 
 il 1- 
 
 111 (if 
 
 Ell- 
 
 rupu. 
 
 
 
 
 TcinK rsand 111 a(lH>.(.\i- .,, ,, , ' ,,, 
 
 tciiiisia mavrh. nia, ,■> ^v l.ca.dics.: 1 iTiaco and Bcaelu-j. 
 
 Ai,i;iiiiia >aiid I .'j Saii^i'ci] | Saxica\a sand 
 I'lcsli-wattT clays. l-"or<\st ' 
 1"(1 (as (.f Oinii), I 
 
 I'>ri(^i-lav (with tVw Ik.iiI- 
 
 [..■(l;i rlav. 
 
 Uould.Trlay(iiv,|.:,i,.utly Bnuld. i , lav 
 aliment). 
 
 Strkaind pc'iiL 
 
 Striatrd 1(11 k. 
 
 •f ISrick rlay (with 
 ~ Arctic .shells. 
 
 PlJ C- Scotland). 
 z z fvanics (Scotland 
 
 _£T Q Moiainit' debri.s, 
 2"'-r ] pcix hed bloek-s, 
 S ^ ^Tavids, witii 
 
 ■P animal reniaius. 
 
 ^ I (Scotlanil). 
 
 ISonldcr (lay, ot Eu- 
 ro[ie. Till. ot'Enioiie. 
 
 >triatcd ro( ii. 
 
 ^ ft. ^rja£ Til. I., KRIK .\N(» OTHER c[,.\ys. 
 
 t^f^tnrn/ UisfrU-./don of the Ern and Sxagecn <'.7./_//.v._The 
 -narer portinu of the surfaces of the striated rocks of Ontario is 
 c(>vpr('d by AViV rhiji. This clay is always stratified, .sometimes 
 vvrtlfc sandy partinii^, and is more or less calcareous. It is uiue 
 •rhfflii wet, biict of an a.sh-color when dry, and the upper portion 
 \' of very tine textiire. Tt lre(|uently contains rounded boulders 
 and according ro Dr. Robert Bell, the lower portion includes a 
 trrfater or sm.iUer number of fraiiiuents which are ani-ular when 
 cemposed of paltcozoi* rock>. Tt eonta-'us no shells of marine 
 origin. 8nme of the immediately- overlying and clcsely associ- 
 ated depcwit.-^ are known to vovaain a con.siderable fauna of fresh 
 water shells. The Krie elay ha> been seen at various heitihts 
 
 . ,'.-,> ._.«i«,.;a3.^<fi *i.ti..fi\.'.W»»,'fea*"'*((.U.,. 
 
w^^f^fSmmfKUllmmMmii 
 
 wtmam* 
 
 above all tlu' ^rcat lakef^, and -.vcii I'cac'hiiiL: in the v< ion nl' our 
 ('pper Groul Lukes tu a lK'i,i;-lit >A' 1,(I0U leet above tlie sea. al 
 Magunctuwan river (Bell). It dccurs along Lake Ontario attlir 
 Diouth of Nia;^ara river, at Thorold and \V(\«t\vard. In thr (astern 
 part of the Dundas valley it has been pierced to Uh' depth nl' 7S 
 i>'et (GO of which are l)i>low the level of tlie lake. ) I ,nn not rci'- 
 tain of its ooeurrenet' in the upper part ot the l)iinda> valley. 
 South oi' Br.intford. Professor Hell e>tiinates that it niu.-t h:ivc a 
 thickness of To ieet, but in Walpole. some njili's ea-t oi' IJrant 
 ford, the eornil'erous limestone eonie> uenerally to within a I'rw 
 i'tX't oi' the suri'acc, who.se .soil is more or less of a clayey charae- 
 tor, filled with fraiiinents of oorniferous liinestonc (rielily fos>il- 
 iforous), brought to the surface by iVost. This day al.-o oeeui'> 
 hiri:ely about Jiake Erie. 
 
 The Leda clay of the St. Lawren(;e valley was more or less 
 itenuded bel'ore the deposition (»f thi' Saxicavi sand. So al-o 
 <he surface of the Kri(; clay wa-^ water worn or diimded !'y 
 subaerial actions. It is then overlaid (often uneoDfoiMnably) by 
 Ou! Snxgccii. e/'/y, which is brownish, in \ei'y thin Ijeils (one 
 inch, often separated by sand or ^iravel. or deposited witli inter 
 calated beds of sand, Tlii> clay forms a heavy -nil. In the 
 neighborhood of the Niagiri river and e]se\vjicr> it contains 
 fresh water shells. In the region almut the western eud of J.,ak( 
 < )ntario, much of the countrv i^ c i-.eved with this cliiv. or wlier. it 
 is removed by Erie day. Hut in tie' localitie-< imuiedi-ifi'ly in th'' 
 .icinity of the Niaiiani ■ <rarpnieiit. ami oi'teii in -li- Dnnda.- 
 valley, we iiave the niil- iomied from i)i.e more mod' rn tains of 
 *he Silurian rocks. 
 
 In noticing the occuri'eiD«-e ol' the L:<*i!H'val depir-its in i'amida. 
 the boulder day of the St. L'i\r-cnce ippears t.p be -tantin,' in 
 the western portion of tlie Province of Ontario. The Rrie dav, 
 containing boulders, and aUv an-ular lVa<:uiet)t- in p.arr. has been 
 jirovi-ionally assigned .(^ the e(j)tiv;deiit ol' both the B»mider and 
 Leda clays of the St. Jjawreiie- \;il]e\. Tii. I>onl«t*'r day i- 
 unslratifii'd (oi there are- only \ery few feehle indic.irions of ^.tra- 
 'ification), while the Erie day i- always sir itidieil. *h"SiBiiHi: dirfer- 
 < nt conditions of deposits. ^''M tiie Krie (day -(.'nerally re-t- on 
 tlie striated I'.ihto/.ic rocks in Western Ontario. 
 
 In th*' l)urida< valley there is a (h'jMisit older ili ii rlie terr;;e(>-> 
 (for terraces and sea-beaches occur ,■ hove it i. and p.—ibly older 
 than the Erie eiay uidess wr cni^idei' tlii- ■ hi_'liev ]nrtio;i ,rf ir. 
 
rim'^ 
 
 itm 
 
 *!■;: 
 
 84 
 
 I 1;T 
 
 
 1.^1 
 
 but wliieli M'eius >t.'arccly |)iissible ;i.- it is tlinrougiily uiistnitifiLMl, 
 tilk'd with ;iiii;ul;ir IVimuioutss (if Niagara liiut'stoiies and cuii.sti 
 lutini: a true 
 
 77//.— Tl\i> t'drnis a iiussililc ('((uivaKMit lov the BouUlcr clay 
 itl'tlio St, Lawrenw valley. Principal Dawsdn remarks that the 
 Boulder ehiy, as fUr as it i- a uiarlno deposit, is older on liioher 
 levels than on the lower. Nnw, we tind that the western part of 
 the hundas valley is nnde u|i of great hills and valleys olUin in 
 the lorni nt' rcr/ns niniitntiiiei s. Cornied lai'gely by tlu' niodorn 
 denndatioii ol the >tri'aui>. Sonietinus these hills are eut down 
 to a depth ol iiearly l.")(i I'ret. Sections of several parallel range> 
 may )>i' scrn hy erossiiii:' tin.' (.'duntry I'roin Aneaster to the G. W. 
 llailway. uliout twn uiile>- <'a>t ol' Capetown. The esearpnient- 
 at thesi' two ]ihiees ;ire a)>niit .Idii d'ct above hake Ontario, whilst 
 the beds of .-.(.nic <<[' tlie valleys ( a>. for example, near the 
 '•' sulphur -{irings "' ) i> nor more than liK) I'eet above the same 
 water-li'Vrl. In this Till. a> cx-posed at the base of the hills, cut 
 away in road making, I >aw only IVaginents of Niagara limostones. 
 mostly of >uet\ thin slab> as tlu' uppei' layers of the Silurian rock> 
 at Dundas afford ; and the>r stones make up a large jiercentagv 
 o\' the whol uia>> of the bases ol' tlie hills. Again, it is possible 
 tiiat the>e un-tratitied deposits extend down to the Pahuozolc 
 rocks bene ath. wlueh may be absent for a great depth below the 
 level of Lake On' irio. ;is fhey are in the centre of the Dunda> 
 valley, niove than two mile.- I'rom the nearest p<'rtion of the 
 escarpimnt It i> only after pa-sing the ti inks of the.^e hills, far- 
 tiier eastward, that We' tind the Krie clay. Some of the.-e hillock> 
 near their -tunmits have old beaches, other- capped with clays 
 Their summits are mostly com)»osed of clays of the Saugeen 
 e(|uivalent or of alluvium. The source of this Till is the 
 ruins of tin Niagara formation, and could have been derived 
 from the \ipper beds of the rocks ot' that age. which occur on the 
 summit ol' the oearpment botli at Dundas and Aneaster. 
 
 Dr. Daw.-oii has shown that the Boulder clays of Eastern Can- 
 ada were deposited beneatli water and coii'tain remains (though 
 M\ abundant) of Arctic animds. The marine deposit does imt 
 ejri^.'nd westward of the outlet of fiake Ontario, but beyond this 
 mefld^iar, the Erie stratitie<l eliy. re.'^ting on glaciated rocks (gene 
 fidly), appears to occupy Us j)lace. and is often deposited at levels 
 belo'W the lake surface. However, there is (outside of the Dun- 
 da- valley), at lea.-t one place wheri.' a few feet of Boulder clay 
 
mmmWHB'' -«l^w^1 
 
 iiiny bo socn--!it tlic O.-irrisoii Cnnniinns. just west ol' Toronto, 
 when! tlio stirt" cliiy contains aimular (Vaunjcnts and shihs ol' slialcs 
 and liardor rooks of tlio Hudson rivoi' iorniation. touotlier with 
 well-rounded and scratched Laurentiiin boulders. 
 
 The Erie C/<ii/ hi flir Diiixlus Vu/hi/, is ossentinllv of mode 
 r.'itely deop-water orisiin, with only the upper portion of tlu' 
 deposit exposed, and rather i'n'L' from pebbles. An intcrestini: 
 (diaracteristic ol' this clay is that it burns to foiiu butf-colored 
 bricks (popularly whitf bricks), while the ovoriyinu elay burns to 
 red bricks (Dr. Bell). It is finely stratiiied with rre(|uciitly thin 
 seams of sand. In the Dundas valley, the best txposurt's are on 
 the sides of the brancii of the Dundas marsh, which passes up to 
 Beasley's hollow, west of Hamilton. Tt is esjiocially wi'll shown 
 alonji' the side of tlu; marsh between the Protestant and (.'atholio 
 cemeteries. There is here an exposuiv about IJd i'eet thick. A 
 considerable portion of the terrace which extends from Dundas to 
 Hamilton, at a lieiiiht of about 70 feet above the lake, has its 
 marjiin, borderini>' on the Dundas marsh, underlaid by Erie clay 
 for about the lower HO feet of exposure. The upper portion of 
 the terrace is made up of a hitihly arerxsK-eous clay of yellowish 
 brown color, resting unconforinably on the surface of the Erie 
 clay, which had been denuded, and in places removed by streams 
 before the deposition of the clay, which when wet resembles a bed 
 of sand in strata from one to three inches thick. This latter clay 
 is probably the representative of the Smtyecn c/iii/.s. and is best 
 shown in section alonu the Hamilton and Dundas street railway. 
 An unconformable junction is exposed just near the •■ basin '" of 
 the Desjardins canal at Dundas. This lattijr clay forms the 
 loamy soil of one of the tinest pieces ol' farmiiiii' land in C'anada. 
 At the cutting- of the Hamilton and Dundas railway, between 
 the Half Way house and marsh, there is associated with the latter 
 deposit a bed of very fine oravel where the pebbles are less than 
 an inch in diameter. This may possibly be of more recent origin. 
 In Beasley's hollow, near Ainsley wood, these clays rest on the 
 Medina shale, and are represented by only a few feet exposed. 
 According to Dr. Bell (as we have noticed before), the Erie clays 
 extend to at least (!0 feet below the surface of Lake Ontario, in 
 the Dundas valley. To what depth it extends [ cannot say, but 
 it is underlaid by a Till to a depth of about 227 feet below the 
 lake, near the margin of the ancient valley described in former 
 pages. The '■'■Brown clui/s^' are also exposed on the northern 
 Toi,. X. s No. .5. 
 
-^^T-- 
 
 ■r-f Y!r 
 
 ll"'^,?fyW-)P^,',>' 
 
 M 
 
 i' 
 
 1^ 
 
 side of tlic Duritlas viilK'V, mi the fcrr.icr, iit !tO Icct above the 
 water, on whieh the Dundus ei'iiie'tery is situated. 
 
 Whilst the Erie clays extend to a eonsiderable heiti^^ht above 
 I lie lake on the borders of the marsh, they do not reach much 
 higher than the water level at Bnrliuu,toii Heights. This fact 
 lias a lieariii'j; on the study of the Heights themselves. 
 
 Between the Dundas valley and the Grand river (that is, in the 
 western j)art of the township of .\neaster and the adjacent por- 
 ti(jns of Brant), the country is generally overlaid by a brownish 
 <lay. ol'ten loamy, remarkably free from stones, and the ecjuiva- 
 lent (on tlic .surl'ace) ol' the Saugeeji clays. Prof. Wilkins has 
 dbscrvcd this •' lu-own clay '" in stratified bods along the Fair- 
 child's creek. 
 
