Hibrarpy of the Museum COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY, AT HARVARD COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, MASS, Founded by private subscription, fn 1861. . . S LYN? o¢ Che 1 : ( L D lovey Veoticur TON es. Faget 3 ae” rLurak Ncronces | Vy. No. 6253 I ou. 5) 1579; Moar LER ear wi fo n.L6/6F3. Procecdings and Cransactions OF THE NOVA SCOTIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL SCIENCE, 1879, 1880, 1881 1882 VOLUME V HALIFAX NOVA SCOTTA: PROVINCIAL MUSEUM. WILLIAM GOSSIP, GRANVILLE STREET “1882. INDEX TO VOLUME V. ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, 1879, WILLIAM GossiP, F. R.M.S., Preszdent......p. 99 |B U CHOI IDINICHSS, cpa Oa REGS CO SE MAR CRABB Se OAc Se aaeier PESO oe a ae Ge Jule} 2BBy eis) IRE SIMO OVUINNOB HRS s.--08 so Sysc sc lcdcecastaectessa ten ct eas in ccuucd soe hctuewede Hide Lit ozo ola TRANSACTIONS. PAGE A New Mineral (Louisite) from Blomidon,, N.S. By H. Lours, Asso-- eiateshoyal Schooltoie Mines; Wondont:..:..2.2... 297 General Meteorological Register, January, 1880, Halifax, N. 8. By ATGUSTUS AWUISON cps. cen caasenso-Seeeruest east te ae ses te tcnee ean 315 Mes: © Eve ja Ne Ou Ss: Magnetism the Life of the World. By ANDREW Dewar, Arclhitect........ 58 Experimental Microscopy. By J.Sommrs, M.D... .......c.s0...sssecsesesseelee 81 Nova Scotian Archeology. (See also page 328)......... .....scceecconeecsnccerees 217 PROCHEDINGS OF THE Nova Scotian Mustitute of Batural Science, ERRATA. Ist p. of Cover, and 9th p. of Transactions, for “‘ Professor of Psychology” read Professor of Physiology. Ist p. of Cover and 47 of Transactions, for “Society of Mines” read School of Mines. Last p. of Cover and p. 3 Proceedings, for “J. M. Jones, M. L. 8.” read John Matthew Jones, F. L. S. List of Members,— insert ‘64, Mar. 7,—W. C. Silver, 7reasurer, Halifax.” Corresponding Members,—insert ‘ 77M ay 14, T. C. Weston, Geological Survey of Canada.” Transactions,—p. 29, line 16, for “at the drift” read, in the drift. p. 30, line 36, for “pre-pliocene” read post-pliocene. p. 38, line 9, for “Salmonide” read Salmonide. p. 65, line 27, for “steps” read step. p. 68, line 26, comma after “there.” p. 72, line 11, for ‘“‘ Forrestere” read Forresteri; and line 32, for “was” read were. p. 81, for “Somers” read Sommers. For “ Minum,” p. 12, read Mnium. lor * Pyriformi,” p. 12, read Pyriforme, For “ DeGraas,” p, 83, read DeGraff. For “ Kercher,” p.83, et seq, read Kircher, UUuring IMs long tenure OF Olice,. aia 7 ORDINARY MEETING, Dalhousie College, Noy. 11, 1878. Wo. Gossip, Esq., President, in the Chair. The SECRETARY announced that the Council had elected as members of the Institute, COLONEL Drayson, R. A., Lirur. Cou. Cockpurn, R. A., LIEUT. Murray Duntop, R. A., Lr, CockERrILL, R. A., and Joun R. McLeop, Mer- chants’ Bank, Halifax. Resolved, That the thanks of the Institute be given to the Governors of Dalhousie College for the excellent accommodation afforded for the Meetings of the Institute for the present session. Resolved, That the Institute record its expression of deep regret at the great loss that the Institute.and science have sustained by the death of THomas Bsr, lv ZOOLOGY: On the Salmon of Nova Scotia. By J. BERNARD GILPIN, A.B., M.D., Me eR. Case See Seer On the Semi- annual Napration of rae rR Fal in UNGvE ‘Scoud = iidedos See id. Onia Cub found in a; Bear's deny January 125 1880.2... -eoes ee eeee id. On the Birds /of Prey of NovaeScotiae... (s.c..05.2.20-5.5 secon eee eee On the Dwellings of the Muskrat and Pose in Via SCOtIA. eee eeeele On the Shore Birds of Nova Seutia.... ee cricS vicndance lithe Fish Culture. By