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Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la der- nldre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbole V signifie "FIN". L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grSce d la g6n6rosit6 de I'dtablissement prdteur suivant : Bibliothdque nationale du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtre reproduites en un seul cliche sont filmdes d partir de I'angle supdrieure gauche, de gauche i droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant iilustre la m6thode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 v4 I )(■■ ■i: ^^^/ BULLETIN OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 7, pp. 31-66, PL. 1 GLACIAL DEPOSITS OF SOUTHWESTERN ALBERTA IN THE VICINITY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS BY C<»-'^^ y-. ^Aw,«oN WITH TIIK COLLABOKATION OF K. G. MCCONNELL ROCHESTER PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY ","":: NOVEMBRB, 18ft6 .i>^. ^.ftii. fi."fc mi tr >i. ' .>' ^4«.x*" ti ■ n n ^^^fc^^B :lfc ^Vif,. 1 BULLETIN OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 7, pp. 31-66, PL. 1 November 3o, 1895 (;r>.vcr.\r. dki'osits (W soi'tiewkstkiix .\li5Kut.\ rx the VICINITY OF TlIK I!<)(KV MOUNTAINS BY CKdIiCK M. DAWSON, Willi THK Ci il,r..\ liolJATION OK It. C. ^r(•('0^•^■|•:Lr. {PresnUed liefurc I In. Snrlrt,/ Aihjh.^ 2,S\ IS!).')) CONTKNTS I'liiri- Iiitroilui'tidii ."tl I'liysiciil ('('iitiircs of the rcL'iuii ;!2 Suniiiiiiry of previous (ihsci'ViUioiis ;)"> Scctidiis in the valleys of lleliy anil ( )iiiiiiaii liveis ;>U Sontliei'ti jiai't of the roi'ciipiiie hills 44 I'laiii and valley west of tlie l'orru|piiie hills 48 lli<_'h\voMr. DAWSON — fir,A('rAL dkposits or soi'tiiwicsikkn aliikuta. iietor entirely tentative. In the folloAvin^' notes his imriiuse is merely to iiniplily previous ohserviitions on a partieularly interesting' iiarfol' tiiis western region hy the addition of nc^w i'aets, ^dven, as far as jtossihle* apait I'roni any theoretical considerations whatever, ^n the concluding panes, however, an attein]>t is made to indicate the more ol)vious deduc- tions which a[tpearto tlow directly from the examination of the particular district in (piestion. in a report l)y tin; writer on the southern portion of tiie district of .Mherta,-'- th(! principal facts then ascertained of the ''su{)erlicial 'jeoloiiy " are uiven, l)ut the work upon which that report was haseil was directed chielly to the "solid ifcoloiry " of the country, and details respectinii' the superlicial ,!i;eoloij;y were as far as possihle eliminated in the interests of hrevity. Sinc^o the puMicativin of that report j^reat advances iiave l)een made in our Unowleili^e of the j^dacial phenomena of tlie northern p;irt of the continent, some of which seemed to render the rejiion particularly referred to in this ]»aper one of especial importance as the meetiiii;' place of the deposits (wlu^ther inunediately or proximately deriveil) of tiie Cordilleran and Laurentide ice-sheets. Thus it hecame desiralile that an attempt should he made to further investijj;ate this rej^ion and to t(>st the [)revious ohservutions ami eonclusious. With this oi>ject in view, a, niuple of weeks in the early part of the summer of ISDI were devoted chielly to a critical examination of the sui)erlicial de|)osits of that part of southwestern Alherta adjacent to the eastern slopes of the Rocky mountains. The writer was accompanied hy Mr 11. (!. McC'onnell. wl;o had previously acted as his assistant in the same Held, and, while lie as- sumes the responsihility for the statements made in the sei[UeI, those ohservations made hy Mr >rc("otniell will he ffiven under his own name and in his own words, lie would further take this opportunity of ac- knowled;j;inif the value of Mr McConnell's eoiiperatioii. iiud of statin;:' tliat in rcL^ard to the ohservations of fact, at least, there is comi)lete unanimity between himself and that gentleman. Physical Fkaturks ok nri: Ivi'.dio.v. The region treated of may he described as extending from the int(ir- national boundary northward to How river, or in latitude from -ll>° to 51° 21)'. The eastern edge of the II. )cky mountains proi)er (F^aramide range) is detineil by the line separ.aing the Paleozoic rocks from those of the Cretaceous and Fiaramie, and, although this line is not a pcri'ectly definite one, it corresponds closelj' with the orographic features, and the eastern front of tlie mountains in often particularly abrupt and striking. The want of deiiniteness referred to arises from the fact that embayments * lti'|jui-t oil tlio (iooloj^y of til'' How iUiil Uully Uivoi's rosioii. (Jool. Siii-Vfy ol' (':iii;iila, I.SSJ-'.SI. ■■ wmm I'lIVSK'AL FKATUKKS OK TlIK ilK(iIOX. :um\ infolds of Crotaoeous rock.s occnv in thin part of tlio niouiJains, wliilc ill least ono isolateil area of I'aleozoic; rocks is found to tiic oast of tlie main mar-fin of tlie ranjj;c. lioth tho mountains and tlio adjacont foot- hills hiivu I'oen sulijootod to similar ])arallt'l foldinjf and disturl)ant;o at the samo |)ost-('r('taci;ous oroironic jteriod.* Scale %0 flO 10 M «0 100 ^ Milei. Kic;i;ric i.—Siiie hills. This [ilateau is tlu'ouuhout eoin|>oscd eliielly of sandstones of rpiter Larauiit! a;;o. Imt the l'oreU|iine hills |iro|ier extend only from Oldnian river northward to llipliwood river, a length of ainnit I')" miles. v,ith an iivoraire width of some JK miles. Further north they are re[)ros(!nt(.'d hy II series of detached, lower plateau areas. whi<'l; eontiiuu! to horder tiio foothills on the east, while to the south of the Oldman the same synelino is also occupied Ity plateau-. Imt still less prominent and lower. Of the I'oreupiut! hills proper, the hinhest part extends northward from the Old- man forahout -10 miles, and lusre a I't'W points readi .").;!(»(• to o.lOOor eV(;u 5,000 feet, while consideraMe areas of ridj^es and hrokeii plateau exceed 4,500 foet. From tho southern eiul of this hi!;h rei:ion. overlookiiijj; Oldman valley, the view is open to the hase of tiie Uocdcv mountains, ii > eom[)aral)lo elovations of any extent existinii; in this part of the foothills. In the arc from west to southwest the mountains are distinct from 20 to 25 miles, but from the last bearing-, around to south, the line of the mountains recedes rapiiUy. bein^' more than 10 miles distant where it crosses tlie forty-ninth parallel. From south to southeast the lower eontinuinu' phi- teaus already mentioned ai'e overlooked, liut from southeast around to north the outlook is acM'oss the seadike expanse of the (ireat plains, of which the rare, low, plateau-like elevations are scarcely distinguishable. .V profile drawn across any [lart of tlu; country above described would show on the West tin; rui^Lied I'ront of tlu' mountains (/.OOO feet or more), next the much lower but irrciulai- foothills, then a well marked depres- sion separating:; these from the Ponaipine hills, then the plateau of the Porcupiiu! hills, and lastly the Ioiil;; (Eastward or northeastward slope of the (innit plains; but a proHle traci'd alon^r the valley of any one of the lard in slope whili! crossiiiL;- the foothill belt. These streams leavi; the mountains at an averaiii! elevation of ai)out 4,850 feet. Alonn the eastern ediie of the l\)rcupiiie syndine the plains liave a nearly uniform liei;j,lit of aliout .">,-")00 feet, with which the ireneral level of the rivers may be considered as practically coincident, althouii'h these often occupy postu;lac'a.l valleys of from I Oil to 200 feet in depth below the adjacent plain ; thence to the northeastwanl the surface of the plain (with its rivers) gradually desceuils some 1,000 feet in a distance of about J 20 miles. I'llYSKAl, I'lCAirUKS dl' IIIK KKCilON. 35 'riif two iiKist notiililc luTiiks ill [hv. coiitimiity of the lootliill ht'ltuiid the l'orcii|iiiic Hills plati'uii urc tliosc of tlut lioAV viillcyiind tin- valley occii|)i(;(| liy the Oldinau aiid its triWiitarics. Tiic latter especially, wiiicli is not merely a wide river valley, luit occurs in eonjunction with the lireakiiii; oil' to the south of the highlands of tlu; Porcupine; hills, is an important and wide openinu' in tli(> approaches to the mountains, and may he reuarded as an irre,ij:ular southwestern emliaynu;nt of the plains, in which Laurentian erratics had already been found at an elevation of .'),'J,S() I'rci ;il)ove sealevel and upon the very marjrin of the mountains themselves. It was thei'cfore chieily in this region and in that of the liow valley, taken in conjunction with (he elevated tracts in their vicin- ity, that further information res|)ectin,aurentian drift seemed likely to l)e ohtained. 'i'he southern hiuli portion of the Porcupine hills in i)ar- tieular. it appeared, mi^lit he of peculiar importance in relation to such (juestions. for hert; it was prohal)l(! that either moraines or terraces miLdit characterize the farthest unci highest limits of the drift of eastern uri-"S4. In the region of the (Jreat plains o!' southern Alherta, to the east of th.e Porcupine hills and their representatives, an api)roxiinate estimate of the drift deposits as a whole makes these to average ahout 100 feet in thick- ness. In a few places on the line of section afforded hy the P>eliy river all the recognized memhers of thest; deposits are together present, hut in others oidy two or three of them are seen at a single locality. A com- plete section shows in descending order the following succession : 1. Stratificil siiiids, gravels or .-^ilts. '2. rpiicr houlder-clay. li. Stralilicil iiiteivlMcial (Icposits, i^oiiiMinu's incliidinj; li<.qiite. 