 T/ir F'iri.sf /)(</ of Ohio, rejin'sented in Canada by logs and 
 
 stumps, in the brown clays, at Toronto and elsowlierc (Hind), 
 
 iiarks the period of elevation of land during which the Erie and 
 
 Ijcda clays were denudfd bel'ori' the deposition of the Saugeen 
 
 I'.renaceous clays and Saxicava sand (of the St. Lawrence valley). 
 
 Vlll. 
 
 <T.\TE.ME.NT t>K TlIK OLATIAL AND lOKBERd THEORIES. 
 
 Before eonsideriiiLi iurther the Pdst IMioceue deposits which 
 occur in the "region al)out tlie western end of Lake Ontario,'" 
 lot us briefly examine the two theories that arc given in explana- 
 tion oJ' their origin. It is not my purpose to enter details except 
 ♦hose that bear on the explanation nf the deposits in the region 
 of study. 
 
 Thn (j'/acl'i/ Thforj/. — During the later Tertiary days the con- 
 tinent stood at lea.st several hundred feet above its present alti- 
 tude, probably at the time of the advent ol' the "great ice age." 
 The two theories — the Glacial or Glacier, and the Iceberg or 
 Floating Ice— -difler f<sentia]iy in the earlier jiart of the epoch. 
 The former of these theories (or hypotheses) seeks to prove the 
 continuing elevation of the continent after the close ol' the Plio 
 cone epoch proper; that a great continental ice-sheet capped the 
 northern portion oi' America, and reached in some instances as far 
 of the oOth parallel of latitude; that the old rivers flowing 
 southward had a greater pitch than at present, and thi' waters 
 from the melting daeifrs running down the elevated old river 
 channels in a southerly direction (and also making new ones), 
 K'ooped out most of th(> basins now liuried to a depth oi'ten seve- 
 r;il hundred feet below their modern reprcsentativeSj or the pre- 
 
 ,-iiS:;rf)*v:-"ieiiiif'it'l-i^U' 
 
??f;^%^e*> ?,, 
 
 
 87 
 
 sent surraeo of tlu; Liud where the aueieut valley."* are entirely 
 obscured. At the same time the erosive eHect.-- were obscured 
 l)y the stones and ile/jfis de['ii>ited by tiie uieltin^i: ;^laeier, bein^ 
 trau.sporte(l by the waters lu.-sliinji' down the -<teep jiitcli of tho 
 river beds. With an increased elevation of tlie land, the conti 
 MOUt would be more elevated to the northward, which would still 
 i'urther iucrvase the veloeity ol" tlie w.tfcrs flowing southward, and 
 retard or altogether stoj) those Howinu nortluvard. Other exea 
 vatinu' efi'ects would be produeed by tfii; ulaeiers shovini;' lor 
 ward the dcicomposed roek beneath themselves. The ixistiuu 
 valleys would to a ureater or less dei;ree determine the direction 
 of the glacier itself. The.se jilaciers, laden with stones and ilvbn'y, 
 moving over the land would naturally plane off the rocks below 
 them, and the stones and sand contained in the ice would pro- 
 duce their striated and polished surfaces. The glaciers would 
 transport the local material by the thrusts ; and the rocks and 
 other contained dehrls derived from the source of the' glacier it.sell' 
 would be deposited as it melted, thus producing terminal (and 
 also lateral) moraines. In order that the glacier could move 
 southward it is not necessary that the surface of the land should 
 have any slope, I'or if the ice were sufficiently deep, the weight to 
 the northward or towards its source, would cause it to flow like 
 •1 mass of apparently solid pitch, whieh when piled up is con- 
 stantly seeking a lower level. CroU has calculated that the ice 
 could flow if the suri'ace stood at half of one degree above the 
 ocean level. The terminal moraines produced would tend to duij 
 the waters beneath tlie glaciers caused by their melting. 
 
 After the cro.sion by glaciers (and the striations of the surfaces 
 if the rocks) was accomplished the continent began to be de- 
 pres.sed, and the subsidence went on until the land was more than 
 r)00 feet below the present altitude. (But we will subsequently 
 see that the depression continued till a submergence of 180(-' 
 feet at least, or perhaps several times that depression was attained/. 
 This subsidence and also the previous damming of lake and river 
 basins produced Immense inland lakes beneath the continental 
 ulaeiers, or floating icebergs de/ivcd from them. As tlie glacier» 
 melted, the transported dtbrls contained in them was deposited in 
 in unstratified manner on the land, or where it fell into water it 
 ^vas partly stratified. This period of the glacier constitutes the 
 Diluviau era or Lower Champlain epoch. The preceding period 
 of elevated continent forms the period of glacial drift. But the 
 
6 
 
.r,b. 
 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 /. 
 
 
 1.0 If:"^ I 
 
 I.I 
 
 !S.25 
 
 2.5 
 
 
 2.2 
 
 1^ 
 
 iiiiim 
 
 
 <9; 
 
 
 >>. 
 
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 9 
 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 
 33 WESi MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 
 
 (716) 873-4S03 
 
 
 

88 
 
 ti ■ 
 
 •r 
 
 t'^ 
 
 
 ^ifieater part of the uustratitied drilt, as stated by Prof. Dana, 
 was deposited iu the Lower Chaiuphiin epoch. 
 
 The boulder eh>y of the St. Lawrence was deposited in both 
 the Glacial Drift and Lower Chanipiain epochs (of Dana), and 
 a portion of the Erie clay of the region of the great lakes iu the 
 latter epoch, if not in that of the Glacial Drift of the present 
 classification. But as the Erie clay is stratified, it could not 
 have been deposited in the epoch of the Glaciai Drift according 
 to the tlieory of an elevated continent. After the Diluvian or 
 Lower Champlain epoch, the waters continued to be deep, but 
 with much floating ice, bearing erratics. This constitutes Dana's 
 Alluvian or " Upper Champlain era " of stratified clays and 
 gravels. 
 
 At the same time the Leda clay (stratified by water and of 
 marine origin) and the upper portion of the Erie clay (stratified 
 and of fresh water origin; were deposited. Then the seas became 
 shallow from the elevation of the continent; and, finally, in 
 some places a forest growth appeared on the uplifted land 
 Again, there was a subsidence on the production of a glacial lake, 
 and tlare were then deposited the upper beds of Dana's " Allu- 
 vian era," corresponding to the Saxicava marine sands of the 
 St. Lawrence, and the Saugoen clays of Ontario. There was 
 still boulder-laden floating ice. As the continent was again rising, 
 or the waters of the glacial lake subsiding, the elevated terraces 
 or beaches were made at heights from 17(10 feet to the sea level 
 in the region of the lower lakes. These terraces will be described 
 iu succeeding pages. This elevating process continued until the 
 continent stood at perhaps 200 feet above the present altitude, 
 marking an epoch known in Europe as the Reindeer or Second 
 Glacial period. Then came the subsidence which brought the 
 continent to the present general level with the modern deposits. 
 
 The Jci'U'fg Theorij. — The Iceberg Theory differs essentially 
 in the beginning and oarly days of the "Great Ice Age." 
 
 According to this theory the old channels now buried were 
 producid in days before the advent of the Glacial period, by 
 the ero>ive action of the atmosphere, and pre-existing rivers, 
 when the continent was at a higlier elevation, and date back to 
 very aueient geological times. At the commencement of the 
 Ice Age the continents were subsiding until depressed much be- 
 low tlio jtreseut sea-level. At the same time glaciers were 
 aeeumulatiug iu the northern highlands, aud even farther south- 
 
 
89 
 
 ward, where therti were any elevated peaks or table lauds. These 
 highlands were coustantly seodiug off icebergs which, breakiug 
 loose, were borne southward by the oceanic or lacustrine currents, 
 and carrying with theni their loads of stones and lUbris from the 
 region of their foundation. The striations of the roek surfaces 
 in continental areas, remote from glacial-producing mountain^, 
 (or hills perhaps) was accomplished by the stranding of the bergs 
 in the comparatively shallow basins. This action is shown to-day 
 on the coast of Labrador and Greenland. At the same time the 
 melting bergs were depositing their loads as boulder clay. The 
 iceberg theory accounts for the boulder clay of the St. Law- 
 rence and the stratified Erie clay (with boulders) of tiic lake 
 region, both dating back not only to Dana's Champlain epoch, 
 but also to the epoch of his Glacial Drift. 
 
 There is no material difference in the explanations of the origin 
 of the middle and later deposits of the Glacial period, as rendered 
 by the more liberal view of the glacial and iceberg hypotheses, 
 both recognizing the subaqueous origin of the Leda clay, the 
 upper part of the Erie and other stratified clays, the Suxicava 
 and other sands and beaches. However, according to the glacial 
 theory, much of the stratification of the deposits took place in 
 lakes and rivers dammed up by the glacier itself, without so 
 great a subsidence of the continent as the extreme iceberg theo- 
 rists would have. 
 
 Distribution of the Xortheni Drift. — Let us now examine 
 what evidence, aiding the elucidation of the history of the Great 
 Ice Age, can be derived from the .«tudy of the region of Lake 
 Ontario. In doing this, however, it will be necessary to go some- 
 what out of the locality of our immediate study. 
 
 The so-called ice-cap of the northern hemisphere was con- 
 fined principally to the region of the North Atlantic Ocean. In 
 America, Professor Whitney states, as the result of extended 
 observation, that there is no evidence of an ice age at low levels 
 along the Pacific Coast, excojit along the sea, at sueh elevations 
 as could be glaciated by floating ice during a slight subsidoiiee 
 along the coast of Vancouver's island, on an adjacent coast of 
 the mainland. The southern limit of the northern drif"t on the 
 eastern side of tlie Rocky Mountains may be approximately 
 designated by a line drawn from the head waters of the Saskat- 
 chewan river to the mouth of tlie .Missouri river, thenee to the 
 centre of Oiiio. through Pennsylvania andNe.v York, tn northern 
 Now Jersey. 
 
90 
 
 ■ > 
 
 '.f 
 
 In Europe the northern drift descoudcd i'roin the Scandinavian 
 niouutain.s towards Central Russia. It did not cover Eastern 
 Europe, nor any portion of Asia, Itut in the catjtern hemisphere 
 it was confined to the north Atlantic. 
 
 The greatest development of the deposits of the Ice Age ij> 
 :idjacent to where there would have been the greatest precipita- 
 tion of moisture. We sec to-day that much of Greenland i> 
 eoyered with glaciers, but Messrs. Fieldon and Kance (of the 
 Arctic Expedition of 1875-76) observed the paucity of glacier.- 
 in Northern Greenland, and that neither tliero nor in Grinneil's 
 Land, north of about lat. SO'' 20' were icebergs (derived from 
 glaciers) met with, but all the ice was considered asfloebergice 
 Capt. Nares explains tlie dift'erence between the ordinary floe 
 and Polar sea ice. The former is only a few feet thick, and 
 meeting with obstacles, it sometimes gets piled up 40 feet or 
 more in height, while the latter is S<> or 100 feet thick, and 
 dimply lifts any obstacle in its way. Now, our glacial friends, in 
 referring to the " American Ice ^aps " or sheet, can only refer 
 to the region covered by nortiiern drift before roughly outlined, 
 which did not even cover Alaska. It must also be remembered 
 that any such ice cap, as they require, would be lessening in 
 thickness ;«s it receded from the eastern margin of the continent, 
 with its Laurentian and Appalachiiiu Chains of mountains, to 
 cut off the Atlantic moisture, as we have just seen with regard 
 to the northern coast of Greenland. We are told that the drift 
 is found in the White Mountains at an elevation of more than 
 r>20() feet on the top of Mount Washington, with erratics (be- 
 longing to a lower topographical level) on the summit of the 
 mountain, and that all this debris was pushed up by a glacier. 
 Whilst there seems no doubt of the existence of <;laciers in the 
 White Mountain regions, it seems really too hypothetical to place 
 .'I glacier in the White Mountains at the high elevation, that in 
 moving would push up lUbris even 500 feet from the summit of 
 the highest adjacent mountains. 
 
 ThuknesH of la: dip. — When Professor Agassi/ tionoun«ed 
 his glacier hypotheses, re(|uiring a continental glacier to over- 
 top by 2,000 feet, the highest peaks of Mount Desert Island 
 (which are in the same latitude as Mount Washington, with 
 an elevation of more than 1500 feet) and project to Long 
 Island Sound — Professor Leslie calculated " the height of 
 the snow mass necessary for producing the supposed motion of 
 
 
Hi 
 
 01 
 
 thi;5 glacier at 20,000 f'eof, at the pole) and the abstniction of 
 that amount of water I'roiu tlio sea would lower the sea-'evol 
 «>ver the whole globe about tiOO feet. The snow cap necessary 
 to lift d'-ift material over Mount Washington would so much ex- 
 ceed thiS thickness as to increase the in:prob:;bility. Nor does 
 it seem jiossible that any local glacier in t'lo White Mountains 
 could, even il' it had a sufficient thickness to produce its own 
 flow, lift drift materials several hundred feet higlier than the 
 place whence they came, and not sheer off on the lower icf and 
 pass around the high j)eaks — a constant re(|uircuient ol' the 
 glacier hypothesis. 
 
 It is )iot my purpose liere to attempt to discuss the ice cap 
 in the Whitf Mountain legions. Yet it is nt'cessaiy to refer to 
 this region on account of the great elevation of drift material, in 
 looking out the causes of the drift in the region ( f Lake Ontario. 
 The local evidence of moraine-lbrmed dams does not seem suffi- 
 cient to counteract the seeming impossibility above pointed out. 
 