JoHn T. MELLISH, a M. Svsetestlssosisteotsin0l008 «eee eee a List of Fishes of Nova Scotia (corrected to date, 1879). a J. Mat- mano? dOnt Wo lbe Sy paosshee cee PME Aris. Notes on the Anatomy of a Seal com acanlen Gennes By JOHN SOMPRS, MODs. oc. 5, ssjuceaysducsises sancecettbnas uote eee ee ee Intestinal Canal of the Moose. R. Morrow, HSQisc.) ses0scensenso see ANGUS! The}, AY AWE ONE. WOE) WYO on ooncsanpacoceseeosnsnocesoe- 3 On the Bones of Salmo Salar Annan4:- OST ee we whet twee e see c we rat eee ts tester eessestasssetesens ocr IMete: rological maeree January, 1880, Halifax, N. 8. By AUGUSTUS ATUTSONG ..0d5)i02 sesides sect evan ticle cas 56- Oe eee he eee MISCELLANEOUS. Magnetism the Life of the World. By ANDREW Dewar, Architect........ Experimental Microscopy. By J.Sommrs, M.D... .......é..cscersecswees one oe Nova Scotian Archeeology. (See also page 328)......... ....ccsessecessecsecserees PROCEHEDINGS OF THE Nova Scotian Sustitute of. Natural Science. NG@E. Vis PART oe Provincial Museum, Oct. 9, 1878. ANNIVERSARY MEETING. WiLiiaM Gossip, Es@., Vice-President, in the Charr. Inter alia. The following Gentlemen were elected Office-bearers and Council for the ensuing year :— President—WiLL1aM GOssIP. Vice-Presidents—FREDERICK ALLISON, A, M., Pror. G. Lawson, Ph. D. LL. D. Treasurer—W. C. SILVER. Secretartes—Pror. D. Honryman, D. C. L., JoHN T. MELLISH, A. M. Councu—J. B. Gitpin, B. A., M. D., M. R.C.S., Pror. A. P. Rem, M. D., Pror. J. SomMErs, M. D., Hon. L. G. PowERr, JoHN MATTHEW JoNEs, M.L. S., ROBERT Morrow, AuUGUsTUS ALLISON, ANDREW DEWAR. Resvlved, That the thanks of the Institute be expressed to the late President, Dr. J. B. GILPIN, for his able and efficient discharge of the duties of President, during his long tenure of office. ORDINARY MEETING, Dalhousie College, Noy. 11, 1878. Wo. Gossip, Esq., President, in the Chair. The SECRETARY announced that the Council had elected as members of the Institute, COLONEL Drayson, R. A., Lieut. Cot. Cockpurn, R. A., LIEuT. Murray Duntop, R. A., Lr. CockEerRILL, R. A, and Joun R. McLeop, Mer- chants’ Bank, Halifax. Resolved, That the thanks of the Institute be given to the Governors of Dalhousie College for the exce]lent accommodation afforded for the Meetings of the Institute for the present session. Resolved, That the Institute record its expression of deep regret at the great loss that the Institute.and science have sustained by the death of THomas Bair. 4 PROCEEDINGS. F.G.S., M.E:, “ The Naturalist of Nicaragua,” who was one of the Founders of the Institute, an active member, and a contributor to its Transactions. The following notice of Mr. BELT’s death, appears in the Sept. 26, 1878, No. of “ Nature,” an illustrated Journal of Science, published in London :— “The Scientific world will hear with regret the recent death of the well- known naturalist and geologist, Mr. Thomas Belt, F. G. 8., which has just been telegraphed from Colorado. It is believed to have beem caused by mountain fever. Elected a Fellow of the Geological Society in 1866, the geological world owes to him the division of the Lingula flags into Maentwrog, Ffestiniog, and Dolgelly flags, proposed in 1867. In 1874 appeared his well-known and de- servedly popular “ Naturalist in Nicaragua,” in which he showed how his pro- fessional avocations as an engineer, had Jent keenness to his observing facutties, and how an acute reasoner cansutilize his observations. The work conveyed. much information von protective mimicry, plant fertilisation, sexual selection, and the other collateral issues of the theory of evolution.” * ~ ig Dr. SoMMERS gave an interesting account of Observations ‘ On Nova Scotian Mosses.” Illustrative specimens were exhibited. Dr. Lawson directed attention to a Communication from the Rey. E. Batu, Corresponding Member of the Institute, “On Certain Nova Scotian Ferns.” Tie Communication was illustrated by specimens of Ferns from Dr. Lawson's Herbarium. Mr. J. M. JoNEs gave an account of important additions made to the list of Nova Scotian Fishes, by the United States Fishery Commissioners. Mr. J. also iitimated his intention to prepare a catalogue of the Fishes of Nova Scotia, as far as known, for publication in the Transactions of the present Session. ORDINARY MEETING, DEC. 9; 1878.. The PRESIDENT in the Chair. The SecrETARY announced that. the Council had elected V. G. Harris a member, and WonG Krex SHoon, of the Chinese Imperial Navy, on board of H. M.S. Bellerophon, an Associate Member of the Institute. ; Dr. HoNnEYMAN described and figured a new gigantic Trilobite from the Iron Mines of Clements, Annapolis County. Dr. SomMERS read a letter from the Rrv. E. BALL, in reference to his ob- servations on the varieties of Aspidiwm Spinulosum, Gray, which was com- municated at g@ preceding meeting by Dr. Lawson. “The Analysis of a new Mineral from Blomidon,” by H. Louts, Assoc. R. 8S. M., was read by the SECRETARY. An interesting specimen of fossiliferous sandstone was exhibited and de- scribed by the Secretary. The specimen was from Mira Ridge, Cape Breton. A letter was read from the Rey. Donald Sutherland, of Gabarus, describing the locality where he found the specimen. ORDINARY MEETING, January 13, 1879. The PRESIDENT in the Chair. Mr. J. M. JONES gave an interesting account of certain exotic fishes some~ times found on the Coast of Nova Scotia. A paper “ On the Geology of King’s County,” was read by Dr, HonExMan. PROCEEDINGS. D ORDINARY MEETING, Febpuary 10, 1879. The PRESIDENT 7 the Chair. The SECRETARY announced that CHarues R. F. Twrnine@, C. E., had been elected by the Council as a member of the Institute. Mr. Epwin GIupiy, M. E., read a paper ‘‘ On the Limonites and Limestones of Pictou County.” Dr. J. B. GILPIN also read a paper “On the Salmonide of Nova Scotia.” The paper was illustrated by numerous drawings and sketches. The PRESIDENT announced the death of J. J. MAckrnzin, M. A., Ph. D., Professor uf Physics in Dalhousie College, and a Member of the Institute. Dr. Mackenzie was a native of Pictou County, and studied at Dalhousie College, where he graduated as Bachelor of Arts in 1869, subsequently taking the higher degree of M. A. He afterwards proceeded to Europe, where he spent several years in studying at the Universities of Berlin, Liepzic and Paris. In Prof. Helmholtz’s Physica) Laboratory in Berlin, he conducted an elaborate series of investigations on the Absorption of Gases by Liquids, the results of which were published as a graduation thesis when he took the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. His re- moval at an early age, when entering apparently upon a career of great public usefulness, is deplored as a great loss to Science. \ ORDINARY MEETING, March 10, 1879. The PRESIDENT in the Chair. Mr. Henry Louis, Assoc. R. 8. M., read a paper “On the Ankevite of Lon-. donderry Mines.” The PRESIDENT communicated a paper by PrincipaL Dawson, McGill Col-~ lege, Montreal, “ On Nova Scotian Geology.” The Communication was the proof sheet of a reply to Dr.. Honeyman’s article. in last year’s Transactions, and intended for publication in. the Canadian; Naturalist. ORDINARY MEETING, April 14, 1879: The PRESIDENT in the Char. A paper ‘On Magnetism” was read by ANDREW DEWAR. A paper was also read by Dr, IloNEYMAN, “ Notes to