4. I.nwcr hidililci-clay. "). (iiiart/itc shiii-k-, somctiiiics with strat^licd sands and silts. Tiie a!)solute and relative thickness of each of these depo.sits varies much, and along Jiow river, somewhat farther to tlie north, the inter- glacial heils were not noted, and no line; of se[)aration as hetween an upi)er and lower boulder-elay was in C(jnse(iuence tletermined.='= The under- *This m;iy, hou-i'v.T, ill piirt irs.ill IVoin llie Hirt that the importaiioo of such a sopanition was not ivco-liiziMl ,.t the tiiiio these seotions were examine.l, hut it is eertaii. that there is liere iw siwh stnUiiiK plane of division as on Helly rivei-. Still further north, on Kosehu.l ereek Mr J H. ■lyrrell a.,'ain IV.nn.l two l>o„hler-elays separate,! hy a thin layer of lignite. Ueol. Survey of Canada- vol. 11, new series, p. HJ E. I m '}0 ,;.t i s no (i. Nt. HAWSON' — (il.AclAI. I)KI'<»SI1'.S oK SOfl'll \VKSli:i! \ A t.liKiri' A. Iviiitr " iiuiirt/.itr sliinulc." siil)S(>(|Ui'ii(ly iiaiiicil liv Mr McCninicll tlic '■ SiisUiUclicWiin fiTiivi'ls," •■ \va-<. liDWrvtT. scfii ill a iiiiiiilMT nf idaccs aloiiir tlu( l>i)\v. the (jviilcucr licrc. us elsfwluiic. liciiii;' siicli as to slmw that this (h'|K)sit, aitiiinmii wich'sjiroad, is j^cMicraliy characteristic of tho relatively lower tracts of the plains. it is thus not often possible to (leterniiiie, whero liouhh'r-clay is met with in isolated exposures, whether the lower or upper i)ouliler-clay is representeil, hut it is prol)alile that the upper or newest houlder-clay is that Liciierally >e('ii in all the more superficial excavations. " ( >\('i'lyiii'_' tlu' liiiiililci'-rl.iy ai'c \viili'--iii'('iiil stratilieil (lc|KisitH, the ilistrihuticm of wliii'h ii-'sisls iiiati'iialfv in u'lviiii;' uiiifoiiiiily to tlii^ tracts of level i>laiii. il is, imlt'eil, (|iiite e\('e|iti')aal tu liiiil tlie siirf.ici- soil cDiisisliiiL; nt' lioul(ier-eliiy ilisinle- >;ratecl in place, and tliis cH'cnrs only on the slopes of |)l:iteans, or in hollows forniecl by demiilatioii. That the lie of the nearly iioi i/.ontal sandstone beds." Furtlicrand more extended investiLration in IS'dl shows that while tho existence of these sandstone outcrops has contributed to the form as- sumed by the l'orcu|)ine hills, true water-formed terraces also exist and are actually found to extend tu very ^ivat elevations, as more fully noticed ill the seipiel. llospectiiii;' the u'eiieral asjieet of the drift deiio.sits in the foothill re- tOr ".Soiilli Si»kiitclii'w.iii xiMvi'Is." Ann. Hep. (ii'oi. Survey of (';iimi1;i, vol. i, new sei'ic^s, p. 7il I'. ICoinpiire McL'onnoll. Op. eit., p. 74 (J. Al.liKlsr.V. i;Ksrr,Ts oi' i'i!i:vi(>i s in\i:siI(;atI(>ss. • w 'Coniicll the IT of |tIll('('S I MS til slmw ■ristic III' IIk; I'-rliiy is iiKit iililtT-clay is iiiiliT-rliiy is r ilislriliiilioii pliiiii. It is, i-flay (lisiiiti'- iIIdws li)i-iiit'(l lici'ii iiii'ii'ly iiiti'iiiil, is iii- iisi' rluii'iii'tcr- 'iirl'iu'i' 111' tin* !■ till' iiiiulilcr- iiliiivi'. Till' V riitlHT |i;ili' ■< (ii Miuiilily siiii' in the ill iliis ilis- at !i luriiKT iii'i'iir, a Hun I lie tt'fi'ai'cs.'' :i|iin(' Hills 1 tiie I'rport ')i' very ilis- if the nearly t wliik' tlio .('■ Ion II iis- r\ist !Uul liy iioticod loot li ill ru- sL'i'ius, |). 70 V. (•liiiiiL-i' ciiii liu luuilf ill the following,' sliitemeiit 'X^ww in tlm report (tf iss-J.'sh " 'reiraees in tile entiaiii'e I. -iiiiilli KiMitailie pass, at a liei-lil nf I.K'O feet, lia\e ali'i Illy lieeij ijesriilieil ,., my i'liiiinlary ( 'uiiiiiiis-^idii l;e|Miit I'lsT'n. in tlie valleys (if Mill ami I'inelier ereeks. aiin\v valley near Mnrley, ami theiieetn the font nf the imiiinlains, similar terraces arc fniiinl, w hieh are qiiile imU'peiiileiit uf the niuilern river ; ami in I he w iile \ alley nf the Kananuskis pass a series nf terraees wiis seen fmm a ilisianee which iiiiist rise In an elevatiun nfat least 4,")00 feet." It is iiiiportiuit to noti! that in nil this reunoii there ean he no douht ns to the ori.^in of the crystalline erratics attrilnited to the Latireiuian pta- leaii of the east. Neither llic ( 'retaceoiis nor liiiraniie rocks of the plains nor the I'aleo/.oic strata of the inoiintains yield any such material, while till,' eastern derivation of the i^ranitie and jj;iieissic drift is further ovidencod liy its eomiected sprt^ad across the plaiiisi to the rei;ion of its supply. Thus the western limit of such eharacteristie erraties elearl;, imlieates the e.xteiit of the (Irift from the liaureiitian plateau. In reuard to this western limit, it then was ohsi'rved that it praetieally reaches the liase of the lioeky mountains near the forty-ninth parallel, where Lanreiitiaii honlders were found at a height of 4,2ni) feet. Some •'!(> miles to the northw(!st and within a few miles of the mountains similar erraties were found at the mill on Mill ereok (.'vS'H) feet), and om^ was seen near (iar- nelt's raiu'h (h2(>() feet). It was added : " I iliil nut, huwevi'r, uhserve any l.aiiri'iitian drift un the Nurtli furk uf the ( >lil. man, and it is iiruhahle that it is ahseiit ur nearly sn in the di.-^triet sheltered hy the iij.'lier parts uf the I'nrciiplne hills. On the Hnw river no Laiiiviitian ur irnrnnii'ii erratics were seen west nf ('al,!.;ary, iiml even after their lirst apiiearanco they wei'i' very seaive for woine distanco" (to the eastward). The elevatiun uf the linw at CUu'ary is .'!,:)ll,">.() feet,* and in euiiipariiiir this with that nf the more sniithern Inealities thi- eunelnsinn was drawn that "the western limit nf ilii' Lau- riMitian drift eaiiiiut onnfunn strictly to any euntmir line nf the present sarfaee uf the eniintry." The later investigations tend somewhat to modify the aliovi; .stato- meiits in ,showin irrli^iitioii .«iir- vcy ov from iMilw;iy siirvi'V.s. Most of tlii< hoinlits are Iosh prcc- c, ilopi'iicliiin on luiromotrlo ob- servations iviliii'tiii liy <'oiiiparisoii with ('ulnnry. All miiy, liowi-vor, Im iiiTcptiMl within ii::iximiMU limits of orror ( ') of il feet, ami are siitlioiuntly oxiict for all piirposos of tho presoiit paper. I'S (i. M. ii,\\v>;<»\ -(ii,\<'i\r, Khii'DSiiN oi' siir iii\vi;si'i:i;n a (.r.i:,;'i' a. M|nii'!nlic iii.'iiiiicr lirliiml tlir l'iiii'ii|iiiic' liilh. :iiii| :i|-m liv IIk- ilisrovi r\' of sikIi rrr;it.ics on liills of ■Joiiir liciL'lir ;ilio\(' I, lie Ito.v rivrr al. ( 'm,I;j;ii'v, alt.lioiijrii llial place slill rriiiaiiis llic wcilni'ii liiiiil. in so far as t.lic valley of llie l')0\V is eollceniiil. Tlie e|e\alions JihI liiellliolieil Were llol , I n i \ve\ir, I he I li'.' Iie^l a I W llii'll iialireliliail elTalii'S were IiiIIIkI |)re\iolI.--: In I lie jilllilieal ion of I he |i'|io|-|, or j.s.s'j-'sj, I or III ISS:! sevi'ial il|i|ill>il;ilili' l,:iill'i'lil l.'ill lllclel-, li-|i|e--iM|( ia'.r llll'e VilllclleM III' ;.'r:lllil ie a 1 1' I u'liei--^ii' Inck^, were I'oiliiil uImuI L.'U mill- ll'il'l li iif I In- I'miI \ hiiil h liarailel, al an i-le\;|linn nl' .i,L'.Si) leel." 'riiese liollldei'S oeelir slrai|(|ei| l||tOII a, lllol'aillie lii|"e, line In Ineal •.Hafiers of llie ailjaeeiil, iiioiiii(aiii-j. On a |ilaleaii to llie .-Diilh ol llie l'oi'eil|iiiie hills l/aiireiilian sIoium wen- roiiinl, Ihoipjli iiol. alMiinlanl I y, al a, liei'..'hl ol' l,.'!'.lll I'eel, while -iliiilaf erialie-! were iiliser\ei| to lie seal- l,(;rei| o\-ei' I. he hiuji eoiinlry near M ill< river at a ili-laiieeol' rrmii 'HMo 10 Miil(!S iVoMi ll'e Mioiinlains ami ai an elevalimi of I,'-!' 10 leel. 'The nlner- vatjons since niaile in llie rori'ii|iine hilh enahle emi-iileraMe aihlilinns lo he liia,ile l,o oin' |ire\-ioUS Is lio wiei I je ol' llie Ilia \i III n III heijih I. a 1 1 a i mi I hy siieh eastern ilril'l near I hi' Itocky nionnlains. Digress in;; I'oi' a. mom en I, lo places I'aillier from I he easlern ha-e of I he nionnlains, il, will he ll-eri|| lo rememher Ihal on W'e-I hlllle ol'lhe Sweel, (Irass hills, IM) miles ea-t, of Ihe monnlain-.' Lanreiilian IratrmisiH were liHiml lo a, hei^hl of I,!!!)!! feel, while aeeorilinL' l.o M r Mil 'iiimell I he ilrill of this origin limls ils limiliii'j; lieivhl, !in Ihe ( 'y pi-ess hilli 'JOl) mili'S from llie inoinitains, at I, lOD I'eel.i l.oUi Ihe plaees !a-l meiilioiieil are mil, far iVoiii iJie I'orly -ninth parallel ; Iml nineh I'arlher lo Ihe north, in the I la mi hills/laliliideol" 'J.V, loiivil mle I I'.!" 'JO' ), M r .1 . I'.. Tyrrell hasroinai a, similar upper limit- I'oi' Lanrentian hoiiMer ■ at ."., |00 jeei. j 'These olt- sers'ations are eiteil here lor pnrpo-es of eumparison. In the report of I.SS2 'Si it was slated that a similar limit oeeiirred on the Itocky Spring! ridi^eol'nori hern Montana, I0 miles south of tJie lioiind- ary line and lil) miles I'rom the nioun tains, at I, I OU I'eel. I'he plateau only slij^htly exceeds this height, and, while convinced ot the accuracy of Ihe ohservat.ion at the time, its wide iliscrepancy from other re-ults ina\' per- haps he re;;ardi;d as leavinu' it opi'U to suspicion. I lia\e not had an op- portunity since of verifyin;; it. Uefon; dealing; with the facts ascertained in IS',) |, i I should he iioled that Mr McConnell had in iS',»;i carelully e.\a,mined I lie seclions of I he ;ilacial (leposits alon;f Kow ri\'er hetween the mounlaius ami ' ileichcn ( ahout SO ♦ I II I hiii iiri'l iitli'-r iM.Ht'M, iiiili"'-^ iillti-j-iVI'^tr iiii|i' V.'pC. I .'iiiiilliil li"i)i)rl, (iiMil. Siiivciy 111 C;iimi|n, vdI. II (ii. s ), p | l.'i K. i''N' \m:i:,;ta. i' (lie ilisc()\(.|v ViT III. ('.■I,l;.;irv, I' ■•'^ l-lif \:i.llcv •■l; \\ KI.S AM. l;ul 1,1,1,1- (I, A VS. ;:!> -'Il<'-i( .'ll Wlilcli ' "I' III!' IC|)nrl, ■ I In' •!• V .'If id i(.,y llii: ImiI V liiijlli -Klllli (,)' II,,. .