 Tr(insjii>rt<it!on hi/ Count Ice. — The floating ice theory here 
 answers much better than that of the glacier, for on the conti 
 uent sinking tlic ruins of the hills of lower levels eouM be carried 
 upward by the action of coast or pan ice oi' successive years, 
 which alon<: the Hestigouche and St. Lawn nee rivrrs has been 
 IvDOwn to move enormous blocks "f rock to a considerable dis- 
 tance in a single .H'ason. The great precipitation of snow about 
 the North Atlantic, along the ranges of American mountains 
 borderinii it. would tend to depress the north-rastern portions of 
 the continent more than either those to the southward or west- 
 ward. This depression was nearly 2,000 feet, at least in the 
 later Terrace e]joch of the Tee Age, beyend the Western End of 
 Lake Ontario. Tn the mountain regions of the l^icific coast 
 the evidence of a ubsideuce to more th;m 4,<»0(> ftct i^ ap- 
 parent. 
 
 At the northern end of Skaiieatelcs l^aki' in New York we 
 tind, at an elevation of SOO fi'ct above tlic sea. Coruiferou> lime 
 stones, which belong to rock beds ni situ at only lower levels fc 
 the northward. These apparently wen* lifted upward by floating 
 ice durinu' tlie subsidence of the region. Airain, at the Western 
 End of Lake Ontario, we find ureat quantities oi' water-worn 
 pebbles, who.se original rock lies thirty or I'orty miles away, but 
 at only lower topographical levels, except a great di^taoce away. 
 
 Tcnniit'il Mnfuitf: I/j/jxitlnsis. — Another evidence strongly 
 
92 
 
 if 
 
 
 
 ■•ii 
 
 •1/- 
 
 Jidilucod by tlu' irl'ifialists. in support of the contincntnl ^.'lacier, 
 is the so c!illo(l torniinal moraine, represented in Canadian North- 
 Wcst Territories and North- Western States by those ridges of 
 drift liills. known as Coteaii dc Missouri. Totcau des Prairies. 
 Kettle Moranios (of Wisconsin ). the rid_L'es about the southern 
 end of Lake Michiiian, across Ohio and Pennsylvania, the rantre 
 of drift hills of Nck Jersey, and the <lrift hills of Long Island. 
 
 The whole of liong Isliiiid is composed of stratified drift (con- 
 sidered by I'rof. Dana to have been deposited by the glacier ice 
 water). Several, at least, of the so-called moraines of New York 
 and Ohio, rcpresentetl by the ridg(>s south of Lakes Ontario and 
 Erie, are evidently old water margins. The ridgeg south and 
 west of Lake Michigan, constituing the so-called Kettle Moraines, 
 are rudely stratified, according to Dr. E. Andrews, of Chicago. 
 And the described structure of the North-western Coteau, con- 
 taining so much gravel and boulders, even if the greater protion 
 be not stratified, together with the flat country to the north and 
 north-ea.st (whence much drift material from the lower level of 
 the valley of Lake Winnipeg was tran.sported westward and 
 southward to much liigher altitudes) makes us look with doubt 
 upon much that has been written about these regions, in support 
 of the favorite Ice-Sheet theory. 
 
 With e(|ual propriety could we call the Artemisia gravel and 
 the Oak ridges (to be referred to under Terraces) as terminal 
 moraines of the Province of Ontario ; (at least the former of 
 these ridges rises to an elevation little inferior to the Coteau des 
 Prairies). These highest and most distant ridges, surrounding 
 the great lake basins containing unstratified boulder clay would 
 be just what one would e.Kpeet to find wliere the laden ice, from 
 northern highlands, after crossing this island sea, became 
 stranded, and finally melted as the old hills were sinking to, 
 or rising from the sea. 
 
 However, it is not my purpose to discuss the subject of the 
 Glacial Geology of America, but only to describe some of the 
 surface features in the '' Region About the Western End of Lake 
 Ontarion," and see what lessons can be derived therefrom. 
 
 Agents of Ghicintion. — Glaciation of rock surfaces can be 
 produced by the action of the glaciers containing stones, or by 
 that of floating ice shod with rocky matter. Ice of itself, unless 
 frozen to its bed has no important erosive action. In fact, the 
 principal erosion beneatli a glacier is produced by the action of 
 
 
 ^f 
 
 ^: 
 
running wjitcr, hurling .•ilon- tin' ilihrix fn.ui tho nultiri.u ul.uMrr. 
 Again glaciers (lorivc tlioir iiriiiciiKii Io.kIs oi' ,f,;h)-is froni ovrr 
 lianging rocks, wliicli would scldoiu appear above .( -.'rand conti 
 nontal gliicior. Ico with even little or no loreign ni;iteri;d ina% 
 polish surfaces (not scorify) when hurled by the action of wav.'s 
 and tide, as seen r.;- I»rof. ri. V. Hind, on the coast of Labrador, 
 where tJie hard rocks have been polished for several hundre<l feet 
 above tide, durinc the time that that portion of tli.' continent b.n 
 been rising. 
 
 From various Arctic expeditions, we learn about the enornio)i.« 
 .|uantity of detritus which is aimually ren.oved by the floe oi 
 coast ice. though only half a dozen leet thick. This ice -et> piled 
 up. and by the action of wind and tid.> abrades \hr shore to nn 
 elevation of ;U» feet or more. 
 
 Our American geologists nf th.- -I.icial seliot)! x-em unwillinL- 
 to attribute the .scorifying i.r.wer to flo.-iting ice. which become-* 
 temporarily stranded. Kven the grindin- o{' the contained stone- 
 in flo.iting ice stranded at low tid,. in the trough of w.ives of 
 a rough sea. acting during lonu' perind< of time, wunld j.roduce 
 -reat effects. Fairly considerii.g the fpiestion, tlie ice-marked 
 -urfices of the region of our study tell us but little in favor ol 
 either the glacier or the iceberg hypothesis Kven the south 
 eastern striations in the highland counties of Ontario (character 
 izcd in part by the Artemesi;i gravel) at most could only have 
 been produced by local glaciers discharging small bergs into the 
 Ontario sea. whose general currents were drifting to the .south 
 westward. 
 
 Any continental glacier pa>sing over the region of our study 
 must have filled the basin of tho western end of Lake Ontario and 
 the ancient Dundas valley (more than two miles wide, and from 
 750 to 1000 feet deep) else the Niagara escarpment of preglacial 
 date facing the lake would have been planed off by tlie erodinir 
 I'orce which struck it obliipiely without having the direction of 
 the force changed (except in the valley itself; for we find the 
 summit angles sharp. Nor has this sharpness been subsequently- 
 produced by frost action as indicated by the talus at the ba.se of 
 the slopes. The ancient Dundas valley, as has been pointed out, 
 brintrs additional proof, that the region was not excavated by 
 glacial action. Even the removal of the upper hundred feet of 
 flie escarpment on the western side of Glen Spencer, which most 
 nearly resembles glacial action, was not effected by ice-action but 
 ^'O*- ^ s 2 No. .0. 
 
Ml 
 
 V 
 
 ■n >• 
 
 '■<y >uliiii.ri!il :ii:(ii(ios, uliiili ri.'iiinM'd ihc uiipt,'!' suilaci's ul' tln' 
 larriAv sjinr of r<K-ks M'|iaratiii:; this ^l(•ll ami Ulcii Webster from 
 "lie riinnii ol' the Duiulas valley. 
 
 It seems imftossible that in the ret;iuii ol' the hikes any ^roal 
 
 TiKiviiiii ulaeier <]i<l exist, which measured Irtmi a depth ol" what i* 
 
 mw ."lOH I'ert below tlie sta to a heijiht sufiioieiitly ^'reat to pusli 
 
 (irwaiil tiie ilt'Jirix Worn that drpth to an elevation ul' Irom lOOtt 
 
 o 20(1(1 t'fei or more over the hiuiilamln ol New York, I'euusyl- 
 
 >aiiia and (Hiii'. The eniilii;uration id' the reiiioii would not 
 
 '.avor ^iieh :i eomlitioii ol iee- lor ilie mouiituiti.i ol' Labrador. 
 
 'r<^mlKe, and ol New KiiLiland. a^>isted by those of New York 
 
 Old l*enii>\lvaiiia. toj;etliei' witii thi' hiulilands (d' Ohio, would 
 
 iiave neees.-arily -ji;? off tlu! moisture and ]ireveiited the precipl 
 
 lation (Ml the interior of the confiiient. as we today see iu Hall'.- 
 
 liasin and tlir I'nlar sea in the far north. 
 
 (h!(jin "/' llimlilrr ('luij.- lJo\ilder elay may be produced 
 I'V floatiiiLi iee as Will as by Lilaeiers. I'rof. II. Y. Hiud 
 las iibxivi'd iis fdrmatioii at tlir |ne^ent time on the eoa.st of 
 Labrador, by the action of pan ice. In Arelie rei;ions the ooii- 
 'ortion of submarine mml by tlic jamminii of straiidiiij; masses 
 ■if the thick ice nf ilic polai' si'.i>. Iia> been observed to produce 
 -well cH'eets ;i.- are often attributed to L:laeier^, and could (|uitc as 
 • asily by piisliiiit: alon^ the softened mud jiroduee the so-culled 
 :.:round moraine, a> a Lilaeier. 
 
 Tliii/i-i < ss iif' />////, -ThrouMhdut ilie I'rovinee of Ontario, the 
 average thickness of the I'ost IMioei'nc deposits is less than 50 
 feet, exeeptinu in buriecl channels :nid alont; eei-tain ridges. A.» 
 ' xhibitetl in many sections exposed to llu' bed rock and iu many 
 bore hole,-, it seem- that the drill i> nearly everywlusre stratified, 
 tnd the nnstratitied drift i- the (Xception outside uf buried 
 ■hannels. 
 
 (llociiil Liil.i ( lljiimllii tlnil ). — Accordinu to the i^lacial the- 
 ury, after the reee.-sion of tin; nhuier-ice which scooped out and 
 filled the Lireat lake basins, and moved over the hills ffrom 1500 
 to 250(1 feet abovt; their deipest l>i,'ds)to the south, there was 
 ]iroduced a i:reat ulacial lake by the elosinu of the outlets with 
 ice, and in this lake the stratified drift was de,.,jsited. We have 
 already shown that the lakes are not of lilacier origin. If it had 
 been possible for the ice to have been ]iushcd up and over the 
 jreat elevations referred to, yel it ^eems biglily improbable, that 
 a remnant of floating iee could have dammed up not only tlu- 
 
!•'. 
 
 
 I..wor outlets t(. thr lacMstriii,. >,a. I.uf ••(Im, rai>,.| i„.uiv of tl,.. 
 lower ridires t., tli.' sn„tl, In mm ice Iw.rrler siifri.-ient f.." j.nv.M.t 
 the overflow of its waters. A^ remarkod l.y l>,„r. |)..,„a, „., 
 iiiorJiines boar -vi.leupe (.IMicli a ilain at KlOd fW>t alx.ve tli.- m-;, 
 \u the Province of Ontiri.. tlie stratifie.l .Iril't in v.-ry tnaiiv 
 places is at a niuel. liioJier lev.l tlian Ion- stretelies of tli." h.rrie • 
 ranijes to the sr.uth. .Moreovrr, at the time wlwii part of the..- 
 .-tratitio.l deposits were hcin- pio-liiee-l tlie srn eonfiiiied little o- 
 
 110 floatin- iee wherewith to Hos.. tl ntlrts. nmeh Ie>> to i„ 
 
 ereaso hei-rhts of the harrier-. 
 
 •nidothrr f'/<n/.s:-.\vvnvi]\u'^ to tle^ -hteial th.'ory the eontinetit 
 stood at a umeh hi-her elcvatim, in the ie.- a-e than at the present 
 time, yet it does not demand atiy very ureat ehaimvs of level. So 
 also in the ahove remark.^, the Mihjeet of local oscillations has not 
 hoen an element of eonsidnation. yet -rn-at (-han-es of level did 
 take place. The marine houhhr drift ol' the St. Lawrence valley, 
 eontaiidn- Arctic shells, reaclw^ an elevation of over :>0l» fi-ot, 
 irrespective of hi-rher tmd inorr inodcrn t.-rraces. AI.so the coasr 
 of Labrador has been i<nown to hav ri.xn to ure.at hei-hts ^inc 
 the ice tioe. Prof. Dana remark- that the continent was mor<' 
 ••levated to the northwanl thiin the southward. 
 