Geological Retrospect of 1878-9.” ORDINARY MzETING, May 12, 1879.. The PRESIDENT 2: the Chair.. Before the Minutes were read the PRESIDENT referred to the loss the Insti- tute had recently sustained by the decease of FREDERICK ALLISON, Es@., after a lingering illness,—as follows :— “Mr. ALLISON had been a Member of the Institute fora number of years. At the time of his death he was one of its Vice-Presidents. He was a man of high character and attainments, M. A. of the University of King’s, Windsor, and one of its Governors, and held the important position of Provincial Meteorolo-- 6 PROCEEDINGS. gist, which he filled with honour to himself, and with entire satisfaction to the Government which appointed him to the office. “Tn the Meteorological Section of the Institute he was conspicuous, He was an able successor of the late lamented Col. MyERs, to whom we were for- merly much indebted for valuable services in that department of Natural Science. Our published Transactions attest the ability of both these gentlemen, and especially to that of Mr. ALLISON, who was an enthusiast in the study of the Science. The service he has rendered to Nova Scotia, and to the Dominion, by his Papers, which exhibit a continuous record for a series of years, of carefully observed atmospheric phenomena, and their influences upon the climate and veyetation of the country, cannot be too highly appreciated. “Taken from‘us in the prime of life, an honorable gentleman, of unassuming demeanour, of whose friendship any one might be proud, an able advocate of science in general, and of high proficiency in a department which he had made his own, we sympathize in the sorrow of his relatives and friends in their be- reavement ; and lament the dispensation which has deprived us of an associate in every way worthy of our respect and esteem.” The Minutes of last Meeting were read. The PRESIDENT directed attention to the following Communication received from the Royal Microscopical Society of London, in which it was proposed to constitute the President of the Institute, for the time being, a - Fellow of the Society, and an exchange of publications was requested. The Secretary Nova Scotian Institute. 6 Old Jewry, London, E. C., 2nd April, 1879. Dear Sir, The Royal Microscopical Society have recently determined, as you will see from the enclosed report, to elect the Presidents of kindred Societies ex officio Fellows of this Society. Your Society has been nominated under this regulation, and I shall be much obliged if you will inform me whether it will be agreeable to it to accept the nom- nation. We shall be very pleased to receive your publications in exchange. FRANK CRISP, Secretary Royal Microscopical Society. The kindly intentions of the R. M.S. were acknowledged by the PRESIDENT, in asubsequent communication to the R. M. S., and the exchange of publications cordially acceded to. A paper was read by J. T. MELLtsH, A. M., “On Pisciculture.” The paper was illustrated by specimens of young salmon, hatched in the establishment at Bedford, superintended by Mr. Wilmot. Dr. SOMMERS read an interesting paper ‘“ On Microscopy.” Two excellent microscopes were used to illustrate his observations, with a good selection of objects—technical, geological and petrological. Dr. HONEYMAN exhibited geological specimens under the microscope, and Dk, SOMMERS illustrated the circulation cf the blood in the frog. LIST OF MEMBERS. 7 LIST OF MEMBERS. Date of Admission. 1873. 69. a. 64, 64. 75. 78. 78. 67. 72. 63. 75. 63. 60. Jan. Feb. Dec. Nov. Feb. Feb. Nov. Sept. April May Jan, Oct. Dec. Nov. April Feb. Jan. Feb. April Jan. Feb. Jan, Dec. June Dec. Feb. Dec. Jan. Jan. Feb. Noy. Mar. Jan. Feb. Jan. 11, 15. 