■|l'lll|c|,ili||\'^ ■'I 111 1)1' .sc;il iViiiii ;;() I,, Id Till' mIhi'I'- il'' .'Mlllilidlis .l;,IiI. .■iM,;iiiic(| I l>;i-c .,r II,,. ol'lllc! Surcl, K'll llii' Wril'l, '• lllilcs iVillll |||''I lire iKii, i"illi, in III,. II li;i - rnllMil I'llC iC (lll- ''■'•IIITcil 1,11 Uli' Imi|||,,|- l.ld'.MI Mlilv r.'icy <>r III.. ■s iii;i.\' |i('r- li:i.„,(. .,'i.l ■-U'.| ;,.|n.,,':.|.,n..,|,.nv.'.| In-m ll„. \\n,n,|„.. l,;,Hn, is ,,r.':-,.„t in iM.lh ', '"■'- ""^^•■ii"':i.lsi;,l,.,n,.nl u ,11 s,.,'v,. ;, ^ :, ,.|„.. |„ „„„ ,. ,.,' „„. J '>l.-.'i'\':ili(,ns siil,sc.)iici.lly .i..|;i i |,.,|, , ';'""'l'"n'n'^.'nlinvll„. i-nll s „r ,■,.,.,.,„ „|,,,,.,„i„„. ,, ,..,„i,.,, ^^..„ > "'■'"' l-'',viv.'ii t.. II,.. -...■Ii.,ii~ r..iin.| ,,:, ||,„ l;,.]],. ,,,„| ,,|,|, fl'<'.^n.'l.',.'..,,ril„. ,,l:,ins in l.h.ir vi-'inil v, .,,,.1 l.,ll,.. ui.l.. I, ,u •,,,..,, 'H '"■'■lilH.'.l l,y II.,. Iril.uUn... „| !,|„. ,,|,|,„;,„ ,„ ||„. ,„.i,,|,|„„.,„„,.| ,^,. ;; ini.niil.'inis. ^'■■''''"''^■' IN '1111, \'Ai,i,,.v^ .,|. (>l,|,^,^^ ,m. |j,,,,,,v |;,vi.:„s, Alll„.„.|, inll„.,',.,,.„.| ,.n,s,s'j -SI ll,..,M'.',M','..n,',.,.riu,,lH,„l.|,.r.,-l;,vs ^^";"","''"''^''"''^'' ■l"l'"-'l "■- '.ImMu:,! l;.nhs(n„u l,..||.l.,'i,|.:.., : ;""' ^' ''''"'"^'■^''■'' "■-^'•'■i"'"''""'i^^i-»m,ti„.-.., I,.,,., ,1,1), „,..., „„„;,„,. ' '"'•'""•^^''""^""•l'"""-"ni„. nv.rv.ll.'y. n„,|,.|.,|,.,| .,.,.,,„n u';,s n^ .; '■"'■;^; '"^■""^I'l--. .^ r:n:M ..x:,„„n:„,„n u:,s ..,.,!,. ..I' | |,is s....| i..n ! !" '^•"■■"-' l'l-'.':il"H.I l-n,'„,,|,..,„.,.,|,,,|'|,,.||,|,,i,|,...u.i||, ,|„.n,||,„,, ;."V'"?"; ""■-^'I'-.V'.niM' nv,.r;,l ||,H ,,l;„'..,s..ul,|,.un .I...mI;;o.. ; '•;•■• |"|-'|Ih'|. I':., .',... iM',.n, ;..m..mii;.,., .i,,,,,. ii„. „,„,.,. |,.v,.| j, ,„.,.„. i I.H'.l l..v.|;,,'k sl,:,|,.H „ril„. I'M.,',.,. i;.n,.:,t„.n ..f 1 1,,- (•n.L„.,.,.„s ,',..iin..' i "'*"" ^'''"■''' "'""■' ^' l-'l'"'I.V 'V.-n lin.., ;,,',. ||„. S;,.k;,|..|„.u.,„ „,,,,.|, . ,; ' '•;i"Y'>;"'"''-iri;u,ti,;, 11,,,'k r,' i., ,,. ,.-,i;.,.,. Ti.,.n|.,:.',',,:„', ,.r !,';'■ ^''"'"•V""'"''"' "'■'^^" ''■•■'■i-u"'^"l-.-l :in,l l„'.,wni mountains, [.aurentian <,meisses and some limestone of mountain ori;^in. all often distinctly striateil and ^daeiated. The thickness of this houlder-clay is aliout •")<• t'ci't. Next in ascendiuii' order is .. '.!.•.■•'-• iiess, from 2") to •IH feet, of pale colored silty licds, often very linely stratified and in certain layers ad intercalation preserves its place and character for miles aloiiii' the valley ;;"(1 is continuous with that previously de- t-'crihed lower down the river.-^^ Overlyiujf the last is the '' upjier" Itoulder-clay, yellowish uray in color, and this, so far as can he ascertaini'd, extends niNirly or ([uite to tlii' top of the hiink or the Lreneral level of the adjacent i>rairii'. Stones and houlders are not notahly ahundant in it at this place, hut those which ;»ccur came l)oth from the mountains on the west and the Laui'cntian [datcau on the east. Summarizing' this section and placinji- it in relation to others desci'ilied in the report of ISS'J-'S-I, we ohtain th(> foUowin.i,' re|iresentation of the driftd(;posits of this part of the plains, the secttion on the riiiht hcini:- that farthest from the hase of the mountains: f siwtioii (iip- t lliMylit iif li.'i^io nf scrliim cip- fci'i. incixiiimto), L',:)i;(ifci't. |[ proxiinati'), ^,'.'7ii IfiM. Fn't. rpipir lioiiMiT-.hiy (iilniiil i.. 1 In liit<'r,i;liici;il ili'|Mi.-i(.-i I.owi'r iMiulilri'-chiy .'i S;isl<:iti'ln'W;Ui nr;iVcN 1 I'ioi-i-f ((.-ri'laiTciiis) ■jIimIi'h.. '■..'i | 30(1 h'vet. r feet. III' pale layeis a-isuiii- a|ier-Uke (ille- layer is here iml eiiaraeter irevimisly ih'- ui'ay ill eiiliir. lite to tile top Stdiies and thiise whieii e i,aureiitian lers deserilied itatioii III' tlie t lieinu' tliat i-i.'iii.i. II iriuliiltMlli-^, S'l ■), ■-','J7ii l.'cl. A'../. itii IJKIlih')... H Mil. I I'layl,.., I'l ■ks) Ill nil Hel'ore (■Diitinuiiiii; the notes made in the deeper river sections to the westward ot' Lethliridjze, ii i'uw words may \h) devoted to tlie eiiaraeter of the uerera! surface of the plain corresponding to the sections aliove cited. This is well shown in numerous fresh euttin^'s aloiiu; the line of railway hctweeii hiinniore (near .Medicine Jfat) and LethliridLfe. a distance from east to west of 101 1 miles. Whetluir in the mllinii: prairie toward the east or tiie nearly level prairie to the W(!st, the surface is almost uniformly coniMosed of uray or hrownish i,'ray silty or loamy material, of which tlu (U'pth may he stated to vary from two to live feet, altliouudi cer- tainly iri'eater in some places. On the crests of knolls and riili:cs and in some of the valleys which have evidently lieeii cut out liy postglacial Hows of water, this deposit has heen removed, leavinu a irrayish Imuliler- elay. which sometimes contains lar>j;e stones at the surface. The stones ar(! ers. as dark and liLilit layers alternate and cliaii;^u' in color when followed aloiit:; the l>a,nk. Stones iioth of western and ensturn ori^iin occur tlirouuhout, the I'oriner ]ii'epoiideratinu toward the hottoin and the latter toward the top, Tiie mass of tlu' houlder-elay is in some places hard and clayey, in others soft and ^andy. that of the last meiitioiieil character passing' occasionally into layers of sand and u'ravel." The s' 'tilled sands, silts and leathery clays or shales of tlu' ahove section i .ucli reseinlile the iiuer-lacial IkmIs of [.ethliridLic. hut, as already stated, there is here no means of certainly identifyiiiLr the houlder-clay- Farther up aloiiu' Oldmaii river, at the mouth ol" iJeaver creek ("JS niiles from tlie mountains, elevation al>out •'!.'J(iO fect^. a liank examined hy .Mr .McConuell shows, ahove the river level, " ">il i.ct ( f compact houliler- olay overlain hy (') feet of stratiiied qlts and sands. There is here a marked diminution in the proportion of eastern drift as eiimpared with the last section, a rouiili estimate making' it aliout two per cent of the whole."' In the siunc vicinity, on Olcson creek, ahout ino feet ahove the river and to th<' north of it. a moderately indurated pale drah silty or sandy lioulder-clay was fouml lioldiiej; <"oni[iar;itively few stones, hut sonu.' of them distinctly glaciated. Still further to tlie westward, at the conlUience of the North and Middhf forks of the ( tldman (ahoUt I'l miles from the line of tin; hase of the nio tains, elevation approximately '■'>.()')0 feet \ a iiood section was t"ouiid, which may Ite set out as follows in di-cen iiaicli as S ur l(t iiiclics ill (lianicter, apiiarciilly all uf lldd^y iiiinnilain uriiziii 10 2. (iiHMl ty|>ical linulder-clay, iiinilcrately iinlnratc'l ; matrix Itdw iiisli yellow and earthy, cniilainiiiL' Lrlaciatcd stuncs and hciuldcrs of niddcrate si/c, nioslly f-ulianLiulai', Imt >ninc wi 1! rnniided, derived from llie iiiuuntains or from die ('retaceniis i(icUslac<'S iSt lllL'lltiolH'd ;cl." ol' till! al>ovt' •ut. as alivaily bouldiT-clay- rt'ck C-'S miles examined liy ipaet lioulder- liere a marked I with the last the whole." hove the river silty or sandy <, hut stane of th and Middle e hase of the n was found , r 1(1 inches 10 usli yellow rale si/e, iiiuimtaiiis lies ; Seine iiall pieees is liiiiililer- L'O stones. 10 imuiili, all it ion were I he alisii- it is (|iiit(' iilin^' in a coiiilitidn 10 to 90 (ii:<)l,()(il(' SKCTlnNS AMI IIIKIIi ( ( i.M !'( isl TH )N. [., Ntnnliers ."> and I of this >eetion are tielieved to represeMt the Sas- katchewan travels, while mindier '_' may he either the lower oi' n|i|ier hoiilder-elay of the plains. Less than a mile to tie northward the Ijoid- der-clav was oliserved to rest directly u|iOii tlie Laramie rocks, numhia's ."! and I havinj.' run out. Numher I lias in s niie |ilaces a clayey mrtrix, thus hi'Liinninij; to assume the character of tie,' " we.-tern "" houlder-clay. Ahout two miles I'urt her north. aloiiL'lhe North fork and well liehind tin Southern part of the I'orcupine hills ( elevation al)out :'>.ll(Ml feet), another section was examiiieil. of which, however, the total thickness remained indetermined hccause of slides in the liaiik. Tliis aLiaiii shows houlder- elav of a somewhat earthy and soft character, luit y ordinary water action hefore the striation had heeu added. Two small crunihs of Laureiitian material were discovered hy search oil the face of this cKposure, hut the decrease in importance of such material in the l)oulder-clay to the wistward and where shcllereil hy the liiudi ridiics of the Porcupines is very apparent. The comparatively soil and earthy character of the l)oulder-clay seen hehind the i'orcupine hills was ^-eiieraHy oliservaMe. IJevertiiiLr to the main line of approach which we have heen followinu' toward the inouutaius. an exposure on the South fork of the Oil I III an, examined in INS.'!, may next £ *«ia»«wii4«— • he alluded to. This is distant from th.e nioun- „ .■•"'-"-'-' -'o'^''^" tains nlntut 12 miles, witli an apin'oxiinatc clr- "?"**" J y^", ^^-i-.^s^e-.* Viktion of ;'),;tl(» feet. It again shows a i>onlder- h ^^^S^^^^^zz"sC clav, similar to the last, overlvinii' a \\'\\ feet of -^ E- — ■^— — '■ — ' " "" ;a'ravel deriw'il from the mountains. I'.otli dc- ii,.\k\. :!.--s,Y/iniio,i ///r.Soii//i posits occupy a hollow, possiiily that of an old /-"!■,./('/,/»„,» av.-,-,. ni • ii I' 1 ' r,;n;iinii' ( willow (.reck 1 ev. as shown m tiie diaiiram annexed. , , Ill issi another section was noti'il on .Mill /■' s:i>katLiuu:ni '^mmviIs. creek, still nearer to the mountains (six inile< ' ';"^-i>-tnuiiu..i ci,-,.vs, distant, elcvatior .'l.SJT fed), which showed /■ >uri;ict,- .m^uxi. houlder-clav of the usual characler iindcrlaiii ' "'"'• UaM of >tc'li(Mi j=, Ictt .'iliDVi' pixsiMl rivti-livcl. hy a very hard houhle'r-elay or till ol' diU'ereiit aspect, lielow which \vas a. few feet in thickness of fine, compacted i^ravi'ls. Some i>aurcntiaii stones were found on tlit> surface in this vicinity aliove the level of thesectioii, hut none were seen in it. .