 Diirin;; the ^reat accnmulafion ef iee alon- the mountains nt 
 Labrador, (^icbee. N,.w Knulaiid. N.-w York, etc. and in fact 
 ■ iromid the north Atlantic, thcv would ||,.,v,> bceti a relative sink 
 inu- of the continent ari.-iiiu fi-.,ni the clianav of the centre ol' 
 -ravity of the earth. The sub-idenc,' would be-in alon- the 
 Atlantic coast and extend westward. We know that the lar-e 
 deposits of Houlder clay in the St. Lawrence valley are marine 
 and deposited beneath water. However, on mo\ in- up the St. Law- 
 rence valley the evidences of fh." marine eht.racler -radually disap- 
 pear as the Arctic sjiells Ciinnot be traced to tlw; western di'posits. 
 -Vor do any of the m.arine I'f.rt Pliocene deposits pass westward of 
 the east end of the valley of Lake Ontario (who.«e elevation is 247 
 feet above mean tide). The unimportance of the IJotdder clay 
 farther west in Ontario, or more frcfiuently its entire absence, 
 with Erie stratified clay containing a few boulders, especially near 
 its base, resting on striated rocks, points to the fact that the ice 
 •ige and the continental subsidence be-an earlier to the north- 
 eastward than it began iu the valley of Lake Ontario and the 
 region to the west of it. 'IMiis being the case, we have ati oxplri 
 
 an- 
 
:•(; 
 
 •^!lv 
 
 '.it 
 
 4 
 
 M' 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 .itiuii li»r ilif clwiiinc of cIiiiiMrlcr ••!' tliu drift doposit.x from the 
 Jiiiriiic •• Boulder clay '" of flic St. li.iwroiici! vuUey to that of tin 
 lower ln»iildt'r bearing; (probably ) fresh-water Krie stratitied clays, 
 ior the eoiiditioti> favorable tit the deposition of the topoi^ruphi 
 eajly lower IJoulder day would e.vi.xt ♦■)r a loujicr period than 
 those of the Hri»' t;lHy haviiiy- been beu.uu and partly completed 
 ht.'fore tilt! formation of the latter elay. The inerea.sin^ accumu 
 lation iif ice about the barrier hills would elose the iSt. Lawrence 
 valley to marine eurrents, and eut off much of the precipitation 
 ot' nioLstiiri' from the interior ba^iii. leavinii, it freer to the action 
 of coast and bef.; iee from the adjaeent mountain!!. 
 
 IIi,uh«'r than the .Niagara isearpment, or T.'itt feet above the 
 M'a, the eountiy beyond the western t-nd of Lake Ontario aflord* 
 vrry little Boulder clay cxeejit in old buried valleys, 
 
 'J'lie Lireater part of Erie elay appears tu be contemporary with 
 ?l)c- later d»;positL 1 (tortious of the IJoulder clay and with the 
 l>eda elay of the 8t. Ijawrence valley during a time of contracted 
 ice sheets, when the sea was aiiaiii inakiii'j; inroad.s on the conti 
 iient. The Erie clay occurs at elevations ol' IttOO loot in the 
 I'rovince of Ontario. 
 
 TIti' I iijH'ofm (J}i<iriiit> I <>i llif (i/iiilnf lli/j»<>fln)it'n.-\{'tiir 
 eartdul study 'tf the subject ol the di ift deposits in the lakere^'ion, 
 and after readini;' an immense amount of literature on the subject 
 of glacial geology ol' America, wherein itne tinds many intcreresf 
 ing discoveries, yet an enormous amount of dogmatism unworthy 
 of scientilic observers, there is but <ine conclusion that I can 
 arrive at — namely, that the glacial theory is not applicable to the 
 explanation of the physical features of the lake region, either of 
 the moulding of the country, as citusidered under the origin (if 
 the lakes or ol' the glaciation. oi of the drift depttsits of the On- 
 tario peninsula. It is true that a great thetiry cannot be cou- 
 .siderod either as pritven or ilisjtrovcn by limited observation. 
 and that is all which this jtaper purports be — tint a consideratitm 
 of the whole subject, <>veii as far as America is concrned, much 
 less Kurope. 
 
 tJn'titu iij'ti'r the <'/i),si of' fin h'jiarli I'j' A'//' r/«fy.- After tli'' 
 period of the deposit of stratitied Erie elay. there appears to have 
 been an elevation of the land, for in Ohio and other States it is 
 succeeded by a forest growth and dcnudatiitn of the surface of the 
 country. 
 
 During this time in Ontario the >url ice of tin' Erie day was 
 
tmm 
 
 
 97 
 
 •IfUU.lcil. »., ||i;,l llu' MicwM-iiiim .Sau_Li,iii i-\ny. li,. ,,ii it utlituJUl 
 ly. The vailoy Ml llu- Dii.i.lus tiiai>li aii.i liurliiiutcn bay. 
 be^i(lc!, »ui-li iiibutiuy >tream> as the CoM Spiini; c-ivjek wore 
 rxt-avati-.l ill it. The Cuhl Sprinu cnvk txcavatod a ..-hauiuil in 
 the Kric day a R-w huiidnil Itvl wide (us sccu aloii- the Ifaiu- 
 iltoii uiiil l)uii(la.> strec'l railway, which (hj^ccu.ls to the ujai>h 
 alout,' thi.< civok;. bt'lim- th.- (K-jHiMtioii of tho arriiai'i-ou.s clay. 
 lu I'act, a furisidiMablf poitioii ..J' the Duiida.s valley was reexea 
 vated by the lar-e >treaui.«; o|' till.-, liiiu'. It was during thi.s period 
 ol'deuudatioii tliat the toie.<t trees were Hourisliiiiu wliieli are Couiid 
 under the clay,>, and sands about the eify ol" Ttuoiito and in th«- 
 iScarboro Ilei-hts. Then came the subsidence with if- depo.sit of 
 Sauueen -brown clay" (de>eribed before), which eoveis so mu.di 
 of the surface of the i)mi<Ja.v valley and in Jiict a ureat jH.riiou ol 
 the Province ot Ontario. Diiriu- this deposit then; appears to 
 have been little or no floatini: ice in the rej-ion ol' .study, as there 
 is a remarkable absence of erratic-. The erratics bclon- to lucr 
 date. 
 
 Tltf Sinrhuru /A/cyA/.s- Kast of Toionto. Mr. «Jeor-;e Jen- 
 nin<i.s Hiude lias written an iMteiestinu paper.-- I'lifortunately 
 • (.'aiiiuliau .ImiiiiuiI. !h7T. 
 
 the author is a member of the nmre advanced .sehuu] ol" ulaciul 
 thought. Over the stratilied el.i^s .ind sands there is a deposit 
 of what Mr. Ilinde calls Till. This lills a vrdley ..f a sireiu, 
 scooped out by a probably interuhieial stream. Il.jw-ver, the 
 writer consider.s it (which he ti-uresj as a glacial hollow (like 
 our lakes ^ tilled up. From the evidence as laid down, it is euii- 
 spicuously an old water course. ,ind there is no evidi uce -iveu tn 
 .show its i;lacial origin any more than there is evidence of the 
 glacier excavation of the lakes. Thi- so-c;illed Till is compuM-i 
 of far drifted Trenton limestones and I tiea -late-. The mo-i 
 rational description of the presence uf ihi, •■ Till i- it- deriv i 
 tion by coast ice from the Treiiinn .md Ttiei mek- wliieh 
 formed the shores to the nortli and east. 
 
 Closing li',n,n'h-H nil th, (.'/aria/ Tiiairi/.- -\\\ \\\v Dundus v;.I- 
 ley there are a number of sheej* backs or n.rhrii niatitninnW'^. Tie 
 .summits of these hills, at least, belon- to the Tenaco epoch, and 
 may be easily explained by the deinidation by .Mreaiu.-. owiu- te 
 the peculiar features of the country, which will a-ain be noticeii. 
 
 T/k; Co'iar of tlu Arr/ir W'inf'r i> a .juestion uiiiside of ihi- 
 .sliori deseriptiv(! study, lluv/ever. tlic theory nj' I'u • secular 
 
98 
 
 •f 
 
 (•li;mi:t's nl' diiii.itc, ' aii^iiii: priiiiiirily IVom tli' ('('crntiiciiy <>f' 
 tin t'.irtli s ojhit. .'IS |ii()|tnsf»l l»y Mr. .I;iiiif'> Cioll iiimI ;iO(!f'pt(Mi 
 i»y Mr. .James (Jcikic in flu! two adminiMi* work^. "(Miinatc* and 
 TiiiH' " ;m(l "(Jn'iit let! Aiic" seems the most leiisible; and te 
 those wnrks I rercr jiiiy (n<(uiriiii: readers. With re<_'!ird td the 
 III .{(ji nf Siiitl'iixl ami north nl" Kni:hiiid Mr. (Jeike makes nut 
 a much hetter ease than (Uir Ameriean ulaeial I'riends. It nuist 
 he rememheretl that Senthind is in the lattitnde nl' I'rnm tlie mid- 
 dh' tit the northern j»art of La))ra(hir. ami were the t J nil' Stream 
 lo diaiiiie it> I'oinse. and witli a little increase in (|U.intity of 
 preeiiiitatioii and lo^, to day, ii, wonld auain lieeome a njaciai 
 re<iion. 'I' he drift which oeeur> in the lake n^ions of Atnerici 
 rL'scnd)les more nearly that ol' central Kuropc than that of Scot 
 land and Scandinavia, where the evi(h'ncc-> ol' "jhicial action arc 
 more apparent than on the continent. At the ]ire»ent time only 
 glaciers in the far north discharge icehcrtrs into tlie sea, yet those 
 arc driven t'artliur .'•(mthwar<l than the extreme limit ol' southern 
 drift in America. It mu>t he rcmemhi'rcd that t!u'>e )u'riL:s coim 
 from a latitn(K' not much farther nortli than tlie Scottish islands. 
 'I'herefore. the American n-ader mn>t not he unintentionally 
 led astray. On this continent there are hut few writers who are 
 unbiassed, .•ind it is .■^omewhat uiicnmmt)n for a student to mt;et 
 with a judicial production as ^eolo<^y lia> not yet produced the 
 irreat min<l who has been able to decipher all the valuable hiero- 
 iiliphics of i-urface •/coloi;y on this continent. A portion of tho 
 parti/.an writin<:r is unavoidable but very many more are unwor- 
 thy proiluctions of the servile obedience to tho memory of the 
 • listinu'uisln'd foiindcrs of the ulacial theory, who never exacted 
 the honniue b(>stowed by som«' of their disciples, attributinir to 
 i;lacicrs anv sort of features wlio>e oriuin is somewhat obscure. 
 
 
 IX 
 
 -'li:i{K.\rKS \SU UK.^CIIKS. 
 
 Ovcrlyinu' the '• Rrown olays." or where these are absent, the 
 lilue Erie clay>. there is a considerabh; number of terraces and 
 beaches, whose remains are to be seen at the western end of Lake 
 Ontario. Ksjiccially is this tlie case in the Dundas valley; but 
 even here the majority have been more or less removed by sv;bse- 
 (|uent denudation, so that at the higher levels there only remains 
 an occasional hill capped with stratitied sand or f»;ravel, or small 
 frairuients of the isolated beaehes >kirtlnu; the Niaj^ara escar^ 
 tnent. 
 
\m 
 
 
 //I'j/i /l.n.h H.<ir ir.</r ,■,/„//•,<..-. U,.Mi„„i„_, ^^j,|, ,1,,, l„,.,j.|n., 
 t*. the liiL;li.'>t iiltiiu'ii!^. !il)()iit till' iiiiiiicdi.nc virioits n| J.ak-' 
 Ontarii), tluiir is an i'xl»;ii.s|vi! ileiMi.sit ..I" sand and linr -ravel wvav 
 the villa-c of Walcidnwii. ..ii tlu; lit|M.rt||f NKi-iH;, . M-.irpiiHtil. 
 at an rlovation «.i;,(M» \W\ ( I'siiniiitfd i \\\n^\v \\u- l:,k,'. 
 
 la^jk li,,hl, „,,,,• .Ih(v/.s/. /•. On a>c.'iidiii- ih- Dunda^ valK-y 
 'o till! watLT-bi'.l l..'l\vi'fn it and llic (iian.l riv. r. ul.out a milf 
 WL'sl olAn.M^t.r viilauv. tli.'iv aiv .-.•vnal drpoMi.. ..f >fiutilird 
 canfl and tin.' -ravfl un the ^nnmiit- .ir ndcs m|' \h,- |,ill> :,t ..,„ 
 flcvatiun ..f I lU W-n (.•siiniair.l ) mIjmvc ili-' l.tkc At ..„.. ,,f il,,. 
 '■\l.(».surc> nf ili.s,. dc|Misifs. tliciv i^ .Ml nhli.nic lii'd.lini: ilipjiin- 
 'S.\ do-n-o to the snutli-i-astward. Kalx' b.'ddin- i> wn ru-iiuinn. 
 Tin-."..; bcaclu's arc noic nv !,■>< conii.u-.l n| wril wat.T \v..ni 
 jicMjK's Df th.. lludxin liver Innn.'tinn. At ilu' Ninir ,.k-vati<.n 
 l)Ut simtli ill' llic (Jnmil liv.r. n.'.-.r Scn.ra vilhiu,'. ili.-iv i, i,u 
 otlitT uraM'l d('|n)sil. 
 
 JUijhi)'' lUnrl, ,,l Dninhls.- ()\n urxl li.';,rll i^ ll„ >niall 
 
 roinain.s ol' a tcnac; fuund at tlic hci-lit .if ;;.;:, t,.,.i (|r\.ii,.d) 
 abovt! flic lake, on liotli sidcx.C tlic iM-iuh ..I' ( ;!rii Spmi-.T. Tlir 
 <']ovati«.n \va- irvdl-'d on tli,. cot, m >,idc ,i| i.l„. (jidi. A> unlv 
 a vui-y small IVa-incnt remain-. IVin'jiii- ilu; .dder ruck., it i'. 
 i»o,<si})le tliat, it mav liave H.rmerlv extended >,)me\vliat Iii^lier. 
 This is ihc I,,.,, I, in Dr. li,.]!\, ,,,|„„.i ,,, i|„. (',,„adian (ie.,l„uical 
 .Survey, I'stimate.l at .'!] s |,.,.t. Tlii- de|,(,>it cMi-ist- ..f rounded 
 Iiebbk-s of the Nia'^ara limestone, witi, wliiel, are a-ueiai.d |.eb 
 hies of the Hudson river peiiod and a few (uher- .if ervMalliiie 
 rocks. .MuL-h of thi- deou>it ha^ liea, artitieially reni.ived in 
 UKikinj:' the railway I'mbankm-'nt a<-i(i-.- (il^n '«|m neer. near th. 
 Duudas station. 
 