10. April 3. (& 11. 10. a: 10. 12. 13. 11. 26. 7 ine 13. 29, 13. 12, 5. Te ible Akins, T. B., D. C. L., Halifax. Allison, Augustus, Halifax. Bayne, Herbert E., Ph.D., High School, Halifax. Bell, Joseph, High Sheriff, Nalifax. Brown, C. E., Halifax. Brunton, Robt., Halifax. Brunton, John, Halifax. Cockburn, Lieut. Col. Cogswell, A. C., D. D.S., Halifax. Costley, John, Dep. Pro. Secretary, Halifax. Cramp, Rev. Dr., Wolfville. Dewar, Andrew, Architect, Halifax. DeWolfe, James R., M. D., L. R. C. 8. E. Downs, Andw., Corr. Memb. Z.S., London, Halifax. Egan, T. J., Taxidermist, Halifax. Forbes, John, Manager of Starr Works, Dartmouth. Foster, James, Barrister-at-Law, Dartmouth. Fraser, R. G., Chemist, Halifax. Geldert, J. M., Barrister at Law, Halifax. Gilpin, Edwin, F. G. S., Inspector of Mines, Halifax. Gilpin, J. Bernard, M. D., M. R. C. S., Halifax. Gossip, Wm., F. R. M.S., President, Halifax. Haliburton, R. G., Barrister-at-Law, Halifax. Harris, V. I. Hill, Hon. P. C., Barrister-at-Law, Halifax. Honeyman, Rev. David, D. C: L., Secretary, Halifax. Harrington, W. M., Halifax. Jack, Peter, Cashier of People’s Bank, Halifax. James, Alex., Judge of Supreme Court, Halifax. Jones, J. M., F. L.S., Halifax, Kelly, John, Dep. Chief Com. Mines, Halifax. King, Major R. A., Halifax. Lawson, George, Ph.D., LL.D., Professor of Chemistry and Natural History, Dalhousie College, Halifax. Mellish, John T., M. A., Secretary, Halifax. McKay, Alex., Principal of Schools, Dartmouth. Morrow, Godfrey, Halifax. sT ost I SD HI AT AIT SS] sNT SIDA oO OPO MD 66. Le POVw ea) Fan 10. 18. Hil 10. LIST OF MEMBERS. Morrow, James B., Halifax. Morrow, Robert, Halifax. Moseley, E., Dartmouth. Murphy, Martin, C. E., Provincial Engineer, Halifax. Nova Scotia, the Rt. Rev. Hibbert Binney, Lord Bishop of. Outram, Jos., Halifax. Poole, H.S., F. G. S., Superintendent Acadian Mines. Pictou. Power, Hon. L. G., Senator. Reid, A. P., M. D., Superintendent of Lunatic Asylum, Dart- mouth. Rutherford, John, M. E., Halifax. Scott, Seymour, Halifax. Sinclair, John A., Halifax. Sommers, John, M. D., Halifax. Sterling, W. Sawers, Cashier of Union Bank, Halifax. Twining, Charles R., C. E., Halifax. Young, Sir William, Knight, Chief Justite of Nova Scotia, Halifax. McGregor, J. G., A. M., D. Sc., Bristol, England. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. Ambrose, Rey. John, A. M., Digby. Burwash, Rev. Prof., Wesleyan College, Sackville, N. B. Kennedy, Professor, Acadia College, Wolfville. Louis, Henry, Assoc. R. Sch. of Mines, London. McKay, A. H., A. M., Principal of Pictou Academy. McKinnon, Rey. John, P. E. Island. Morton, Rey. John, Trinidad. Patterson, Rev. George, D. D., New Glasgow. CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. Bell, Rev. E., Maccan: Bethune, Rev. J. S., Ontario. Cope, Rev. J. C., President of the New Orleans Academy of Science. Harvey, Rev. Moses, St. John’s, Nfld. King, Dr. V. C., Vice-President of the New Orleans Academy of Science. Marcou, Jules, Cambridge. Matthew, G. M., St. John, N. B. Tennant, Prof, J., F.G.S., F. Z.S., &e., Mineralogist to H. M. the Queen and the Baroness Burdett Coutts. LIFE MEMBER. Hon. Dr. Parker, M. L. C., Nova Scotia. TRANSACTIONS OF THE Hova Scotian Hustitute of Natural Science. ART. 1.—A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE STUDY OF NoVA SCOTIAN Mosszs.