\ similar instance of houldcry clay ovcrlyiiiL;- thin layers of L;;ravel wa-< discovered in the same year liiiili upon rincher creek, in this iicinh- horlu)od, within a couple of miles of the actual hasi- of the mountains. The two last nieutioned localities are within the limit of the countrv w (i. M. li.WVSON — (il.ACIAI. hKl'DSl IN ()|.' S(l| TllWKSTKliX AM!i;UTA. ('li;ii':u't('i'i:',i'i| \>y inorniiujs. cviilriitly due to local L^iicict's iVoiii tlic l!oi'l() miles from the liase of the mountains. ( )les(m and iteaver creeks tlow southward from this end of the Iiills, and it was chietly in the vicinity tif these streams that the ohservations noteil were made. in 'raveliiiii- westward from .Macleod 'situated on the plains at an ele- vation (if .">.(!T(l I't'ct ' toOlcson creek liy the regular trail north of Oldnian rivia\ a dista,ice of \\ miles, a uradual ascent is made which hccome.s greater as the llaid" feet in a distance of a couple of miles to ^i.'J'JO feet. Itssurfaee is notaiiso- lutely llat, liut is diversified hy low swells or ridges, which generally trend north and south. This plain is liounded to the west liy a distinct rise leading to another similar plain or wide terrae(\ also gravelly, of which the eastern part is at a lieight of .'*>.i'7o I'eet. and which continues toslope uj) gradually to the west- ward. The gravels of this plain and the last are composeil ehielly, luit not entirely, of well rolled Rocky Mountain ([uartzite.s. At o.'JSti feet on this seeonil plain is found running northward a line of remarkalile large linulders,* composed of (piartzite or conglomerate. Those an.' identical *'rii('si' rciiiiirkal>li' ImuMi'is ai'i' in sizi> iiinl niiiipositioii uiiliko any observed in the hoiiUler- chiy^. Tlii-y luivc iiiii|i)iilpti'illy ln'iMi wiilor-limiu' ^tml ihiiy piolmlily Imvo ln'oii ili'i'ivi'il from nomu piU'tii-iihir rcKiiin of tlii' Liuirunliaii platciiii vvliicli l)ociune triljiitiiry iit u later stage of tlie Olaoial perioil. 'I'^UN' .\M!KltT,\. ^ iVollI tllc l{(icl*. and it was >iis noted Were •'liiis at an ele- I'tlK.fOldn.an lii<'h Ix'couie.s 'wiiio; terraeo- in 11-0 identical I ill the lioiil.k.r- I'iVlHl 111, 111 SOIIIU ;« of tliu (jlaoial 3»OII/gMJW7 00373ftV V a *-> r: o ■J i»- uri'iiwi;s'ri:i!N \i,i'.i:i; r.\. ill cliarai'lcr u itii llinsc iMilcil in llic rcnnri n|' |nS-_'-",s| us occiirriiii;' iiciii' t'lc Idwcr part n\' Watciidii I'iv r at a liciuiit ut' lii'twccii .'l, ■_''»() and ."i.:i(l(> Icrt.-'-ani! it may l.c aiM.''i here that intuldcrs of tiic saiiu! Uimi wcri! I'ciind liy .Mr .Mc( 'niii: 1! iin tlir ncirtiicrn part of tiic l'<)icu|)im- hills at a. Iici-ld i'\' •".,'.>'>il t'c't. and on tin' No.-c hills near Cal.Lrary at, .'MMO feet. At .'v'lHi I'i'i't is a hniddi'i'-sl rcwn terrace with some pretty lar^c iidid- deis, lidth i>l' l!i>eky nmuntain i.nd l-aureii'ian (H'iuiii : at ■'■.■IN? I'eet. an )tlier terrace .-limilarly eliai'aetci'i/ed ; at •'!,");iJ I'eet, a terrace with rolled ij; ravel nn the siirl'ac" and an ahinidanee of eastern drift, and a^'ain at •'>.(') I'l I'eet occurs -^lill another well niarkcil and \>ide terrace with similar udxed drift. I'^roni this a descent was made to our camp on ( )les()n ereeU ( :!,('•(•() feet) and from this place, in the coin-se of a rather lonir e.xeursion in (he hills to the northwai'il. the following tci'racc- levels at iircater altitudes were oli- servcd. 'jhese are iirielly enumia'ateii helow, hut it must he undcrst i that many more such levels nduht have hcen noted had further time heen jriven tn the investigation, i'ossiiily, at a distance of souk; miles, a ipiiti; diU'ei'cnt scries of water-levels wotdd have hcen reco;j;inzed, t'or it appears ■prolialilc that almost every staiic in .i !.;radual di'sceut of the water-liut; may lie found l , a tiaia -c with similar' ^.-ravels. •I.LNj feci, a tciaai'i' with similar i^ravcls. •I,.'! HM'cct, a Icfiarc with similar irravcls. nian.\' larLic well mnnilcil sIdmcs, ancj a ciin>iilciali|c |iro|M iitiim nl' limcK(li'I\i:s. 47 clcij stiiiics, aiiil a ini|M"j: liMsin. iileiitly iiiai'ixiiii: a inclucliiiir iim'tiy dan v'lieisses ami e hi^liest |M)iiit (Vered with well 'I'lie erratics of )Wer levels, and "erahle size, the lih levels, heiiii;' pieces (»! \\ ili- daciiiteil stiiiies aciatioii on tliu saiid-'ione <> di .up ■ wdiepc these dcciir. hut the nicl< in place is rather too soft to ■ rescirve siuli tracer well had tlu'V existed upon it. 'I'lie peculiar LrreeiistoiK! of the llockv iiioiintaiiis hel'ore rel'eiTed to is not inrri'(|iient at all leV(!ls, and as this ]iartieular i'ocI< ociuis in place in the iiioiintains (iiH an interliedded layer) scarcely as far north as latitude 1'.)'^ o(»', it must have traveled in a northeastward direction in on! 'r to reach this part of the ToreiipMie hills. The matrix of theuraveis, wherevcjrsecai, is a whitish silty or sanity mate'ial, perhaps in part composed of disintegrated sand- stones of local orii^dn. hut iiicludiiiL; grains of simil.ir composition to the pehliles themselves. The ilat outlines of the hills in all this southeastern part of the I'orcu- piiies appears to lie in the main plainly due to water levelling,', altlioii-^di .assisted l>y the nractically horizontal altitude iif the sandstone hijils. From the iiii^liest point here reached the terraeiiiu' of the iiiils may ho (iiiely so(;n tor many mil(;s to the northward, hut still higher and partly wooded rid^'es to the' westward showed toward their summits an alto- fj;(,'t her dill'e rent and rouu'li 'i' character, alt lioimli fundamentally composed of the same Laramie rocUs. The lii:,diesl terrace seen on the hills. nea.r the headwaters of l>e;,\er creels, was very well marked, and was estimatoil hy eyo from a distance to reach alioiit: I, '.10:1 feet ahove sealevel. In coiitinuiiiu; tlu! imiuiry it hecanie evidently necessary to examiiit! tlie hiudu'i' ridu,-es aliove alUuled to. and this was accomplished from tlui upper valley of i>eaver creek, whence an accent was made to the hi^diost point in that vicinity, locally known as r'ive-mile imtte. In tliis region tile total amount of loreiun drift is less consideralile and distinct terra-'es are seldom oliservahle, facts doubtless due to the shelter alVonh.'d hy adja- (•(Mit hi.^lilands on all sides, hut particidarly to that of the wide belt of hills and rid^^es to the eastward. Our camp on Heaver creek was at an elevation of d.'_*'J2 t'eet, and in asceiidiiiii- from it to i-'ive-niile htitte, on the east side of the valley, the following notes were made: 4,Ii")l) f'i'i'l, a few well rDJieil iiit'ces of Laiiiiiiliaii, \\'iniii|)i'ir iiiiii'slout' and IJucky Muiiiitaiii l|llart/ite^. r),070 feet, a few small liaiiri'iitiaii pehliles. 5,1 14 fi'ot, baiiri'iitiui himldi'i-s L' I'cct ti iiirlies tliruinr'i, llockv Mniiiitaiii liiiiestoiie, i|uart/ite diift and pi'uhalily a liltlc \Vimii[icu' liiiii'stuiK'. ^iL'.-iUfert, a iiriijei'tiii;; point 1)11 the liii.'li lidire sliiiwiiij.' ahiiinlance nf well roiiiulcil haiireiitiaii anil iinartzite iliil't. \t ."),:;(10 feet (he riilire hecniiii's llat-tuppi'il ami prulialily marks a terrace-level. It is strewn with iiiinu runs well rcilled pcliiilcs of eastern and western iirij.'in, Ineliiiliii;.' I.aiireiitiaii, Winnipeg; limestone, and Uneky Mountain liniestuiie and i|iiaitzite. Sonie nf the l,;iiirent iaii Imiildeis are - feet in diameter. .Miiive tills level iiuthin;.' Imt dehris of local sand.stones was found, the hiirhesl iioint of Five-nule liiitte lieiiiK reached at 'i,:Ui') foot. VII— I3UI.I,. (JKOi.. Sou. Am., Vui,. 7, IS'J'j. /, IS (I, M. DAWSON' — nr.ACIAt, nRI'OSITS OK SOl'TirWKSTKliN AI.I'.IIUI'A. It will lie iiott'il (hilt tli(! LiUircntiiin drill is in tliis iicitililpiirlKniiI markedly niorc id)Undiiiit iit tlic liitrlicr levels, the upper limit ol' the trnveleil materiid staiidiiiji- ahove all the hills and riducs to the eastward. A distinct terrace was oitserved on the opposite ( west ) side of Heaver Creek valley at an estimated hoijfht ol'iihout ').l''!i' feet. This may pos- sihly ciirrespond with that previously noted as seen from the hills aliovo Olesou creek, hut is not the same. The hivels in hoth eases are neces- sarily somewhat uncertain. In crossing; the last rid.'S(( fecit was reached, and here a few pehhlivs of Rocky mountain oriudii were found, although on projeetin.LT points •Jdd feet hii,dier no traveled drift was ol)- served. This evidence is, however, of a purely neirative character. On th(! west slope, in (le.scen(lin,7-")<-) feet. In al)out three mile> fai'ther north it rises "gradually to 4,140 feet, the surface tieinu' generally gravelly (num- her 1 of section on pa^e 42). This jiravel [dain n>seml>les in character that oceurrinji near Maeleod at an elevation lowi'r hy altout l,y rivers llowin^' from the mountains. in following the plain northward it l)ecomes narrowed, I)ut again widens ahout the hend of the North fork, where its average elevation is ahout 4,200 feet. From this vicinity (near the rp[)er Walrond ranch) th til(!('ils(\V!in|. "t) side ,,|' lU'iivrv f- 'I'liis may \>i)s- "" till' hills iilii.vo ' cast's iiru iii.'ft's- t,l)(;t\vt'eii Hfiivcr _>'■ -l,!'