 Aiiofliur r>,.i,l, ,ii .\u<:i.-.i, r i> |,,und ^n ili, ^Ide- ,.| nne nt 
 (hose .so-(;alli!d •• >1hv]."> l.:iek " iiMrtliw.ird horn .\i)e;t-.lei'. |i i- 
 probably at, the s.-.me elevation .!> il„. 1,im i, rr.ic .lr>, i ii.ed at 
 
 Duudas (3;J5 tn ;;i;(l \\.v\ above ihe jdvei. h i- rnUl|iM„.d of 
 
 very line lirav.-l ;iiid smd, deriv.] mniv or 1> -- frum Imiji Hud 
 hou river and Nia-ar.-i roek-. lo-etlKi with many airjular lh:d> ..l' 
 Niatiara limestones a.ml shales. Tlir expoMiie .,1 tlii- de|.M>it i- 
 ou the south >ide ..fa >iMir or ri.ij.^ whieli ri>. - n. arjy KHi led 
 hiylier. As the ri.l-e i> e.ivere.l with >..il it i^ miN ,a tjir pit- 
 where the uravfl has been renn.ve.l U^\■ road purp.-.- that -ee 
 tious can be .<een. Al»ove th..- -ravei- flier.- i- a d.p..>it ui ciav 
 coutainiu'.: many ;iii-ular -lab- ol Ma-.ara liin.-I..n' - ..nd -hales 
 
i^': 
 
 
 100 
 
 More carotul cxaniiiiation is nocessjirv to •Iftcriuiiio wliothrr this 
 "boulder clay " is oldor or newer than the or.ivei which flankn 
 the hill, for in some places it iippcars to overlie the iiravcl. but it, 
 luay have been derived by land-slides tVoni the higher h vel of tlie 
 .>teep hills. In this regimi. north-west of Ancaster tbe hills, 
 flanked with beaehes, are separated by ravines, often 100 feet 
 deep, with beds not more than 240 foot above Lake Ontario. 
 
 Tcrnn-rsaf flu hrcl --y' 20 1-224 /iv/— On the hills adjacent t(. 
 the beaches described, nenr the outlet of (Hen Spencer, there is a 
 terr.'ice with a rolling surface (on whicli is the Koman Cntholu; 
 cemetery) of sandy material, havini: a height of 201 foot above 
 the lake. The side of the .same hill, at a hriiiht of 224 feet, .'hows 
 stratified sand and fine gravel, which is exposed for fifty or sixty 
 feet almost vertically. This is on tin- northern side of tbti town 
 about three-fourths of a mile eastward of the railway station. 
 The sand cont,>ins layers of fine gravel, much of which is evi- 
 dently of the Hudson river formation. 
 
 Terrace lit -,[ Lrnl of ISM/Jf/, — One i>)" the most perfect of 
 the •' sheep's back " occurs on the .southern side of Dundas. with- 
 in the corporation. This is situated \tehind "<lartshores dam" 
 and has a height oi ISO feet (levelled). A gravel pit bas been 
 • ipened on the upper portion and stratified gravel has been ex- 
 posed for a depth of .'{0 feet. The lower portion ol' the bill near 
 the dam is compo.sed of blue clay, but a .section of the whole hill 
 has not been laid open. Most of the gravel is fine, btjt it contains 
 a considerable number of stones eight or ten inches in diameter, 
 with a few slabs as much as one and a lialf feet in diameter. 
 The.'ie larirer stones are mostly comno.sed of Niauara dolomites 
 and are semi-angular. T did not find Hudson river fossils in the 
 pebbles, but am of th • opinion that much of tbe gravel is com- 
 posed of these rocks. 
 
 The Grraf Tri'u-i af \]{i /)tf ahoie Lake Ontario is the 
 most widely spread of all the ancient beac.ies. At the Duncas 
 valley it occurs on the northern side of the town and includes tht^ 
 higher portions of the terrace on which the cemetery is situated. 
 Here the surface is composed <if brown clay, underlaid by a sort 
 of quick.sand, which is probably Saugeen clay. 
 
 The terraces and beaches at about this height are .seen on the 
 northern side of Burlington bay and farther eastward south of 
 the lake. Tbe Burlington heights (108 feet) belong to this sys- 
 tem. Eastward from these heights it runs diagonally with a 
 
101 
 
 . 
 
 slight curve through the city of FLiniiUon until it abuts ntiiiiiist 
 the foot of the uiountain, near the head of John street. Again, 
 in the vicinity of tlie city reservoir (at the same height) it com- 
 mences .its course again and extenJs eastward. Ocoasionilly 
 where the older deposits are higher, or the escarpment sends out 
 jutting ridges this terrace suddenly stons, but beyond, where 
 the same contour line is met, the beaf^h is found. A terrace 
 northward of Toronto also occurs at a height of 108-11 1 feet 
 above the laice. and near Burlington at 118 feet. This terrace 
 ibrmed an old beach, as is sliown by the sorted and stratified 
 sands and gravels everywhere in the localities mentioned except 
 on the northern side of Dundas, or on the south-wi^tern side ol 
 the Burlington heights. The pebbles of this beacli contain a few 
 JjaUi Mitian rocks, but with this exception the whole of the mass 
 is made up of ruins of the rock oi" the Hudson river epoch. 
 These pebble^' ;'re well rounded and usually not more than six 
 i'lches in diameter, tilthough in .-ome places there are large 
 rounded .«labs from one to two foit long. I have closely exam- 
 ined these deposits and have never seen any pebbles that appeared 
 to be of the Niagara formation. Though all the stones are not 
 fossiliferous (some arenaceous and some calcareous), yet a very 
 large tiumber show the characteristic Fludson river ibssils. In 
 this terrace, at Burlington heights, remaiiis of the mammoth 
 wapiti and beaver have been ibund. 
 
 IWrai'" (It /Itr Lccd of ~i\ /fit. — Our next terrace is most 
 apparent in the Dundas valley, although occurring on the nortii- 
 ern side of the lake, and li;ss conspicuously or more gently sloping 
 in Hamilton and eastward. This terrace occupies most of the 
 country beneatli the escarpment i'rom Beasle}'s hollow, at Ham- 
 ilton, westward, to near Dundas. Its northern side slopes 
 abruptly to the southern niiirgin of the Dundas mar.>;li. There is 
 also a terrace on the northern side of the town ol' Dundas, at the 
 same heiglit (in the region of A'ictoria street and the driving 
 park). The central portion of the city of Hamilton is on the 
 same terrace which, however, more gradually slopes to the lake 
 level than at Dundas. The height of this terrjice is 7<» feet. It 
 is composed below (where exposed > of blue (Erie) stratilied clay. 
 Above, it is composed of a yellowish brown clay (the Snugeen 
 equivalent) which is inconspicuously stratified, but in the cut- 
 tinirs of the Hamilton and Duudas railway, \\e ' ave seen that 
 the sand washes out and shows the stratilication. Along the 
 Vol. X. r >*'"• •*■ 
 
■•' ':•' 
 
 102 
 
 *? 
 
 
 ■m 
 
 h.uiu' niilway nittiiii;;', ikmc its ut'itlKTii iiiMiLiiii. fJien; is a bed of 
 Mtvy tiiio gravel wlioso ficbblos n-.st'iiibie fln)8e of Hudson river 
 form;! t ion. but no fossil roiiiains prove positivt^ly that origin. A? 
 the c'xposurt! of he limits of this jiavel is not made, I cannot 
 t<i\y eerfiinly whcthor it is flie same ;,i:v or not, but am inclined 
 <<» ret^.ird it .is ;i iiiarij;inal dejxisit on the side of the hill facing 
 the l)uii<l.i.> marsh at a hrinht .,f';ibout 45 feet. 
 
 /'riK-Ji ,if tlr I., nl /;/■ 1 7) /i,t. — {)[' our next beach only a small 
 portion niiiiiins, It has ;i heidit of about ]') feet above the 
 Dunil.is marsh om the s!<le ol Hcaslty's holjovv. just below the 
 <'athoIi(' <-cmrtrry. at Hamilton. It is composed of shell marl 
 juailc Mj) of masses nl' limki'r. >h('lls. wiiost,' components will be 
 rubse(juently noticed, under mode, n dcpi»sits. 
 
 /'I'.scitf Ijiih, /j'«v/<A.- Our lowest :ind last licach is that of the 
 j>rc.-cnt hike hjvcl. and extends a lew Wwt above its present shores. 
 The componi-nt- of this bc.ich iVnin Toronto to Hamilton and 
 « 'istward t(» (irimsby. Heamsvillc and Niaiiara river are of Hud- 
 son I'iver pel)bl(>s with a few Jjnurentian stones. In the region 
 of Ihimilton the jt'bblesat the lake level in [)art have been 
 •derived from the older beach of the snnic imiterial at tlie level of 
 lit) feet. But the Burliii-toM beach, M.'paritiuL;' the waters of 
 (he bay of ili,> s:imc name from Lake Ontario, cnild not have 
 been dcrivec] from these deposits by any a-i'iicy workinii' at pre- 
 >enf, 'I'he Ijurlington beach i< less tlian iialf a mile wide with 
 a mean lit;iuht ol S feet and deposited \\\ watci- about 80 feet 
 •<1eep. The prc.-ent Burlington beach and the bed of tlie bay are 
 exactly a counferiiarl of what wa< happiaiiiiii when th^. lowm- 
 portion of the Dunda- valley wa< submerged :ind formed a bay. 
 <'Ut oft" from the lake by wli.ii 'low lorm«i tli>' narrow ridge ot' 
 Burlington Heights. 
 
 (Jtlii r Uriiilirs ill (Jiifii li'i.- - \\\ ]s:;7. Mr, Thomas llov mea- 
 sured the beaches betweiMi Toronto .md Lake Simcoe. Iiavin" the 
 following elevations above Lake < )ntario :~- ] ](>. lMO, 2S2, 310. 
 :;4(;, W2, llil', oDl*. .•),'>y. .-)L>(; *;>•_'. T.U. TCI leet respectively.'^^ 
 .\dditional gravel Iteaehes occur along the Northern railway a^ 
 'too feet, and on desceiclinL; towanls (icorgian bay at 520, .'l^S 
 and ']54 feet above Lake Ontario. A -till tiner .-eiies of beaches 
 
 I 
 
 "I 
 
 • 'i'lic elevations were coiiicd (Voni llie (icrilo;:; of Canada, wlieir 
 fliviitions well' i;'ivi'P aliovt; sea ; the (.lcolo;:ieiil Survey plaics Lake 
 niitaiio at ■J;.;'J feet aliove }ii-li tide. 
 
lor. 
 
 iiiiiy bo scon from Torontc) vvi's.tw;inl ;iloiiu tlu' Toronto, (inv an. I 
 IJruco r.iilway. The clovatioDs and locatioiis wcrt; kindly fur 
 iiishcd ni(; by Edmund Wrnizyo, E><|., the diief ontiini-cr (if the 
 railway. Those sand and travel deposits occur at the f(>llowini; 
 .'Icvations abnvo liakc Ontario : — H;o, L'8(». 37(». 71 (t, '.MM), 1;{40 
 Ibet respoirtivcly. Af'tor i>assini: the summit ol' tlu- road (I K!'i 
 I'oet above Lake Ontario) and deseendini; towards I^ake [luron 
 there are irravcl bods at lolK and 100(», and si-veral beds with 
 ilevations down to (l!t7 lott above Lake Ontaio, Aloni; 
 the western branch ol" the road there are also gravel deposits at 
 I-'!>9. li:;0. lO.')*). 87(1, 8:)<> and 8:i(» feet above I^ake Ontario. 
 
 /iiiit/us .{(fjurriif In Liiki.t Siijitrlor ntul J/nrou. — The '"(Je- 
 oln^y of (Vinada " contains the i'ollowin<; list of boadies adjacent 
 to Lake Superior, n.ar IVtits Escrits, at 3'.t8. K)8, 4r»s. .'jirj, r»L*7, 
 til'.') and OJKi feet almve I^ake Ontario. At Owen Sound there 
 are beaches at 120. laO and 20(1 feet abovi' Fiake Muron, oi 
 Itjr), 4!>() and ')U> feet .diove liake Ontario. 
 
 Hnir/ies Souf/i of l^nkt Oiiturin. — ^Alon;:' the (ireat Western 
 railway, adjacent to the valley of St. David's, (filling a portion of 
 the rafiini of the interLilaei.il Niaizara river) there is a beach at 
 :;8(5 (to about 25l>) feet above L ike Ontario. 
 
 I have not been able lo obr.iiii the list of any serie.-> of terraces 
 and Ancient beaelas in New Voik State. l*rof. Flail places the 
 highest 'lake rid.:e " at ll'O fei't. F have observed the old beach 
 adjacent to the Seneca lake and at the north einl of Skaneatles 
 lake, wiiieh nach to ,in elev.ition >()0 feet above tlie sea, and liave 
 placed the top of this ea<i bead. ;ibout (()1;5 i- 12) 02') feet above 
 (jake Ontario. 
 