—By JoHN Sommers, M. D., Professor of Psychology and Microscopy, Halifax Medical College; and Lecturer on Zoology in Technological Institute. (Read November 11, 1878.) THE present contribution is a continuation of the study of N. S. Mosses, published in last year’s Transactions. It will be observed that both the present and previous papers exhibit a want of systematic arrangement, inasmuch as there will be found a repetition of genera and orders; a necessary re- sult this of the manner of their preparation, and representing, as they do, the work of successive seasons, the species collected being various, their description as a whole will appear irregular, a difficulty which it is hoped will be overcome at a later stage by the formation of a catalogue of all the species described in these contributions. ORDER NECKEREI.. Mont. . NECKERA. pinnata, Hedw. ‘ Stems pinnate flat, leaves ovate-lanceolate acuminate, nearly entire, nerveless sporangium ovate, oblong, immersed, growing on trunks of trees, fruiting in September. Orp.—Hypnes. Br. & Schimp, Mont. Hypnum. Schreiberi. Willd. Leaves imbricated crowded, stems: irregularly branched, the ‘branches pinnate, sub-erect, sporangium oblong, ovate cernuous, lid conical, forming yellowish or golden green patches in pine avoods, and on exposed banks very abundant, but rare in fruit ; 10 NOVA SCOTIAN MOSSES—SOMMERS. the stems are of a beautiful shining red colour, the leaves are two nerved concave and obtuse, fruiting in Autumn. H. BLANDOVII. Webb & Mohr. Leaves ovate papillose, sharply toothed margins recurved, nerved to the top, stem divided, with paraphylla, branchlets crowded, sporangium curved cylindrical, lid conical apiculate. A beautiful Moss, with many characters of Thuidium, forming dense cushions on rocks and stumps in bogs and swampy places, stems feathery, tall, pale green, sub-erect, fruit stalk long reddish common, fruiting in April and May. H. SPLENDENS. Hedw. Leaves imbricated, ovate, concave, serrated, pointed, two nerved sporangium, ovate cernuous lid, rostrate ; stem sub-erect, more or less bipinnate or sometimes tripinnate, sporangium ovate cernu- ous lid beaked, common in damp woods, forming large tufts, fruitstalk tall, fruiting in early Spring. H. TrRiquetTRuM, L. Stem ascending with fasciculate branches,stem-leaves squarrose, branch-leaves spreading, acuminate, cordate, serrate, two nerved sporangium, ovate cernuous. Forming coarse yellowish patches in exposed banks, generally occupying dry situations, fruiting in March and April. H. crRista. castrensis, L. Stem sub-erect, feathery leaves, secund ovate lanceolate, plicate acuminate, toothed two nerved below, sporangium curved, oblong, eernuous, lid conical. The most beautiful of our mosses, very common and easily distinguished, forming golden green patches on rocks in wooded hills, fruiting in July and August. H. mowuuscum. Hedw. Leaves crowded, secund, serrate lanceolate, toothed acuminate, two nerved or nerveless; sporangium, ovate, short, lid conical, resembles crista castrensis in general appearance. The habit is smaller, sporangium smaller, lid more acute, the stems have not the abrupt termination of castrensis. NOVA SCOTIAN MOSSES—SOMMERS. LE H. HAMULOSUM, Fol. Leaves hamulose ovate lanceolate serrate, nerveless, stem pro- cumbent pinnate sporangium, subcylindrical, lid conical acumin- ate, forming dark green patches, closely matted on rocks, and the boles of trees, bearing fruit in summer. H. scoRPOIDES, L. Stems procumbent, irregularly branched leaves imbricated, faleato secund, concave entire, nerveless or two nerved, sporan- gium, oblong curved cernuous, lid conical, beaked. Not common, in swampy woods, fruiting in spring and early summer. H. arctTicum. Somm. Stem creeping, branching irregularly, procumbent, branches, somewhat erect, leaves spreading, not squarrose, rigid entire nerved sporangium oval, cernuous, lid conical obtuse, forming dark green patches on rocks in running brooks, bearing fruit in May and during the Summer. PYLAISIA. polyantha. Schimp. Stem creeping, much branched, branches arched growing from the upper side of the stem, leaves secund turned upward, ovate acuminate, faintly two nerved or nerveless, entire, sporangium oblong, curved, fruitstalk long. Common on trunks and boles of trees, fruiting in September. ORDER.