«(5 l'i'(;t was i.ifiii wfi-o roiiiid, i'i's almost ''I'llcaiid South y with a soiiio- 1 actually fj'av- il Mi'ldlf forks, "'()iiMdinn- the <-'i", a distance icon ntnir the J north at a I BULL. GEOL. SOC. AM. VOL. 7, 1895. "L. 1. I I ( . I i< 1 : 1 — 1 1 1 I I I 1 1 \ 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 \\ n( 1 1 1 K 1 \ I . i< . Sliiiuiiii; lUH ImimIcIi 1 il.i\~. llic liiulur i.:i—.iim ..l..iv. im.i -li.ililii,! -ills, Tlit lij-c ol llie licpiilili 1 . I.iv luir 11 -'.' ilhn'llv nil I.Mi.ciiiii link'-. . . I''K,rKI. 2 - I'.XKT k:itt'lii;\\:iii ^laviN iivtiiaiii h\' hciulili-r-clay. BOULDER-CLAYS AND SASKATCHEWAN GRAVELS. . • I'l.AIN AM» VAI.IJ;Y WKST Ol' Till', I'Oltcri'INK UllAM. 4i> lici^lit (»f l.lou t'tict ; liut 111) morn ciistiTii drift of Miiy kind was foiiud mIoiiu' the Viillcy for ;!(i luilcH iiortliward. If not oiitiroly alwoiit, it naiist here lie cxti'ciiicly scarci'. At tlif distaiic<' just Motcil, near thd ciiain of small lakes hctwcen tlio North liraiicli of Willow ci'cek and the South iiranch of the Ifijihwood, where the wjile ^a]) of the IliLilnvood valley lie.uins to lay the country traverseil iikut upen to tln^ eastward, a sini.de Laureiitian l)ouleveral others faintly impressed on the hillsides up to l.oOO feet, hut no hi.uher. 'i'he Upward limit of terracin;!; and of thick drift deposits ap- pears here to lie W(;ll dclini'd. Lart,'(> fra^'uientsof Kocky Mountain lime- stoni! are found here and there throughout this part of the foothills L'cn- erally -tranded on proud nent rid;.i;es of sandstone. At the iiead o|' the South hraneli of tlio lIij,diwood, hrownisli earthy iioulder-clay, with stoU(;s wholly derived from the mountains, was seen in tlie hank of a stream apparently restinLr directly on hed-rock. T]w surface of this houlder-clay forms a wide terracedevel in wliieh the stream valley is cut out, with an olevatit/U of -1,240 feet, rising' to ahout 4,2ttO feet where it meets the slopes of the hills. In folIowiiiiJ; the South hranch noi'thward to a point six miles tVom its eonllueuco with the main Iliuh- wood. at a hci'iht of ;i,i)(;(» t'eet. houlder-elay like the last was again seen, hut here holdinu a few very small liaurontian fragment-. ilifinwoon RiVKii and Vici.mty. To the eastward of the South lirauch Mr AfcCoimoll made a long detour anc-ngtlic northern ridges and plateaus of the I'orcuitino hills, the high- est of which are there aliout 1.740 feet. Upon th(!se ho found ahuu(hinee of Kocky Mountain limestone and (piartzite, hut no eastern drift altove l.loi) feet and very little drift of this origin anywliero. in the liankof the main Ilighwood, four miles alxivo the mouth of the South foi'k (1-") miles from the hase of the mountains, elevation ahout ■'!.70ll feet). Mr .McCounoll examined a section showing oo feet of l)oulder- clay overlain hy a considerahle thickness of silts, and those in turn cajiped hy rivi'r gravels. The l)oulder-clay is dark l)rownish holow and light yel- lowish ahove, with stones seldom exceeding six inches in diameter, which, so far as ohserved, are wholly of western origin. l''i'om the mouth of the South hranch the llighwood was followed down to the crossing of the railway, and midway hotwoen these points some tine sections were found (see [tlato 1). The height of the river is here "'" 'i. M. I'.WVSON— (;|,.\,|,\,, ,,,,,,. '^ "!■ siji T)i\\).:s'iKi;.v ,\ I, I !!•:(; iKiri'A. 'l<'.sc(Mi.liiio ,,n|,:r, tin; M„(i:, |„.n. .h,,u 111, I. \\'<'ll .^tiMtilicI MM. I c-iinvii( Im..|,|,.,| ,.i||,>. . . '' -'. I'lilc- yfll.,u i-)i -r;iy l»iiil.|,.|(liiy '■'•■ l»;irl< ^;i;iy ImjiiMi.c cImv .' '•' ■I- l-ili;illii(: Miiiiisloiicy ;(ImI sIjiiIcs "" o> U:-ts oMJ... |..Hl,,..r-HMy l.,|.| n.n, y au.l sunn. huv. s.on,., ..r,..n - -'Kv'.r,soll..HWM- H.y is l,,.,i.,n.;,l ,,,,.!,, uit...li-,in.... .M.nvof ^";f;;.^*'';r ;•'■'•''-'' ui,i.i..v..i,:,n,i.., •.i,..,.,...,..,.,.,. , ! o,,l.l,n ,H.|.nv..:n,.ll,:,|rin,|,,.,.,p..,.,ivi.i.,n. I,, i. .,.,,..,.,,. in v I. n^_.. H II,. ^•.n.,|,n;. . H,on <.om..,H..|s will, II,. honzon of llHM.^ f '''''^'"'f'^'';"^' -'>''''-''i'"-'U.nlilisl,..li.v...|||„„nMn,l,..rsh,„.i -•onvH|.M,Hl w,ilM,,n,,l..,.. -M,,| ;; ofii,. (■,,1,,,., ,,Hion ,s.,. , .,,,.. ;i;;, ..,:;;;■ ^"/'7"''''':;;;'^;''-''--- "i'M-v.iin,i..un,ii.i;H.,; llH'yi,).|H,.,.,n.,| lo 1... n,Mn.;,l.,i,„|;,„( f„,l,.,„sl. - ^ " ' '^ lIl'.IIWOMI, l;i\'i:|( xn <'.\(,,;ai;v. |.>onMj,..|,.u-,,,.MIi.l, l:iv..,-,!,.. n.,nlnrn :,.].... ,o||..v...| :„..,|,- '\-'!'^ '" '^'l^^'i-y, ., n„l,....n.-i.,. SI,..,.,, Pi,,, „„| ,,.,,,, ,.,,,„.|^, ^„„, nsm^r ov..,- ..:,.hv:„.,| ,.n,,,.,.|i..„. ,.r ,|,. 1.,.,.,. pi;,,,...,,, whi-l, |....... ,,.,„■..- "■"•" 7:^^""' ^'"■'•l'-n-l„|, ,.|,.nvii,..- U\ lr;[ L'O i.'i r,r, one,-;, (.ricii II' l)i'hvM-ii .Miiiiyoi' .-••I'll ti) lie 't 'iTl.'lilllv y liiiiiKl ill I I III' iiid'i'- llxTS I illid <■ p.'i-i'. ".;;). tlii.s |il:iri; ;,-'i7l li'i't) lll'.IIW'niiii i;ivi,l; 'lo ( ,\i,(..\i;v 51 <'l.siTV;itiiiiH .'III' I'liii'lly ti, nsr i.l' Mr Mri oiimll, will, in IS'.IO ili-.i;i.ndid tln' riviT in a l.ual IrLin .Morlev |,,, ll,,. I'.jark I'l.i.t, iTi.v-iii'j- with tlii'.-pi'i'ial j,iir|,i.-:i. i.r iiivi-ti,-;iliiiv I lie .-ii|H'rli.ia I i|i'|.i,-it,s, illid sii).|.li'mi'iiti'i| this l.y a I'liliral .•xaminal imi i.f t lii-e di'|H.ri:i;N .\i.i;i:ur.\. Imri/iiii ciislcni ^'iicissic and limrstMiii' lioiildcrs and pdilili's, llir latl. r olii II striated, arc (•Kninion, Init no rorUs of undnnlitrd western nri^dn were (>liS( rveil. The lieds ol' well rounded <|llart/ile |irlii)les lieliiw the iioidder-elay, on the other hand, are derived, so far as Unown, entirely I'roi the wc-l , altlion'_di they may here in pai't rejiresent. ri'distrilinted M ioeene eon .: I on le rates like those ol' the ( 'v|iress hills, whieli were hroiij^ht down from tin' nioimtains in Miocene times. ■■ Twenty milc^ alio\e the Ulackl'oot crossin;,' or 1 7o miles alio\'e .Medi- cine Hat. where the next section was i'.\aniined, the conditions have entirely c|iaiii;('(|. At this |)arti<-nlar place the nndcrlyinj.' L'ravels an; aliscnt and the lioulder-chy holds hoth eastern and we-tern drill inli- niatcly eomminulcd ihronuhont, |)el)i)les of nnmile i.aurentian ;:neisses and well characl(M'i/,ed l{o<'ky .Mountain limcstoni'S often lyiu'i side hy -ide in the same hand s|ie<'i men. The relative |iro|iorl ions of the two di'ifts at this point. H to n dies cast of the mount ain>, mcasuiim; alon^ the valley of the r.ow, ari' nearly ei|ual. I n desccndini: I he river wi'Slern ilrifl of a rcidirui/.alilc eharai'tcr iiives out in the l»oulder-c|ay licfons .Medi cine Hat is reached. and in ascend IulmL the eastern dr'!' ■ idu.ally wii, ciitiri'ly ri'ilislriliiilcil I WfVf lii-i)ii:j-|it ■^ iiIh)\c Mcili- ll'lilirillS llJIVI! '■I'll (Irirt iiili- '• l.:iurciili:iii IS nl'lcii lyiiiM- 'irlidii-i of the :i>iiriiii^ ;iloii;r I'ivcr wc-ilcrii ■ lii'lnr'c .Mc(|i lii.'illy 'liiiiiii- ■ <'a|i;;iry, 10 i-allcy l.c fiil- •-flliy section •paralcil iiilo S, tlic InwiT i 111 'I'll I 'J- In HI I I'lll^ illlirlioil ••111 iiTcL^iilar Lraiiiic saiid- liifk, alictvc •'iiisisliiiL'- ol' ■s ami liiiic- Ik' \\f<\, ail lay. IllTl.' ■)M i'ffl I \i> wcslcrii I Mi: fcaUire strni ()li;.MIl tin: caslcrii 1)111 (■\c(.(.(|s ilr-cliiy ; siri.ileil s'omi'S iuid SI 1 1,1 II I II millers in he ill i •>-, * lli'liort III' I'l-DKi-i'SM, (Ji.,,!. Siirvi^y III' C^iNii'la, l.s.HJ ',k|, |,|,. m < ', I !_' t KIrviilioii III l)iiM(! Dr.siM'iidii, :i,:i!iii iVia. n 1 (1. M. DAWSON — (il.Acr.M, DKI'OSITS i>K SOITirWKSTKUN' AMUCUTA. .'!. I!iiiililci'-i-liiy, willi SDiiit' sinitilifil silly hiyrrs aiid iiclililcs luriiiiu'i'cl in iiiio.s ipfstriililicatiiiii . . :>() 4. (iravfls \:^ •"). I,ariiiiii(> saiiilstdiics ami sliaii's. iicarlv linrizniital L'") 100 n * - IZ * ? ^ rr "o o TTT.u^ 1^= _»__ - P J! ~ - ■ ■ ^ -- _o _ o'.-a I'-'L iJol--; ■ I'l I,' Tlu' rnllowiiiL;- details, written down at the time, I'nrtiier e\|iluin wliat is seen in tiiis interestinij; seetinn. 'I'll" order I'oi- ft2ai3w.4winur.-ilj ^ lowed is tliat ()l'de|(osit ion. lieuinniiij; witii llie Imse ^^ of the sei'tion: The surfaec! of the liiiraniie rocks where coinposed of I'aiiiy liard sandstones is Di sniootii and waterwoi'n without any L;hu'i:ii sti'ia-. Kestinti directly upon tliis are rather incoliereiit * lii'avi'ls witli a consideniMc admixture of clayey or silty matter. All the stones are derived iVoni the mtriation on some of the limestone nelililcs. 'riieso appear to have lieen produced upon the already rounded stones and to have heen lariroly oMiterated afterwunls hy further wear, 'i'here is A little or no trace of stratilication in the gravels, which resendile more the deposit found in the l>:irs or heil of some river than anything t'lsi'. 'I'he gravels ai'c cut oil'alxtve sharplv on a nearl v ,i//i„:,A-i;ri iirtii r,i/f;.ii V. Icvei plane. aiHive wliicn IS a hard yellowisn ti'ray .1 i.;iiaiiiifrocks. houMcr-clav, ofteu standiuii' vertical in the Win' '■'. ;^^'>i^'"^>H»^">K'-:,v.]s. ,„„il.reakin-out in prismatic frai^nients. This en- layiis. tains many well striated stones and small l)oul(l- j> - -.tiatiiKMi silts contain. ^^^,,^_ .,,,,| ^i„,\v.^ occasional lines, runuin-- for a few ins ( /'O .a layer of i i ■ n ■ ■ i i i ' i iioiiidci-ii.ay, leet or yards horizontally ot line pelihles and sand, /. suriacc giaveis anil ,,,• of silt, wliicli is sli.ulitly li,L,diter ill color thlUl tlio soil. .'.'..' . . rest. I he v;ist niMJority ol tlie stones are from tlu; mountains, hut a very few l,aurentiaii istones are included. Therti is no markecl dilVereiice hetweeii the earthy material of the ^navels and that of the mass of the h(»uldor-clay, except that the latter is more compacted, and the jrravels miuht in fact well he ret;arded as as[iecies of houider-clay or a closelv allied deposit. The lioulder-clay prohahly varies from 10 to 2(1 feet in thickiu;ss within a few hundred feet. The upiter jiart of the houlder-clay heeoiuos more interstratilied with Kiin'KK .).