 (iriivel IHihje.'i Soiifli-\\'(s( <>/' Luki: L'rlij, have beer) observed 
 by Messrs. G. Fv Gilbert an-i Winchell at 4!)0. ;{8(;, 408, 'jriO, 
 220, 19'), llii'), and 00- (I.') feet above Fiake F'lrie. 
 
 Arteiiiisi<i (!rin-('l ninl On I: Rlihy. — All the higlur beds of 
 >lr;itified satid and uravol alonu tin.' Toronto, Grey and Bruce 
 railway are within the aiea of j)r. Fiell's ArfcmcMa grniil, wlucli 
 forms a slii;htlv curved belt 1 00 nilles loiiu and about 2i> miles 
 broad, facinj; the Ontario vuUey. The belt extends from near 
 (Jwcn Sound, on Georgian bay, to near tlie city of IJrantford. 
 
 Dr. Bell describes the Arteinesia Li,ravel as follows: — " Tiiis 
 i:reat belt of gravel has a general parallelism with the Niagara 
 e^arpment. and follows the highest ground of the peninsula. The 
 materials couiposing it consi.'^t principally of the ruiu.s of the 
 
I ■: ■; 
 
 
 tj '¥ 
 
 104 
 
 Guelph tbrniation. on rhich the iireatcr part of it lies except 
 towards the southern extremity, where the Niagara formation is 
 hu-iiely represented. Pebbles of Laurentian and Huronian rocks 
 are everywhere mixed with the others and sometimes form a con- 
 siderable projiortion, while rounded frauments from the harder 
 beds of the Hudson river formation occur locally in some abun- 
 dance." (Note — These last rocks are obtained from lower levels.) 
 '• The ,<>ravel is all well rounded and generally coarse. It often 
 constitutes what might properly be called cobble stones, being 
 loose and free from any adnnxture of clay, and it is distinctly 
 stratified. Well-worn boulders ot Guelph, Laurentian and Hu- 
 ronian rocks are disseminated througli the whole mass. At 
 Brautford and Mount Forest (?) it overlies blue Erie clay." 
 
 1 
 
 TAKLE OF ELEVATIONS OF TERRACES, 15EACHES AND RIDGES. 
 
 The following elevations of terraces and beaches are here tab- 
 ulated with reference to elevation above mean tide. This, how- 
 ever, can only be approximately done as none of the series is 
 complete. Some of the elevations refer to the highest exposures 
 and others to pits cut into the gravels: — 
 
 Kijfrciu-ca qt lahl( vn n/'/ioi'tli jhi^ 
 
 !/'■ 
 
 n Oil liigii lauds of Micliiaaii. 
 
 // Snniniit of land. 
 
 (■ Bcacli also of tliis idcvatiou 
 
 on Mackinac i.sland. 
 <l Adjacent to Si. David's vallcv. 
 
 ' Along W. (I. and Bnico lailway. 
 ./' Along "Whitby liiaiich of Mid- 
 land railway. 
 
 1/ Along ]\Iidlaiid railway. 
 // Along T. (i. Si I!, railway. 
 
 h 
 
lo: 
 
 TABLE OF ELEVATIONIS. 
 
 
 n 
 
 ^.i. 
 
 >* 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Gj 
 
 
 5^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 ": 
 
 1 
 
 
 M £ 
 
 CO O 
 
 _ O 
 
 s . 
 
 c c 
 ^^ 
 
 II 
 
 
 s 
 
 1 
 fc.1 
 
 B 
 O 
 
 55 
 
 " 1 
 
 v< U O 
 
 IF 
 
 d 
 
 .4-1 
 
 £ 
 
 c 
 
 -5 .£ 
 
 "^ 3 
 
 -3 — 
 
 c o 
 
 1 1 
 
 « , — 
 is O^ 
 
 u a. 
 
 s -• 
 
 <-5 
 
 
 
 
 1,709 (/>) 
 
 
 1,700 « 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,5«7 (in) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,557 (in) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,540 (w) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,377 (w) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,307 (m) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,297 (w) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,247 (m) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.237 (ni) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.140 
 
 1,117 (w) 
 1.097 (w) 
 1.1177 (w) 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 1,003 tt. 
 
 
 1,011 
 
 l.OUl 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 { 
 
 959 
 981 to 
 
 
 981 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 923 
 
 
 
 
 
 9."i7 (in) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 929 
 
 873 
 K05 
 
 s-17 
 707 
 
 944 (in) 
 
 .S18, 
 
 79.3 
 
 940 
 882 
 87-1 
 
 83.9 (■ 
 
 872 
 
 79.3 
 708 
 
 738 
 
 900 
 
 7-18 
 
 747 
 
 749 
 
 1 •' 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 687 
 
 669 
 <;49 
 
 
 
 74 5 
 713 
 
 7o5 
 
 
 
 
 G33 
 
 d 
 
 035 
 
 
 
 055 
 
 r 
 
 0C3 to 
 
 001 1 
 
 582 
 
 593 
 557 
 529 
 
 00] 
 
 017 
 
 
 15 
 
 017 I 
 58 3C.') 
 
 i;3R 
 
 
 508 
 
 ) 
 
 
 527 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to 
 
 [ 
 
 498 
 
 ./ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •171 
 
 J 
 
 457 
 
 
 
 
 
 <.->»- 4 
 
 
 505 
 479 
 4-18 
 
 427 
 
 407 
 
 
 401 
 
 
 
 43 ( to 
 
 432 
 
 405 
 
 
 3,7.'^ 
 
 3(5:-! 
 
 
 342 
 
 U 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 :i27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 325 
 
 255 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 247 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
km; 
 
 ■•k- 
 
 .<'. 
 
 > . 
 
 At u niucli l<»wir K-vtl tli:iu thf liigluT itr nuilial jiiirtion oftLi' 
 Ai'tcuK'siji ur.ivcl n(.l<i(.' wliidi runs iii'arly north anJ houth ; there 
 i^ anotlii'i' rhV^r known us tlu' • O.//.- I*l<hji\" which loaves thu 
 Silurian oscarpincnt near I'aluiavc (on the \\. ii N. \V. railway) 
 •it a licight of Tlili I'ci't above I<ako Ontario. Ft extends eastward 
 to near tlic '-rireiit licnd " "I the Trent river, the .siuuinit of the 
 lanjre beinn about twelve or loiirtien miles nortli of the lake, 
 lifter passinu eastward of Torontt*. The Northern railway crosses 
 it at 7.')4 feet, the Toronto .ind Nipissiim at S!».'') fuet, Whitby 
 braneli at TSl I'cct and the Midland railway at {\(\\i feet above 
 Lake Ontario. It is I'roin "JOO to ."JtMJ K-et above the broad 
 trouuli from (ieori:ian btiy to the Uay of Quinte, occupied by 
 Simcoe. Balsam, Uice and other lakes drained by Trent river. 
 The ba.sin of this trouuh is underlaid by l'ali«'(»zoic and older 
 rocks. Several small lakes occur on this ridj;,e without apparent 
 I utlets. A spur of this ridi;e runs to Lake Ontario near Scar- 
 boro, and forms the " heiuht>." rising vJOO feet ;ibovc the hike. 
 It consi.-its principally oi" stratified fo>siliferous clay and sand with 
 two intercalated beds oJ' boulder-l)earin;4 clay. I*ortions of the 
 ■Oak Ridiic" eastward ol' the meridian of Toronto, consist of 
 flay ridges — probably the exposed e(|uivalents oi the clay beds of 
 •Scarboro Hei<;hts," The hiehest portion of Oak ridge is only 
 i'.OO feet above the rocky floor of the trouiih, which forms the 
 immediate northern m;ir<:in. We are safe in concluding that 
 rhe stratified character of the lower portion of the ridge con- 
 tinues downward to the rocky floor on which it lies, or with no 
 important unstratified deposit bene.ilh to constitute it a moraine. 
 
 In studying these ridges, especially the Artemesia ridge, wo 
 eannot fail to be struck with the similarity of tho.«e so-called 
 Kettle Moraines of Wi.sct»nsin. Coteau des Fairies and Coteau de 
 Missouri. There is a general parallelism between all these ranges. 
 Even a portion of tlu' Artemesia gravel is nearly as elevated as 
 Coteau dcs I*rairies. 
 
 Other high terraces and beaches occur along the St. Lawrence 
 at 000 feet above the sea (Dawson); and ii» Tiabrador, at 1.000 
 feet, besides erratics at much higher elevation (Hind). 
 
 Tn Ireland and Wales marine beaches are found at from 1200 
 tn 1400 feet above the sea. 
 
 Origin of thv Tirrmua. — As before pointed out, we have no 
 evidence of any general morainic ch.iracter of the "Oak ridge." 
 ( Ml studying the levels of the <;ountry covered with Artemesia 
 
 - 
 
107 
 
 gravol, w.; M'c simply ;i lii-li riil^v i)\' laiiil wiih li,:„!, iniiilviii-- 
 Jill the viiiy ditwii fmiii tlic suimnit (over 17<»0 livt iibove tlu' so.i 
 to an altitude of iihoiit ItJO 1'ect, -urntumleil by oik! *uceessi(»u of 
 (»1<1 water-tiiar^iiis. iiidicatitii: the -rjidual m-DWth by elevatiou of 
 a rocky or •_'etiorally rocky island, \\>v the "Artt mesia ^riivrl" 
 reposes ,as fir as 1 !iave been able to leaiii) on hard rocks or 
 titratificd clays, except iu th»? nld Imried chanin'ls of trilmtarifs of 
 the ancient <iraiid river ' prii)cipa;,y). Surrnuiidiiii: the old 
 island we tiiid in several ]ilar<'s rude tei raiM'> of about tlie same 
 altitude, at many miles apa''t. V. t the waters did not lin-^er a> 
 lontj to form Jiiarked terraces as at lowe,- levels. This '.iiMieral 
 deposit in no way partakes of the cbaraeter of a Senteb kame. 
 even thouiirb we e(»nsidered the -Oak ridiit; ' of that ejiaracter. 
 as the latter uiueb more nearly resenililes one in outline, rel.tfive 
 dir ion and cnmposition than the .\rtemesia highlands. The 
 whole series of beaches and terraces about hake Ontario marks 
 the slow (.'levation of the continent, causin;;- lainis at various ele- 
 vations to be covered somewhat uniformly with tin.' -ravel and 
 sand, and ai:ain somewhat intermittently, i^odueim; well marked 
 terraces. Nor did this subsnlence o|' the waters cease when the 
 present lake level was o})tained. is we hiu- a eiunparatively 
 modern ledgi', carved out of the >ol'i .Medina rock.- near the outlet 
 of the Welland canal, belov. the suilace ot the lake and e.xtend- 
 ing downwards lor a known dejith of more than forty feet. Thi- 
 fact would indicate local o>cillition ol rli«- iiiarnin of tie' jH'seiit 
 lake basin. 
 
 I fail to comprelieiMl how any glacial lake coitld have existed 
 when it was producing iirraccs over all the great lake leuiun at 
 au elevation of what is now 17"() fet above the sea. I'l.ir the .-ur- 
 face of the waters was not covered with an\ i:reat amount of ice 
 — perhaps not much more than the ice I'rinin'- of tin- pieM'iit >\:ty 
 Many portions of the southern liiLrhlands do not. ri>" to aii^ such 
 altitude to be easily barricaded with the :-ni:.ll amount ot tli»atiij^ 
 ice indicated by the traii.-[)orted m aerial. 
 
 There seems a ditJiculty in e.\|)hiiniiig the a!j-eiic'; of marine life 
 iu this area when it is found in the bed of the St. J.iwreuce \al 
 ley, unles.s the whole period wa- on(> of comjiaratively >liort du- 
 ration, aud marine life did not ^et farlher we-iw.iid ihni the 
 present outlet ol' Lake Ontario. 
 
 yVtf:' Dfaiii<i(j>: inf tin I III" ml Ski .-'V\\\> inland body oj' water, 
 as the continent wa.- jradu-illv risin-- from )•'. netlh tin' -ea lev.-l. 
 
 iWMBMBMCm 
 
108 
 
 .i'«, 
 
 t'- 
 
 
 oviilcntly had a large tiumbcr ol' outlets at ditleivut times by 
 which it connected witii the outside ocean. These old outlets 
 are indicated by a number of river-like valleys crossing the high- 
 lands of Ohio and New York (not to refer to those extending 
 from the valley of Lake Michigan and the presejit St. Lawrence 
 valley). The following are the most conspicuous ancient water- 
 ways: Through tiie highlands of New York; 1, by the Mohawk 
 river, at 4.'?4 feet above tide, '2, then by the valley of TuUy lakes, 
 at about 12(t() feet; o, by the valley of Skaneateles lake, at about 
 1200 feet; I. by the valley of Owasc(» lake, at 1282 feet; 5, by 
 the extension of the valley of Cayuga lake, at 10].') feet; G, by 
 the valley of the exteiisiou of Seneca lake, at Sli.") feet above 
 mean tide ; and several others at greater elevations. All these 
 valleys are from 100 to IJOO feet or more beneath the adjacent 
 highlands. In Ohio, Dr. Newberry enumerates the following 
 ancient channels: — 1, by the valleys of the (iraiid and Mahoning 
 rivers, at !>.'>() i'eet above tide; 2, by the valleys of the Cuyahoga 
 and T iscarawas rivers, at 9(18 feet ; '.>, by the valleys of Black 
 and Styx (a tributary of the Tuscarawas) rivers, at 00i> feet ; 4, 
 by the valleys of Sandusky and Scioto rivers, at 010 feet; and 
 .'). by the valleys if the Maumee and and Miami rivers, at 'J40 
 feet. The summits of all these valleys are more or less tilled with 
 stratified driit, and in some cases, as that of Seneca valley, the 
 summit forms a long, nearly fiat alluvial plane, I'ree from boul- 
 ders. All these valleys of New York, on the northward side of 
 the divide are deeply underlaid by sediments, whilst to the 
 soutiiward, exposures of rocks along their beds are much more 
 I'ommon. The remarkable connection between these old outlets 
 and the beaches is very striking. Thus, there are at about the 
 level of the lowest of these outlets, 434 feet, beaches on both the 
 southern, western and northern boundaries of Lake Ontario at 
 corresponding heights. Also, at the level of the next lowest 
 enumerated outlet (by Seneca valley) at 8(55 feet, beaches were 
 produced (only a few feet higher corresponding to the outlet 
 through which water a i'ew feet deep was passing), in New York 
 (north end of Skeneatles lake), in Ontario (north of Toronto), 
 and even in the region of Lake Superior. 
 