—Drepanophyllei. Mont. FISSIDENS. taxifolius. Hedw. Leaves crowded, lanceolate, mucronate, margin crenulate, fruitstalk long radical, sporangium oblong cernuous, lid beaked. Bearing fruit in September. In moist woods common. F. TAMARINDIFOLIUS. Donn. Leaves short, distant, spreading, elliptic, bordered entire, api- culate, sporangium ovate, curved, lid conical, acuminate, fruit- stalk arising from the base of the barren shoots, found in fruit in August, growing on roots of beech and other hardwood im damp: woods, not so common as the last. 12 NOVA SCOTIAN MOSSES—SOMMERS. ORD.—BARTRAMJEL Br. & Schimp. BArRTRAMIA. pomiformis. ‘Hedw., var..crispa. Leaves spreading, crisped, linear lanceolate toothed, sporangiuna on a short stalk glebose, forming soft yellowish patches, very common on granite boulders, fraiting in April and May, the col- lections have a dessicated.appearance due to the peculiarities of the leaves. OrDER.—Bryei. Br. & Sehimp. ‘Minvm. cuspidatum. Hedw. Stem simple erect, lower leaves obovate, upper ovate lanceolate, both acuminate, sporangium pendulous oval, lid convex, obtuse, sporangium solitary, nerve not:reaching the tip, fruiting in early summer, growing on the banks of water courses in shady places, sometimes in company with M. punctatum loc. woods back of Melville Island, ditto near Byers Road, D. Vill, Hx M. sTrTHLARE, Hedw. Leaves toothed, not bordered, stems erect sporangium cernuous, ovate, lid hemispherical obtuse, forming soft, deep green patches on moist, shady banks, leaves increasing in size from below up- wards, fruitstalk long, arising from the midst of a budlike collection of leaves at the top of the stems, leaf cells smaller than in punctatum, bearing fruit in May and June. The leaves shrivel speedily in dry weather, when the fruitstalk and sporangium be- come the most prominent characteristics of the plant. Plants of this genus are the most beautiful objects of the whole Bryologi- cal series, presenting in their ordinary appearance the nearest approach to vascular plants. They are worthy of the attention of the horticulturist. Being very sensitive to atmospheric con-— ‘ditions, they require shade and moisture for their successful cultivation. M. punctTatum, Br., common on banks of shady brooks. LEPTOBRYUM PYRIFORMI, Schimp. * Leaves lower lanceolate, entire, upper spreading toothed nerve, xeaching the tip, sporangium large pearshaped, pendulous, lid con- . 8 . wex, mamillary, common on turfy ground, roadsides, and places NOVA SCOTIAN MOSSES—SOMMERS. 13 exposed to sunlight, leaves inconspicuous, fruiting in early spring and through the summer. OrpDER.—Polytrichiei, Brid. & Sch. PoLYTRICHUM, commune, L., fruiting in June. P. JUNIPIRINUM, Hedw., fruiting in June. ATRICHUM, undulatum, P. Beauv., common, fruiting in autumn, forming dense green patches. OrpER.—Tetraphidei, Br. & Schimp. TETRAPHIS, pellucida, Hedw. Very common in shady woods and on roots of trees, fruiting in summer and autumn, easily recognized by the four-toothed peristome and the cup-shaped cluster of leaves surrounding the gems. OrpDER.—Grimmiei, Br, & Schimp. ScHISTIDIUM, maritimum, Br. & Schimp. Leaves rigid, strongly acuminate nerve excurrent, much crowded erectopatent, sporangium obovato truncate, lid very large, shortly rostrate, fruiting in autumn, growing on granite boulders, dark olive green, pulvinate. OrpER.