— .S';lS(' Ijiirainif I'ocks ■iiiiidstoiics is ' jilacia! stria". VI- iiiciilirrciit uro (if ('lu\'(:v • li'rivrd tVoni ii'c ([Uartzitcs l(" or more layers of a few feet thick which are iiiarke.lly st,,ny. not very distinctly stratilied and diller in no material re- ^! ' ''■•;'" t'"' l>oidder-clay except that they aiv so what less c..herent. r/mreiitian fra-mcnts hcome iiicreasiiiulv iVe.pient toward the top of the silts, hut are iu,-vcr ahundant at this place.-- .\i)ove the l.rid-e and ah.iut a mile distant another hank shows these silty l,lin« ,.„.|.t.i .i„i„.s is .hiv vcr,,^nw.,:\ r„r tl,.' I,,~. t ,„„ in iippn.i,.),- iiiK till! iiioiiiiliiins li.v tlii' llow valli-.v. t It Illil.V hfl-C ll.. llut.Ml lliat U -..■rljoll i.I..Mti,Ml ill rl,:,nirt..|- «ith Unit ...t C:.IlMIV h:m sjni',. Im.,.11 cxiiiiiiiuMl lit ICli.iimton, on tli.. S„.li:,t,.li,.w.iii, i, t -joii miU.s i„„-tli, iu.,vi-|v i„ tlii. sain.. ioni;iii„l,. and lit im ..jcviitiiin of about •.',■•(». f,.,.t. Tim Sasl;atcl„..vaM ki'iivlIs, sparin,,'lv ilnvlop..,! aiv Ii.m-o I'oviMv.l l.v All |,.,.t or nioi'o of alt.Tiiatin- lioiil,l,.|--i.|iiy alul well stnitili.-,! silts. Tlio l.oiil,l,.|-<'liv oiMMifs in lay,.|soie»o,tliiv.- or inoro TfLt in tlii.-Unoss. Most of tli,. stonos are inHn,l..,| in it,an,"l then. an. t.aiiroiilian ami \vi. stein In pi-oportioiis lospri'tivoly of uhiiiil 1 to ^ JKaiiitIv inipivss,.,! i..rni,...s, lik,. tlios ' tli.. I'oiviipin.'.s. ocriir at scn-ral lovHs u.ion the oastovn slopu ol tins plateau, thr- l,,.st iiiarke.l at a h..ii;lit of al.oiit :),!liii. leet. Vlll-liui.i,. (Jkoi.. 9or. Am., Vol. 7, l.s.;i,-,. wjme/m '>C) c. M. D.WVSOV — (ir^AfTAI. DKIMHITS Ol" SomtWKSI'KliN A Mll-IM'A . ■' I'liulit miles ;il)(>v(" Cilifiiry ;i sc<'ti(H\ sliowiiiu' tlii' I'ollnwiii'.' sci|iii'iic(' Wiis cximiiiicil : I. Soil im,l sill- I,-) •J. Cliiy Willi hiycis (il'silt ID I!. ( il;i\illy sMlids .") ■I. Slralilic'l siimls 4 •"). ( iiiivilly l)ipiilcliT-cliiy (1 (I. Vcll.iuisli sainis 10 m '■ 'I'lic cluy (mimlicr •' ■ nil'ilyin^ tlic ti|>|i<'r silt< i< iicciiliar ami was not iiliscrvcil lartlirr ca-.!. it is lii.'stitutc df straiiHi'atioii. liiilit MiH' in ciilor on a iVi'sli sui'lnri'. vi ry coiniiact aiiij hi^iily calrarcoiH. It proli- alily n'|ir('-('iits the liiir iiiati'i-iai iiroiluccd Ky i.'I.ii'icr (■ro>ioii. soitni iVoiii the roarsc ]iroilucts, ami canicil eastward I'V lihuaal streams until the lessciiiiin; euiTciit or ii lake hiisiii alloweil its (le|iositioii. The silts over- lyinii it liiive the' eliaraeters of a lalii miles iVom the mountains) a seeliou shows the same ^laeiiil el.'iy rel'erreij to alio\e, festint; on lioulili'r-<'l:iy and overhnii l>y silts. The lioulder-elay aloim tiiis part ol' tlie river ranges in tiiieUness from 'jn lo |(» I'eet ami I'oiisjsts of a li'jlit dral> colored sandy clay lilleil with striateij ami roundei] |ielililes ami houldei's of limestone and i|Uartzite. It is sejiarated in |tlaees iVoni the overlyiiiL;- line day hy Hamly ami gravelly lieds, hut in others nieru'es ;:radually into it. 'I'lic line clay, like the liouliler-clay. is variaMe in thickness, ran'.:in'..; from lo tooiM'eet. It holds a few scattered |pclil)les. which an; often ;_d;iciated. and arc occasionally I'ound in .an u|iri'.iht |iosition and at vai'ioiis anules to llie jthine ol" the deposit — a fact proiiahly ilue to their havimx lieeii (ln»|i|icd iVom lloiitiiiL' ice. 'I'he silts have a thickness here of ahoiit liMt f(>et. They e.vhihit curved crossdieddiim. rcscmliliiii; the kiml known as ilow-and-pluiiL^e structure, i!XC((|>tti»at the curved layers a re short, seldom oxeee.diiiji si.v iiKrlies in lenjitli, and tin,' surfaces are concave upward. I'clihh's, sonu! of which an? striateil, occur tlimui^dioul tlio section and lumps of clay are found at intervals. '• Opposite Cochi'ane the liouldL'i'-clay has a tiiic^kness of 1 •_'■") feet. ,\t the mouth of the .lunipiiiif i'oiuid. three miles farther up, it is much thinner, ami is overlain liy Hood-plain univels. Half a mile helow < iliost river the houlder-clay is overlain i)y in feet of coarse sands and gravels, alxtve which is "JO feet of river wasli. " Knim this point to the mountains, a distance of ahout "JO miles, the l)ouliler-clay has ix'cm washed away in most places and the older nicks are coV(!red directly with river gravels. Small sections, however, oeiair iit Morlev, 1"> miles cast of the mountains, m.'ar the mouth of a creek ■«■ AI.I'.KIiTA. ill'^f SC(|llC||C(' F..-I. I.". II) ."» I l> 10 ,S(I li;ir Mini \v;is i'^llt lilllr ill i>. It i.roli- , SiPl'tcil iVolll IIS until IIk; ir silts 1 1 Vt 'T- IS ) ;i section liT-chiy mill IT i';iiii:('s ill Inrcd smikIv >r liiiusloiic line ehiy l>y itc it. The iiiu iVoiii j.") n L^aciiiteil, riiilis Hll;j|es avillu' lieell I'llliout 101) • I kiKiwii as Kll't, Selildlll ve upwaril. ■eetioii and !•") feet. At it is niiirli elow < illdst ml ji;raveis, • miles, the ildei' niek.s ever, occur of a cnx'k "KCTKiNS IN |;(i\V KIVKK VAI.I.KY. r.7 ImI'iw old |!ow fort, and [.ossiMy also at other places, '{"lie river here is uiiii.ivi'/al)|e and was not closely e.\aniiiie(|. •• I'.HW river, in its passaire thi-nii-h the fo,, (hills and lor some .li^lan.^e l-eywnd.is l„.iinded l.y wide tei-raees lloord with river -ravels, which rise ill .111 irn-nlar manner to a hei-ht (.f ai.oiil i.'.")i) feet Mhove il. 'I'raees J'f lirraces exist .it lii-hcr eh.vations, hut the lines are not .'o .tiniioiis. 'I'll"' accompanying illustration shows the outline of the valley a mile west ol" .Morlev. ■^ k Mo.a.n., •,«,,. •S ic... »„ 1 X u lUki 4JttO 4HMi 4(HXi Hurtjontai Sr^i/r Sl.nu-inw th.. pnm-ii.al I. n.-u-r, thr.M.^l, nhirl, mon.ink- ri.l^^rs v.oj.vt a.Hi in uln.h liu pn-M-Mt nv.r vMlry has Ik-. „ .x.aval, -1 si. v tlu- r.h.rial jK-no,!. At .mm Mo„,. hanmur wa^ "-nnl M. an .A.av,.t...„ in .1..- «ravtis. an.i i. is h.Ii.v..! to In- rnMt.n.poran. u„. with Ihr fi.rn.a- linii 111 Uic Mii:ill rivii l.ir.irf iiiclicilt d. •• From C.chnine west to th.; mountains a numiier of nmunds and lid-es, evidently oriiiorninic oriLMii. project throiiu-h the terr.aces an-l are ^' •""'■'■'•'I "I""- 'I"' >l"l'<-^ "I' the valley to a liei-ht of al.out .'KHI r,.ct. The rid-es arc n^ii.dly several hundivd yanls in I, .null,, .-.o f,,,,t ,„• |„orc ill liei-hl. and as n rule arc ..itli..r parallel or inclined at a small aii-le t.i thecourM. olthe Valley. .\, .Morley station such ri.l-csand hills occupy a e'lntiniioiis area of lully a s«piare 111110.=*= ••'I'he drill rid-cs are usually covered with vc-vtation and natural sec- tions throuLih lln.ni are s-'arcc. TIh- l.est .se(.ti,.ns e.\;imi I were louiid in sonic r;ulway ciittiii.irs half a mile west ..f .Morley. The e.xp.isures hen; consist olhiird hoiilder-..|ayor a li-ht drah color,"lill..d with pcl,l,|esand i'ouhlers <,r liniesloiK; and (piartzKc. The p..l,h|es seld,.ni ex .d three inches in diameter, and wliih; some of them are rounded and water-worn •''■"'-"■ l"-"|i"i'ti iiv polislu.'d and striat.'d. in (.omposition the ili'' I hi' nil) I'll iiiii' riilLM'^ \\;i^ |p;irlirlll;i||\- nli-rr\i'il liv iiir in l"^>ll ;it ;i |M)iiil .ilniiil -i\ milc-i mrllicr ii|i the \;illcy, willi :iii ('|r\,iriiill 111:11111111 l.-H>l I'l'd. Ill my iimIc liunk il I- Mill- i lisri'il in I : " 'I'll is I lii'lii'll I is sc'NiTmI Miilo U i'lc- ;|||ii|r^ i if I In' liver. il is s{ilii|y, >,'l;i\ I'llv Ml' -I'liiy nil I hi' -iii I'lii'i' ;iiii| i- hni ;i liver III rare, Iml niilsl Iimm- Ih'i'Ii rnriiirij wiii'ii \\:ili'i' ~l I :i'jaiii~l ihc ill' iiinl.i iii< al il> icvcl, llii' river Iriiiii the |i:i>s 111! iIuiiIpI 111 iiijiii'j li'.w II I he iiialerial ll~l(\i'lal Muilev- i- almiil l,n:;u feel , L'ivillL' M s|M|.e ll|i\\ al'^l luWal'l the Ue-I cil llcarK :ln II (■) III I he mile." lleviewillLi liie -ei'liiHM alVnI'ileil liy I'.uW li\ i T. I he | il'i I ii'i | i.'i I fail s s| in\v ) ( iiy ilieiii :ire ~iiiiiiii;iii/.e'l ;i> liillipus liy Mr .Me( 'iiiniell : " I'' I'll II I the iiiniiiilaiiis ea-l I') ( 'ill 'J : liy till' 'jlai'ial i|e|iii^its MIT el ill rely i>r wcslei'ii III' liieal iiri'jiii ;iiii| i'ip|i~i--l nf I n ill |i |i 'f ila\s pa^siiiii; ueriisinii- iilly iiiti) L'r.'i\el> ;iiii| ii\ iihiiii ill |ilai'i'- liy Hue ejneial ehiys mihI sills. '■ l'];ist III' (';i!L:;iry llie inileil '_! IM \ el -- ;iiii| ;is-i«ei;ili'i| I'lays nml siiiids wliirh iiinlerlii' I lie liiiuMer I'lay :iie al-i) uf \\ I'slerii nri'.iin. ami |iri)li;ilily r('|ireseiit , t'lirsiiim' ili-laiue al least, the wa-h <>( ,-lriaiiis lliiwim;' e.-i-l ward Iruiii the |ln\v l!i\ it 'jiaeier. " l''rniii ( 'al'jary III a |iiiiiil heU n lUaeklnnt i'riilll lllllsl \\A\I' , I 111' rivrr (jdiii V is mImiiiI l,n:i(l • lllilr." II l';irts slitiWIl l> HIT riilirrly y the latter, lal rastwanl, casteiii .ir of llr illtn rarll lilies are le,;s llieji liiixeil ■■■\ 111' Wesleril ml I'liiliiiilit- lie ilifeliiir ■II ilril't uas Hit- wlietlier iir lint, 1 was 'lit iilisel'ved nisi (I era I lie liejllsiilllS til .siMMAItN AMI jiisn SsliiN. ;V,» lie i|eri\'ei| ri'iilM lliese facts ami llieir illterrehllioll. 'I'lie-e ecimlllsidllS are |iraetieally sm-li a- may ijirerllv lie drawn tVnin llie re'jinii it-elf. nut enni|ilii ali'd li\' alleiii|ilei| I'lirrelaliuii with di-lanl lield-. imi' will I \elillire al llie |ire^elll lillie even In riini|iare llieni witll a -eheliie iif lllaeial e\ent< in the west, wlijili lia- a heads' lieeji t el it at i \ely ad \ a need liy me. As ',ni|ilied ill Mr .