 Erratics and Origin of the (Iracd of (In: Beaches. — Almost 
 everywhere in the •• region about the western end of Lake Onta- 
 rio,' well water-worn boulders of Laurentian and Huronian 
 rocks are occasionally to be met with, and in some places they 
 
10!» 
 
 ■1 
 
 arc abundant. Tlioy tn-v a1iiin<l,int in such remnants of th,. 
 houldor clay as exist, an.l in portions of the lower beds of strati 
 lied clay. At tlio western end of Lake Ontario they are not 
 found in the Sauueen clay. However, in the hiter tornices thev 
 :ire found, tliou-h usually of small size. On the surface of tli-' 
 ••ountry above the Nia<j;nra escarpment they are met with much 
 more fre(|nently tli.in below the escarpment (where they are very 
 rare unless derived from one of the beaches). On the upper 
 levels of the Dundas valley none are to be seen. Tlie " Arte- 
 mesia gravel" contains n uiy. It also in places contains larur 
 <|uantities of the water-worn remains of Hudson river rocks, all 
 derived from lower levels. Along llo.sscau creek, in Barton 
 township, there is a group of .semi-rounded boulders two feet 
 long, composed of Medina sandstones, whose outcrop is only two 
 miles away, but at au elevation of two hundred feet lower, be 
 noath the Niagara escarpment. The northern erratics are much 
 more abundant and larger on the highlands of New York and 
 Pennsylvania than at lower levels at the western end of Lake 
 Ontario, and occur on top of the terrace deposits. Besides 
 these dej osits and the Devonian pebbles of New York, carried 
 to higher levels, the materi,-.ls (»f the beaches arc derived more or 
 less from the adjacent rocks. There seems, as far as Ontirio is 
 concerned, but one explanation for the lifting of these water-worn 
 pebbles and boulders to higher levels, and that is their trans 
 portation and elevation by the slow agency of coast ice forming 
 in many succeeding years during the time of continental sub- 
 sidence, as we .see to-day the large boulders in many of the 
 north-western shallow lakes lifted from their beds, by the action 
 "f the thick winter ice, and drifted on some portion of the shore 
 by the prevailing winds, there to be left on the dissolution of the 
 ice, as reef several feet higher than the lake surface.s. Again, a,'* 
 the waters were receding many of the boulders along the coast 
 would again be picked up by the annual ice, and transported 
 to hills, and growing beaches which are now the highlands to the 
 .south, while tlie intermediate deeper beds received but few, 
 rarely dropjK^d by the passing ice. In regions less expo.sed to 
 currents and shore deposits but little stony material was deposit, 
 cd, as is demonstrated in the upper portion of the Dundas valley 
 and elsewhere. There does not appear to have been a large 
 amount of floating ice, as indicated by the fine material over tlur 
 beds of .some of the old outlets noticed already. 
 Vol,. X. J. 2 No. 5. 
 
.■<'■■ 
 
 i.r:^ 
 
 The ht'iichc."' ill till) ljiu;li»;r levels ;iic eoin|(nsod of iiiueli more 
 lical 'A'7///.s thnii tliUM- at llii I'lct Jiiul at. the i>res<'iit water level, 
 jiltimt the wiihtciii end of l.,akc Ontario now tn bo described. 
 
 liiii'Hinjloii Ihlijlits mnf Ihu'l hiqlnii llmrli. — The lower part 
 of the Uuiidiis valley and the site of Builiiiuton bay were exca- 
 vated out of the Kri<: elay dm in.:' the period of elevation ol' land 
 that followed that iipoeh. and the inter^laelal (ii'and river flowed 
 down this v.illiy in the same way that the Niairara river flowed 
 down the St. Davids valhiy. The>e valleys beeauje closed, how- 
 ever, duiinu,' the depo-its of the Sauueen elay and the terraces 
 (the visible >urfaue foi' a depth <d' l!0(l feet in the St. David's 
 valley shows only stratified sand, and was not closed up by jrlacial 
 action as has been .'Hl: jested). Therefore the deposits of Bur- 
 lin:^ton heights land the 1 III feet terrace) were not brought down 
 the Dundas valley. ."Nloreuver. T liave never seen a solitary 
 Niagara pebble in this terrace, tliou'^h sou!:ht lor. Aj^ain, the 
 llud>on river pebbles in the J)undas beaches at iiiiiher levels are 
 ail very small, whilst both the lit! feet terrace and the present 
 lake beach contain some strata ol' cobble stones from four to six 
 inches in diameter, with oval (water-worn) slabs from one to two 
 feet louj:. The materials of these beaches have all been derived 
 from the (Uhris of Hudson river rm-ks and contain a small (juau- 
 tity of crystalline jiebbles of moderately small size. The nearest 
 exposures of Hudson river rocks is at Oakville (20 miles distant, 
 but at a lower level. However, at Weston (ijt) miles distant) west 
 of Toronto, the same rocks occur at 171I feet (and lower) above 
 Ijake Ontario. 'JMur shape of tlie pebbles is flattened oval, they 
 were evidently derivetl froni these northern exposures and trans- 
 jtorted around the whole western end of tlio lake to form tlie 
 conspicuous terrace of ll(i I'eet and tlie present beach. This 
 transportation has been iflected by the action of tlte waves aud 
 floatiiii:' coast ice when the wattM' was at the respective levels. 
 The present beach may have been in part derived I'rom the 
 <lenudation of that 11(1 I'eet. 
 
 Bu''lin<;ton Ileinlits I'orms the extreme western end ol'the bay 
 of the same name and tlie Burlinirton beach, the end of Lake. 
 Ontario. The Heii^hts, varyinu' from les-; than ii (juaiter of a 
 .uile to a few hundred yards in width. he))arates the Dundas 
 iuursli (at the same level) i'rom Burlington bay. The width of 
 the marsli here is about lialf a mile. At \\w northern end, it 
 was ibrmerly cotmected with the bay by a ravine ])artly tilled by 
 
 
/ 
 
 . 
 
 I 
 
 u 
 If 
 
 111 
 
 '. n.llwMy ,.n.U,.k,m..,t :,(>,,• tl.r luijas .-,.,■,. ...u thr..,„.h |i., 
 ^<^^.^•ir.l.ns oanal. Th.. .\v.uUuu nf tl... ll..i,|,ts is lOS Urt almv. 
 tlu' lake. ,„,.l is ,1,.. c.<m.i,.ai...r li,.k brtwcun .!,.■ torncos ,.„ I,.,,), 
 S.JOS of tl.o DiUMlas ,u;.rsl.. ul.os. valK-y was ..xcav.tni l,.t;.,v 
 tlu'ir ,K.|M,s.t. Murii.mtn,, bead.. In.i.i ;j(»(» t,. :,(.(. vanls ui.l,. j, 
 about Hvc. inilos lon^, a,„l s.-pa.vites H,. bay fro,,, thr lake i„ ,|„. 
 sam.. way a> tl,.- Iloidits s.,KU-at.- ti... bay lVo,„ th. ,.ru-sl, tb. 
 
 '!'.'" ''''"'- ''"• ^•"■•nt.Tp.M'f of tbr n,i„.,.. whn. th.. h.k." 1 ..„ 
 
 ^irtcrn.t l-v-ls. The bay inM-h. of ,h. b..ad. is 7. 1.., .i.vp 
 N.-.th..,- of ,h..,. b,-a.h..s has b.v,. pn.,luc..I by ..,li„.,,,;: 
 •"•"U-Jit ,lovv„ by stirauis an,I thnnvi. uj. in thr Urn of <a,M 
 >ars. as ,„ ,„a„y ,no.lr,-,. h:,rhn,-s. hrcau^o „,. iniporr,-,,,, st.va,,,, 
 i>.''vc. flown] down the Dnn.Ias vallry (.Mnce the epo,!, „f hi-h 
 •!lovat,o„s at the eiose of the fo,.,natinM ..f the K,-i,. Hav) o,- ~1 
 "o^rflow. Mo,-e ,,a,-tic.,laf]y i. this staten.enf ,,n,ve„' by th. 
 •'bs,.nce of all „,ate,-ia] belo„^iMu to the Dutuias vallrv o,- .v-ion 
 <lra,ne,l by its st,-oa,ns. In the {{u.'lin^ton lleiuhts there is often 
 «nw a„.l plunue be.hlinu^ .unl ^UMy obii,,ue sfatifieation seen 
 wh.c-h ,l,p towards th.' lake. |.;.k.. Ontario never fre<.zes „,o,.„ 
 tban a \\w ,uiies from its ,nai-in. and even nio,-e than sho,v ice is 
 UMCom,„on. Winter storms of,,.,, pile th.' ice and eontained stone 
 ve,-y h.-h on the sl,o,a.s. Murlinuto,, b.ay always fre..zrs ov..r 
 Tt beconios appaivnt that !..„!, ol' th.se ri-l^es (t^h. latter ri<in- 
 only e.oht feet above the lak,) w.fe pioduced by tl,e lako 
 action from Ilndson riv.r prbbKs and .sand, tran'sported by 
 coust-K,,. and waves. Any >/rUis of Ilmlso,, ,-oeks fonnd in 
 the Dundas valley hdow 1] T, [Wt level is ve,-y small. Th. 
 L.-mi-entian pel)bl.'s are no more than the few .lep,'.>it.Ml from th.' 
 floatin- ice of the hi.J.er feriMee .■p.,eh upon th,. .-e-ioii IV.)m 
 which the detritus came. 
 
 Tiiecau.se which det.'rmiiie.l the po>iti.iii (,{' ilu'se ridi;cs i> 
 easily explained. The ext.Misi..,, of the lake into thes- n.m-ow 
 arms was frozen over durin- winte,-, ,iot necessarily any eol.ier 
 than th.at of the pi-esent time. As th.^ n..rth-..ast.Tn" wimls were 
 driviug the coast-ice a-.ainst the In.z.n b,.ni,.r. it became broken 
 up and dopo.sited it.s bu,alen of stoms an.l > md in th- same way 
 that the pre.-eiit coast-ice with its ontained ston.s e.,ntinu.-s to 
 inc-ease (though ve,-y slowly) the breadtli of Uni'lin^ton beach, 
 aided with the action of the waves. 
 
 Ifiahon I^irrr Fns!i!h in ihr last f,n, /Awr/o ...—Abundance of 
 ihssils occur in the pebbles of these beach.s, at llC fe..t .above 
 

 112 
 
 fhu luko and ut the l.tkc lovd. Tlicy ;iri! M'ltlom I'ouml iu tin; 
 jiri;nHC«:t)us |H'l»blfS, but iiio.-t ;ibuii(laiitly in lln' luoro Hattcufd 
 calcareous stonu. I liavi; obfaiinij tin; i'ollowiiij; Ibssils : — St'iiu- 
 /iiirn fifnunxi, ('ohnniitirin ti/iro/ntn, Aflu/n'n Itiiiilii, Stiopho- 
 iiuiiii ii/teniit(ii, S. iff/tiililci, li<i>tiiim mrii'm, Oiiliia trstudi- 
 iinn'it, (), mciili.iif'il is, i). /j/ii.r, Olmlifhi irnnsn, Miuliolopuls 
 iiiudioliiris, .]/t)ifin/iiftsis. (iiuuicidus uudt'tiTUiiuod sptcits), Ci/f- 
 tiidiintii /ill nil f til, OrfhniiiitK sj)., Chtuhnitn sp,, Li/rodcsnut 
 jiutifsfiliifd, Aiiifiiiiii/chiit I'lulliitu, Ai'iiiiln ilniiisHU, Murchliiouiii 
 (fi'iicilts^ ( 'i/rfi)fi/i s urn I Ins, (h'tliniii'ns /uiiuUosnnt,, Ot'i)ioci.'i'>t>i 
 rrihlsiftfiiiii, /jij)i I'difiii ('miiiili iis'iH and tails of (\ilyini iii\ 
 
 Lift lii liiiiiitiiij ht fin Till nil Difio.sifs. — l)i'. Boll t^ivos a list'^ 
 <il' Jiuniy |ilacos iu Ontario wlicrc tlii' »tratifital irravels and sands 
 contain I'loli -water >li('Ils. To bis li>t otlicr collectors have added 
 localities. However, about tlie western end ol' Laki^ Ontario they 
 arc very rare, and 1 have seen only one ov two localities whore 
 lliey are lound aliliuujih they occur near Niagara Kails. 
 
 The iirincijtal locality i> not in the lerraees, but will be 
 (li'scribed below. 
 
 However we have reniain> in liiirlini:lon Heiiihts more inter- 
 esting: than >helis. ."Nlany years a-o in niakinii the cuttiuii through 
 the beiuhts ol the Desjardins canal, at an elevation of 70 feet 
 above the lake (about ."l^^ feet below the suniniit), remains oi" the 
 mammoth J'Jiii/cjilins .hn-l.-smii : horns ol a wappti, (J'rms Cnu- 
 iiihnsis, and the jaw of a, beaver. ( 'nstor fihir, were found. In 
 If^Ttl, while makini; another excavation iu the Heiirhts the work- 
 men found a tui*k and one vertebra of a mammoth. At a depth 
 of o(l or -10 feet from the top of the terrace there could have 
 been no beach on which these animals miiiht have wandered. 
 Were the animals then union miatt; enoniih to be carried tiiithcr 
 on till! ice, were they dmwned in atlemptinu to cross from one 
 side of the ancient valley to the other, or were their b<Mies car- 
 ried thither by the Hicitini; ice? 
 
 In several of the swamps north of Jiake Eric; teeth and bones 
 of mastodons have been I'nuinl, but lh(!.-e beloiiu: to more modern 
 de))osits. 
 
 XT.- .MoDKIi.N DEI (tSlTs. 
 
 .Most of the deposits ol the pn'x'iit tinie consist oi the soils 
 carried down by the streani> into the huiidas mar<h and Jjake 
 Ontario. 
 
 ? 
 
 • Cml. c.r ( 'all.- 
 
 ise,:;. 
 

 . 
 
 H. 
 
 113 
 
 Odc drpo!.it r.ow .o.,,!,!.!,,! ,l.„..s „„» U.Kmi^ to tlii.v fla.^>. 
 .Iu^twf.t..| III..- Catlu.lk- c.:i.iot.:iy at llauiiHoii ami LordcriuL' 
 «Ti a branch ni' the Dumlas ,„ar.sh we MimI a hr-d ..r shdl marl. 
 This is al,u.,>t oiuiroly uia.U' up .,(' Uukvu >\u'\U. ami .•o„tai„s 
 h1«o the Inllowiii- inodcin sptrics in a statr „r ,,p..t'iTatiou :- 
 r,Hula '>/f,ntaf„, Tn,„h,ims Iriihatal,,, .]/,s,„lou „//.„h,/,ri. 
 ,Sncnn,„, ,,A//y,/„. as r(.-t;(.irtiiz.'(l by Mr. Whiteavos. This ik-posit 
 has a thickiirs> ol' about i:» r,ri .xfoidiMo t,, th:it hni-hf abow 
 (ho marsh. 
 
 Sonic int.M(;>tin- facts with n-aid to th.' modern dcpo.^its iu 
 our hike and tlic Dundiis marsh have nrci.tK ,...mc t.. li-ht.. 
 'I'he area of the Duihbis marsh is rather njure tiian two mile>. It 
 is generally shallow and lillr.l with ree.ls. In the ea>t,.rn portion 
 there are .-iome deej)er place> where the reeds .lo not oj-ow, it i> 
 bein- rapidly liljed by iji,. .Mvumulations ef the sediments Vrom 
 Mie streams emptyin- int.. it. The deposits are now principally 
 made during the increaM,d How ol' water of the sprimr fre.sh- 
 ets. A constant source ol* trouble lias for manv yenrs been 
 experienced by the silting up nl the JX-sjardin "canal, which 
 pusses throui-li the marsh. As late a> iStitt or ISC;'. the western 
 end of the marsh was rre(,m nt.d im .katioi: purj.o.«cs; ihf same 
 portion is now turned into I'ertile meadows. For nearly a score 
 of years the proj.rietors have be.i, trying to recover tlie land by 
 luakiug dykes. One dyke after , iiother has b»'..n encroaehing on 
 (he marsh until a considerable .ma i> now drained. In makin- 
 one of these dykes a trench wa,- Mink to a depth of se-veral feet 
 and at six and one-half feet Inuii the .Hirfaee Mr. James ("lie-- 
 wiu came on a bcl of saw-du-t >i.\ inches in thlekii.-.v Tiiis 
 was iu tlie y<ar ISTC. ()n makiii- iM(|uiry. I le.nn.'d that the 
 first saw-mill in tlio region began operation.- alioiit tliey.ar HI I. 
 Thus we see that from the time that the >aw-dum was luouglit 
 down from >ir. lJreen"s mill, in the J.indsay civek. a deposit"'of 
 mud six '11(1 one half I'eet thick .iccumulatt'd in a period ..f about 
 sixty-tivv years, or that the nite ,1' deposit i- ■i]H>n/^r4mik-i*{-.Hu 
 iuJi.,per anuum. It is probable that at ile piv.ent rime tin 
 accumulation is aiore rapid as the area nf il,e d. po.^ii has been 
 considenibly lesseuetl. The parts of the mai-h oui«id.' ,,nd a.lji- 
 ceut to the dykes are now entirely ab(.ve w.iter in tie later p.n-ti.m 
 of the .summer. This silting iq. is continuin- iiniii the .sj.rin-: 
 fresliets c;ui no lon-er .ncrflow the low land, wh-n ;ill the scdi" 
 ments are earric.l into ibvper water. SeaM.ns .,f hi;^], ^^a!.el in 
 
 / 
 
 
 A. 
 
(1 <1 
 
 
 'l;;^'- 
 
 ry. 
 
 .':.» 
 
 l^ 
 
 ■■I i.i... 
 
 114 
 
 the lako, (if eoiirso, favor tlio tliic^kc iiing of the .--oil near the sur- 
 face, when perhaps tlie siiccoeding scasoi) will he accompanied by 
 low water, with the consequent distrihufion of tlie sediments in 
 only the deeper portions of tlie urea. 
 
 fjiil't F/iirf,i(iti'(>)is. — In order to iiscertain what proportion ot 
 the elevation of tlie b()t«-oni of tlie swamp was due to tiie sedi- 
 ments. I succeeded in j:'ettin<: some of the records of tlie fluctu- 
 ations of the lake levels. In a Smithsonian contribution Col. 
 Whittleseu has publisluMl a more or le>s complete register of the 
 tluctuiitiou of Lake Ontario at tlu' port of Osweuo between the 
 years 1815 and 1857. The earliest of these records be'.:ins in 
 ISloaiid is v-'ontinued i'or the next twelve years, durini:' which 
 time the annual fluctuation was very considerable, the extremes 
 beinu' as much as 1.') I'eet. From IS-MI to lsr)l> the maximum 
 diffen iiee ol" levels w:..' only t.vo feet; wliile that from 1859 to 
 187.'> (obtained from otle.'r I'et'rds) was 2.8 feet. 
 
 The question arose whether tlu liiMb- were risinu' (or water 
 sinkim:) or not. At ()swe;^(i the mean hei;^ht of the water 
 between 1840 and 185."j was about nine-tenths of ,i foot hii:;h(;r 
 than between 1815 and 1827. As the records obtain. h1 from 185!' 
 to 187;} arc not IVimu same datum I eannot compare them with 
 previous years. Hut if we take the heiiihts from 18511 to 180(1 
 inclusive, and thfise IVouj 18(17 to 187.'! inclusive we find that 
 durinii' the later period, at OsweL:o, the waters were about nine- 
 tetiths of a foot lower. The table of fluctuations (obtained from 
 (\aptain FaTrgrieve, of Hamilton; i'or Toronto Harbor shows that 
 the mean height of the water hi tween 1874 and lSo5 was one 
 foot lower than that between ISi'il and 1^51 inclusive, fn com- 
 putiuLi' these hei^li^s the records for two years in each period arc 
 incom]>lete, tiieretbre they have not been included in the calcul- 
 ations. The following are the mean heiulits of the laki' at Toronto 
 above ;i given datum mark for the years :^ — 
 
 feet. 
 
 1S.'4 
 
 \ ',5 
 
 IS"),*! 
 
 i.:!o 
 
 isi'r, 
 
 1. h; 
 
 1S,-,T 
 
 |,S5S 
 
 •'.•'.". 
 
 iS"i(» - " :'..". 
 
 1S(!0 
 
 1. 1" 
 
 iSlil 
 
 ISC" 
 
 J.l 7 
 
 isor. 
 
 1 .(;'j 
 
 18fit 
 
 'J . 7 ( 1 
 
 iscr, 
 
 1 .00 feet 
 
 1 Slit! 
 
 
 I8i;7 
 
 1.10 " 
 
 isi;s 
 
 D.OO " 
 
 isi;',t 
 
 
 is 70 
 
 21)0 " 
 
 1S71 
 
 IS 72 
 
 ().h:i " 
 
 — 0.40 " 
 
 'm7:; 
 
 , 0.40 " 
 
 1 s 7 1 
 
 1.00 " 
 
 ? 
 
 ^.- 
 
 .*i; 
 
 ■»»'; 
 
t WiiW I JIIWHWWH I iWI I IWIiH i m 
 
 ■' 
 
 >.«/%■* 
 
 11.") 
 
 The mvntcst fluctuation in the 21 years was 3.1 feet, at 
 Toroutd foiiiittiii-- the lour year, '57. 'til, 'UC, '{?.)). From 
 these fluetuatioiis of the hike it can be seen that the position of 
 the iM-eatesr, deposition in the niarsli will be somewhat ehan<iO(i 
 in different years, as much of it is very near the water level. 
 During; a continuance of years of h)\v water th(> sediments would 
 bo carried farther by the streams and cnn<;e(jueutly the hii^her 
 grounds; would not receive additions. 
 
 FiUliuj up fJiv MV.s/r/v/ Kiid of IhirJlngfoii Buj. — Grindstone 
 creek empties into the we.-tern end of Burlington bay, and the 
 currents principally pass close to the eastern side of Burlington 
 Heights. As this stream brin-^ d>'Wn i large ((uintity of mud 
 and, although emptying first into a swamp of its own), a consid- 
 erable amount of sediment is carried into the bay and is deposited 
 in the ((uieter waters near Carrol's ])oint. at which place there is 
 a long bar (submerged at hi-li water) where these currents meet 
 the waves of the ojumi bay. This portion of the bay is fast 
 becoming a swamp. 
 
 XII. — I \Kr, MK.ii.vn. 
 
 About two miles northwinl ol' Wat. 'rdown, there is a small 
 pond — Lake Medad— half a mili' Iihil:. In tlie western part of 
 Dundas valley there is a numb r n!' small ponds amotit^st the 
 hills of drift material, but thcsi! ar.' only Muall expansions of the 
 various streams at heights from ."ilO f.'et to 210 fVet above the 
 level of Lake Outai-io. On one sii'e of ]>akf Medad there is a 
 ru:>ged shore of deejily weathered dnjiMnites. extending more than 
 20 feet above its waters. Tlie shoia; bdKN'Mh is eomj'O^cd of a beach 
 of pebbles. The op[iosite side of tlie lake i-- shallow, ami is now 
 occupied by a marsh. Thisl.ikelet is iio( a.i e.vpinsion of any mo- 
 dern rivulet. A numlier of insiuniliea'ir stivams empty into it, but 
 not one of which could |possib!y have ixeivat. d rh',^ ]irescnt basin. 
 Tills lakelet is not on the uppermost portion ot tlie Niagara es- 
 carjmieiit, lui i\ a somewhat brnadly !'UL:i:ed eoiintrv. 'i'lie basin 
 of Jjake Medad is evidently a iilled uppoiainii of a lar^fr water 
 channel that became blocked by drift m il"ri il, which it has be<'n 
 unable to clean out for Itself in modern times, 'i'iie whole lake 
 could bo drained by cutting thivu-h the diift deposits which 
 occupy one of its extn'inities. I was informed by one of the 
 inhabitants that he had discovered an underiiround outlet, so that 
 a portion >''.' the waters discliar-e by a stream directly into Lake 
 
 ^smemimmNmfft 
 
■■iWNlBta: 
 
 ( 
 
 r'l 
 
 ■ ■ . f-. 
 
 ■ ;'* 
 
 
 116 
 
 ()nta,lo, while at present, the sn.all visible outlet is by Grind 
 stone creek, through Waterdown ^ 
 
 Comparing, it with Lak. Ontario, it has its Niagara escarpment 
 on one s,de and on the other a gradually shallowinir shore towards 
 .n area ev.dent!y filled to some depth with drift material anab- 
 Tou^e T, ,^7^ -Silurian roeks north of Ontario, whilst 
 .ts outlet ,s blocked up, as the the greater lake is, in its south- 
 eastern extremity. 
 
 Thus I will close a fragmentary work, which will, T hope, assist 
 m the study of the surface geology of Ontario, and also give more 
 prommcnce tu the almost undeveloped subject of pi-'^iatile 
 ' jreology . 
 
 (Having learned the value of accurate elevations, I have col- 
 ected the levels of most of the railways in Ontario and some 
 other hsts of elevations which will follow the present paper ) 
 
 J-? 
 
 ■' ■ ,■ 
 
 ■.!■ 
 
 4 
 
 
 
■*,-.,••» ra--;;- l.-C *tri*wi,.y^!tt..'^^^«,^^^ 
 
 t**»llMB«iM>t^^»»,,«„.,.^^ _ _^ 
 
 * I