\|e( 'unneir^ -nmmary nf the j'kiw Itiver -eetimi, just ^i\en. it may. I lielieve, linW lie -laled willl eellaillly tliat the eailiesi si'jii (if udaeial eunditiuiis met with in sniithwe-terii .Mhcria is fuiimi in llie evidence cif the e\tensi(in i if ij laeie)-^ fmin the llneky iiH illllt ai l|s t li:i!N AM'.liKTA. \i iili'iMily iiiciirmiii'il, it [a not (•iTluinly known limv fur tln' lower :nul U|>|ii'r lionliliTclays of tlic iibins or citliiT of tln'ni rxtcml lo tlic west. Ilotli :ii-i' fonnil :il lii'tliliriil;.'!'. <•'* inilc-t from tli<- nioiintiiins. iiml, it tlit; line oliscrvcil in sci-tiiHis on Ili'.'liwood river cornsiionils with tliis divis- ion. Itotii iiri' tliori' |»rfsi'nt to within jiliont, lo miles of the Imsc of the nionntains Mini :it iin neluiil eleviition of .'l.TiKI I'eet. One or ti ther of these houhler-elays, however, extends westward alonix the Oldman river heyond the longitude of the l'oreii|iine liills, ami at least as far west as Calirarv, on l>ow river, and there is sonu' reason to helieve that it is tins n|i|>er lioidder-el.iy wliieh is ihns most widely s|iread. Kes|)(!ctinif theeonditions indieateil liy tin- various deposits, the follow- inix remarks may in the lirst iilace he made: The Saskatehewan ^.'nivels, in their eoniposition and ln'canse of the j,'reat distance to which they have heen carried from the mountains, im- ply the existence at the time of their formation of a coiisiilerahle east- ward slope of the plains, prohiihly ;:reater than that hy which tin; same region of the plains is alVecteosits, tlie travele(| gravels and liouhh'rs markiiiif the hJLdiest levels of tin: drift depositson the Porcupines and footiiillsare referalile; iiut it iscertain that this time was one of ( id feet, or aliout tiirce times that of tlu^ present summit level of tiie iiaureii- tian plateau from which they came. It is reinforced hy the association of thes(! with limestones of the still lower WinnipcLr hasiii. IMirsiiim^ this ;iri^umeiit a litth; further into detail, wo may compare some of the levels at which the hi.nhtrst drift is found in several placi'sin the W(!st. In the I'orcupine hills this lev(;l is undoul)tedly that of a water- line, and 1 heliev(! it to lie so also in other places in which it has heen noted."!' On this assumption a relativ(! depression to the west at this tinu> of '.I CI feet is indieatoil hetw(!en the(!ypress hills and th(! I'orcu- * IJepdiC (vf I'romi'-^s, (ivdl. Siivvcv nl' (,':iri:ii|!«, Issi-'sl, p. l.il (". t 'I'l'i'iMffs iiDti'd l).v Mr 11. Iv ('iilv(^r nciir Sniiit Marys lnUi's, in nortlicri) Mmil.in.i. may ri'iirc- sciu tliDSH lii-n- ili'soriliril, iiltliouKh iin oiiitiMii drilt iipiMMrs (o Imvf Iiimmi roiiml ii|iciii tlii'iii. Mr Cdlvcr'x ilfscrlptliiii appears to show that the levels arn alnpiit llio salll(^ Trans. Wisconsin Aea^l. Sei., vol. viii, p. ■M■^. N AI.I!I:K1A. SFMNfAlfV A Nit itiscfssrov. i)\ tlic lower illlil il In tlic west. IIS. Mini, il tilt! ,itli this divis- r liust; of till' >r llic otlitT of OldiiiMii river as I'iir west !is ; tliiit it is the its, iho I'dIIow- ircnusc of llic loiiiitaiiis, iiii- •^iilcralile east- liicli lli(! same silly (l(!|ii)sits ureas of slack ii'ciirreil. e time of their e tract of tiic eiit to that of acial (le|iosits, •Is of the .Irift iseertain that tiie lorii) of a I eviileiit ill a I'i-ht of .'),;;()() il' the liauri'ii- le asso(Matit»ii may eoiii|)are ei'al |)la,ces in lat of il water- it has heeii west at this 1(1 tliu I'orcii- nlufia, in;iy rciiii'- I ii|Miii tlii'in. Mr Wisconsin AiMil. pines, or a slope of aliont I ! feet to the mile, i'.iit if it he assumed that this level marks th.it ol" the snrfaee of a imr ilc iilurr, an extension of tin; Laureiitide jfjaeier (as has heeii done hy Mr rpliam '. a similar westward depression must likewise ix; admitted. 1 n so far as such a surfaee mij.dit have departed from horizoiitality. it must have done so hy sloping' down toward its termination in the west, lee standiiiu: at a level of i.liHt feet at the ( 'y press hills eoi Id under no eoiieeivahle eoiiditions have heeii pushed up to a lieii^l I of ."),:iilO feet at the I'orcupines, •_'il() miles further in the general direi lion of its tlow.'^^ 'i'lius. undi.'r this liypothesis. we would lecpiire to add the amount of slope of thu surface to that neces- sary under the lirst mentioned assumption. r .\s to the period to which this N;rcat western depression may he as- simicd. it is pretty clear that it must ai'cord with one or the other of the glacial formations not already accounted for. in other words, it must have lieeii synchronous with the lower or upper lioulder-clays or with th(! silly deposits suhordinate to them. I have elsewhcrt; >,dveii reasons for the helief that lioth these houMer-clays of the western plains are attrihutahlc to the aueiicy of lloatin;;' ice.j; hut this hy|)othesis necil not here he specially insisted on. I mportaut Iteddcd silty deposits are found to hli'iid with 111" upper part of the upper iioulder-clay, and tin' fact that lai'ue erratii's are most ahundanton the |>lains at the top of or overlying,' the upper houlder-clay. with the similarity of tln-se to those found on and ahout the I'orcupiiK! hills and foothills farthest in towai-d the moun- tains, leads me to surliest that this period of jfreatest di pressioii corre- sponded with that of th(! upper lioulder-clay or immi diately I'ollowed it. \ closer comparison of the hi^hcsl levels of I'rratic-i in dill'erent parts of the field shows that the area of irreatest depression, and that of jfreatest suhseipient uplift, touches the southern part of the I'orcupines and e.\- teiids thenct! in an east-southeasterly dir"ction. and that to this direction a s(!ries of '• isohasic "' lines of decreasiuL' amount must have heen rou,u;lily parallel for some distance to the northeastward. The changes in eleva- tion seem, however, to have heeii accompanied liy deformation of some importance, for the hiiiliest level of drift upon West hutte is found to l)e eonsiderahly helow what it should he had tlu! dilVerence in level heen dis- trihutod uniformly in proportion to distance hidweeii the foothills and the Cypress hills, altliouith all threi' of tlu; localities are approximately in an east-and-wost line. 'I'lie iiu^ts are as yet too U'W to eiiahle tliesi; * 'I'lii' iii:ixiniiini ili'ptli of ii'i' or w;iti'i' covcriiiir llic inljiu'i'iu low I'liminy nni^t li:ivi' \nwn iilioiit 'j,(Hi(i IVcl iic'iir tlic Cypress hills :iiiAWS(t\ — (K.AiI A[. IIMI'OSITS n|.' SOITirWISTKI! V A l.lli:l!l' A. Incal ilillcri'iiccs 1.1 III' wiirkcil mil in ddail. liiit dtlicrs aliciuly rrcordiMl liiivc a similar nn aiiiii'j. When tin- lii^'iii'st tt'i'iMciN ami sliiiiv:!!' licils were luniifil ii|)uii tlic i'nivii|iiii('>tliriT is rmtliciTviilfiicc In sIk.w tliat ill tlic lindy of water (iT wliicli (hc^c iMrmril thr slinivs a |iivlly (Idiiiiti' ciirri'iit iiiiist liavc I'xistccl. Siniic i|i>taiiri' to the castwanl, tliix lu'olialply llowrd Sdiitliward or soutli- wcslwanl. Iiut wliiTi' it ivai'linl tiic liocky SpriiiL's platcaM tlic a|i|pcar- aiiccs indicate that it was inoviiiLr nearly parallel to the hordcr ,,{' the ulariated re'_don in Montana, '• west or to t lie north ol' west : thence i( ini- |iiiiired npoii the liase of the I'ocky iiioiiiitaiiis and was delieeted to a northeasterly direction, a circnnistanee shown l)y the oceurrtiHi'e, else- where referred to. of peiililes ot' the locally (|evelo|ieil ^Mveiistone of the niouii tains ill some a I lunda I ICC on the higher parts of the I'orcupiiie hills. Such a, cui'reiit may reasonaMy lie aceouiite(| fur l,\- the prevailiiiir direc- tion ol' the winds at the time and season of the driflaue of tilt.' ic(^ fn the case of these hiudid'-vel (Irifts nf the I'orciipiiies the d(,'|»osit of eastern and western material niiisl have heeii contemponuieoiis. lioth find their iip|)er level at tlu' samu plane, and there are no anteceileiit deposits at such a hi'iuht from which either can have heeii derived. .\t this time, moreover, some deposit must li.ave liceii in course of formation lienealh the siirroundiiiLi,' d(!e|ier w;iters across which the ileliris-licariiiii- ice iloated. and, heeause of the nielliiii:- of the ice and other accidents, this could not have heeii otherwise than a nolahly stony one. .\s already ■itateil, this is helieved to he reprcsiMitcd hy the U[>i)er lioulder-clay, the .silts overlyinu: it. or in part hy hotli. 'I'he terraciiiL' of the I'oreupiiies is not so pronounced as to re(|uire tln^ loiiLT preseiii'e of tlii! water-mai'iriii id any of the hii,dier levels, hut the well rounded character of most of the stones, particularly those from the niounta'iis, is such as to imply proloiiircd attrition. 'I'lie sann; character is iiotahle in the vast majoi'ity of the stones iiicliidod ui the houlder- clavs. It seems, in fact, prohahle that diiriiiii the winter months at this period a massive ice-foot formed aloiitf the ahriipt hase of tlie mountains, upon which, in the spriiii;', uravels from Ihioded streams wen- often ow Valley * licpurt of ri(i>;rc-'s, (ii'iil. Smvi'.v of CuiM.ti, 18H2-'81, p. 148 C. >il.i V M.I'.KUTA. 'iiily rrcDrdnl iril ll|iii|l tlic ly (if water nf liMvc cxistcil. •ani i»i' sdiitli- I tile a|i|pt'ar- liMi'ilcr 1(1' till' tlirlicc it illl- ilcllcctcil to a 'iirr(Mii'c, clsc- ■iistDiic ui' the )r(ii|piii(' hills, ■vailiiiu' iliroo- tlif ice. tliL' deposit of iicoiis. Ilotli M aiiti'ccdriit dci'ivfd. At, I' of formation Icliris-licariiit,' licr accidi'iits, '. As already Idcr-flay. tlu^ o rr(|iiir(' tlu! vels, imt till" osc from the me character the lioulder- onths at this mountains, ■re often dis- also lodue'l roUe away it y tlu! tiiese j,daciers i l»ow Vallev SIMMAKV ANI) DISCISSION. i;;; ;.daci<'r may still have continued t(» hold some importance in the loot- hill reiiioii, hilt the ahiiiidant supply of wi'li rounded <„'ravels, with other circuiiistanees. renders it proliahle that the Uocky .Mountain i,daeiers generally had hecome strii-tly local and relatively insimiilicaiit. If it may thus lie assumed tiiat the higher terraces and traveled gravels of the Porcupines are a|tproximately contc^mporaueous with the upper lioulder-clay. all the lower and later terraces and jiravi;! phiins may lie ■(•cLrai'ded as markiiiL; sta^'cs in the sulisideiice of this waterdevel from its ma.ximum hei^dit of o.-'illK feet. These, it has already hecn nott.'d. are usually not stron;.dy impressisd, and there is no evidence that thi; suhsi- deiiee was ari'(.'ste(l loiiLi, (except at oik; .^taiic. which is that spoken of in till' report of l.SS2-"Sl as l)ein<^ at ahout J._'iHMeet. Further e.xamina- tioM a|)|tears to siiov tliat tin; terraces referahle to this parti( uiar stai^o slope up gradually in the foothills and on approaching,' tin; mountains to a maximum heij^dit of aliout l.odl) feet, from which it may lie arLiued that from the last mentioned hei^dit the water lowered its level iiradually to one of ahout I. "ill!) feet, while new jnaterial was constantly lieiiij,' washed down hy rivers from the mountains. A later and still lower, thoujfh less important, period of arrest seems to he marked Iiy the )j;ravil plain near Maeleod at ahout .".,2l)(> feet. The lirst mentioned line of relativestaliility ajtpears to lie equally well marked in tin; southern portion of the re;fion, ahout Waterton lake and the Oldmaii river, and in the northern, in tlu? l)OW valley, leadiiii;- to the siiir.iiestioii that the irri'Ljular u|>lift of the earlier stages of recovery had lieeii succeeded aloiifj; the hase of the mountains hy one in which further chanjfe of level occuriHMl throuj,diout uniformly, as com])ared with the actual hei^dits of the surface found in the same rejiion today, or with isohases chan^'ed in dir(!etion and parallel to the trend of the mountains, 'i'his later u|»lift may have continued, \\\i\\ thestrandinuof lar^iehoulders near the waterdine i'roin time to time, until this part of the plains reached its )>resent condition and slope. Tlicre is, however, sonu; ^ood eviilence to show that in post^daeial times a renewed or continued southern uplift took place. This is derived from the ('hanjj;i's in the eoijrse of streams and slopes of their valleys, hut can- not he entered into in this paper.* In this connection T may di,ii;ress so far as to mention that there is a somewhat notahle corres[)on(lence hetween the hi;;her levels of terraces on hoth sides of the lltx^ky mountains and continental watershed. It is found in the southern ])art of the interior plateau of Uritisli ("oluinhia » Report of Progress, (teoj. Survey of Cunadn, 1882-'84, p. \M C; Anmml Report, Gool. Survey of Ciiniiiiilii, vol. i (n. s.), p. ".') C; Pliysiognphiciil Geology of tlio Rocky Mountain region in Cuiiiidii, Tians. Royal Sor. Caiiiula.vol. viii, see. 4, p. (lit. IX-IUi,i,. ."),!)0() liHit ; that helow this there is a- reiiiarkalih' paucity of terraces down to ahout 4,4.")() feet, lietweeii wiiiehaiid a height of -t.-'lOi) W'a'I aiiotiier well niarkeil fffoup of old water-lines appears. 'Pliese facts are fully deserihed in my forthcoming!; re|>ort on the Kaiuloops map-sheet. The eireunistanc(! may not he more tiian a cMneidenee, hut it is certainly a striUinj^ one and one worthy of further investiiration. As it has already heen stated that no .'ertain evidence has heen found such as to show that the lower lioulder-elay may not i»e tiiat extcndinjf farthest west and in toward the i)ase of the mountains, it may he ap- pr()[uiate now to mention the hypotheses which present themselves on that assumption. If the lower lioulder-clay Iiolds this position and was deposited contemporaneously with the hii;li-levcl erratics and uravels, the upper Itoulder-clay may veiy well have lici .1 laid down in the liody of water standing- later at the inferior levels of from 4,")(HI to 4,200 feet and indicated hy the well marked terraces and jfravel jtlains already alhided to. This hypotliesis. of course, assumes that a houhler-clay may he deposited from floating; ice, and to me it appi-ars prohaMe that a material of this nature may hav<; l>een formed in any one of three ways, namely, l)eneath a ^dacier, aiiout the ed;fe of a .irlacier as a tluvio-glacial deposit, or helow a Ixxly of water cliariied with lloatini;; ice. Accordin.u; to still another possihle hypothesis, it may he supposed th.it while the lower lioulder-clay is that stretchinii farthest west and sprcad- in;j; around the l>ase of the Porcuiiiiie hills, the hiuli terraces may IkmIuc to a suhseipient tloodiiii:- ahout the tiini' of the upper houlder-clay. 'i'his, however, does not appear to accord well with the fat'ts. for in this case there is no recoj^iiizahle deposit in the lower parts (tf the Hooded district near the I'orcu|)ine hills to represent this period of sui)meru;enee. Kespectinjf the actual western limit of eastern erratics, the investiga- tion here reported upon seems to sh(>',\- that the line marked upon the niaj) aeconiiianying the report of iS,S2-"St nearly correspomls with oh- served drift of this origin in the houlder-clays proper, slightly exceeding this to the south of the Porcupines and falling a litth; short of it to the north, Imt that scattered erratics occur in places considerahly farther to the wt'st. These are found upon the high(!r ridges and hills, ami if ])resent e<|ually in the valleys have there heen concealed hy a later wash from tlie mountains. Jlehind the Porcupines, the oecurrencis of such erratics is in inverse proportion to the amount of shelter allorded on the east hy the higher parts of these hills— a fact ei|Ually explicahlc; under any hypothesis of their deposition; hut the occurrence of such sporadic erratics renders it diilicult to draw any precise western line, and it is possihle that renewed investigation of the higher foothills may in some i!\ Ai,i;i:iiTA. srMMAKY ANM) DISCISSION. 65 10 t.» .'),;',0() I'ctit; down to iilxmt cr well marked Icscrilicd in my > circumstaniM' a striking one lias l)('(>n found that extendiu";; it may be ap- tluMnsclvcs on .)sition and was ;'s and uravcis, \\u in tlio l)ody 0(1 to 4,200 f(;et plains already a Uouldcr-clay prol)a1ilo that a ! of throe ways. a lluvio-glacial ec. e supposed that est and spread- cs may Ix; due er-clay. This, )r in this ease ooded district u'ence. the investiija- ked upon the inds witii oli- itly e.\eee(|inii irt of it to the dily farther to hills, and if V a later wash renee of such Horded on the licalilt! under inch sporadic^ line, and it is may in some places result in their occasional discovery even farth.er to the west than they have yet hoen oliserved. Another fa<'t of importance, ami one whii'h impri'sse(l itself on the writer in tiie course of the recent examination, is the followiuir: Kxcept in the case of the moraines evidently rereral)le to ulacii-rs of tlit! IJocky mountains, which we have found reason to assij^n to a very early period and which save in the case of How valley are closely confined tothehase of the mountains, the more olivions evidences of the work of ;j;laciers are conspicuously al)S(!nt in this entire reizion of the foothills and Porcupine hills. The hitrhest and farthest limits of tiie drift are not mai'ked liy moraines, and moraines, drundins. kan-es. and eskers are. with tin,' al)ove exceptions, entirely wantintr. 'I'his is very strik..i,n' when comparison is made between this reu;ion and that of ilriti di Colnndiia or the i,aurcntian jdateau, both of which are known to have been overridden by vast glaciers. Within the past year Professor T. ('. Cliamberlin has fornndated and name(l a series of stages in the glacial history of North .Xmeri.-i. and although the author of the chissilication woidil prolial>ly lie the first to admit its provisional character, it has nndouiitedly already lieen of con- siilerable service in sugLicsting a basis of iirrangement and in fixing the direction of future work. Thus it will be appropriate Ijricfly to note here in conclusion what appear to the write!' to lie the probable relations of the glacial deposits of .\liierta to this gcnci'al classification. The '"lower" boulder-claymay.it is fielieved.be regarded as re[ire- senting tlu' Kansan formation, while the interglaeial deposits, best d(!- veloped along the Uelly river, are su|)pose(l to b(> contemporaneous with the jtost-Kan.san interval, 'i'he "upper" boulder-clay of the western plains may then be identified with the Iowa;, formation and like it is associated with abimdant silty lieds. The Wisconsin formatioi\ is in all l)robabilit\' not met with in the extreme west, Imt its limit in this direc- tion may be marked Itythe .Missouri Cotcau, which in Canadian teri'itory extends from the forty-ninth parallel to the North Saskatchewan and in- definitely beyond in the farthei' north. 'I'Ik! post-lowan interval, in this case, ai)pears here, as in the I'egion farther east, to be marked by the erosion of important interglaeial valleys, which find their linut at the Coteau and its systems of drift ridges and hills.* No deposits lik«' the ( oteau occur inconneetion with the western ternnnationsof the •" lower" or " upper" l>oulder-clays. Iicverting now, on tin- basis of the above correlatiori, to ilie Saskatche- wan gravels and the " western " bouMer-elay, it will be apjiarent that these must repreisent an anteeedeut and unnamed stage of glaeiation in • (ioi)logy and Kcsourees of the Forty-ninth Pumllcl, p. B!(). 0() (i. M. DAWSON — (ILACIAf, DKI'OSITS OF SOUTirWKSTKUN AM'.KIITA. Nortli Aniorica. This, with scarcely an\' doubt, may, Croin tho ol)sorva- tions t^iven in tliis paper, l)c iv