—Hedwigiacei, Br. & Schimp. HeEpwWIGIA, ciliata, Hook & Wils. Branches fastigiate, leaves imbricated, oblong lanceolate, spor- angium globose immersed, veil bairy pericheetial leaves ciliated, lid plano convex, with a central papilla, variable, common on granite boulders, lurid green pulvinate, fruiting in autumn and through the winter. ArT I]—On Nova Scotian Frerns.—By Rev. E. N. BALL, Maccan, Communicated by Dr. Lawson. (Read November 11, 1878.) ~ I HAVE been examining more closely the varieties of Aspid- ium Spinulosum (Gray) this Summer, and offer the following as my more matured observation. 14 NOVA SCOTIAN FERNS—BALL. ASPIDIUM SPINULOSUM (Gray). Though in our Nova Scotian plants the scales cannot be said to be deciduous (for they are retained by the fronds even when past maturity), yet this fact will scarcely perhaps warrant my calling the indigenous plant a variety—obliquum, and, as the plant in all other respects answers to Gray’s description, if I were to revise my paper, I should drop the idea of the variety and give it as Gray does. A. spin. var. intermedium. Early in the Spring I noticed many plants of spinulosum so completely covered with glands as to render them, from this fact, markedly conspicuous to the naked eye even, and very distinct from other plants of same species, growing side by side with them in some instances, so that from a distance of 20 feet the unrolled glandulous fronds could be distinguished from the shining smooth ones. Marking several of these as yet undeveloped fronds, I find that the glan- dulous are intermedium and the smooth Gray’s N. American typical Aspid. spinulosum. I had not noticed this to be the case before. A. spin. var. dilatatum. This is a very distinctly marked variety. The fronds, by their broader growth, the pinnze wider in the centre than at their bases, and at this season of the year, both in young and old plants, mottled with decay spots. But the most singular distinction is the long creeping rhizome, with the stumps of old fronds very stout, shorter than in var. intermedium and not overlapping so much. Intermedium has a more or less assurgent rhizome. The same characteristics mark both young and old plants, nor are these peculiarities owing to different habitats, for 1 find specimens of these two varieties most markedly distinct and yet with their rhizomes in contact with each other. I have sent specimens of the three to the Halifax Nursery, and have asked Mr. Harris (the younger J. H.) to keep one of the roots of dilatata for you. If you should deem this worthy of bringing to the notice of the Institute, with the rhizome and frond (from Minudie, Cum- berland Co.) to illustrate, it is respectfully submitted. LOUISITE—LOUIS. 15 What, I have here stated is for the most part not new, but a confirmation of former notice. Art, II].—A New Minera (LOvIsITE), FROM Biomipoy, N. S., By H. Louts, Assoc. Royal School of Mines, London. (Read December 9, 1878.) H.=65 G. 2.41. Vitreous. Leck-green. Translucent. Streak and powder white. Fracture splintery. Brittle. Diff. B. B. In an open tube yields water and becomes pale brown. On platinum wire fuses to a white vesicular enamel. It gelatinises in and is completely decomposed by hydrochloric acid. ANALYSIS. Sl OS emer ee Wet ee aie Siiie dl Oe de AU ge. ces « Pace he A : See OU He Ov. ed a OM ees Jat st ays 3 eon 5) Nie OR. Sos AAA : . trace (Sat Oe ate ae ae En ei a” oe Wy fv f I Oe fo oP tera) sige cw otats scat aja: Ose miehoewtmeseits OOS mFS earerc nde EL 99.63 The formula appears to be, 12 Si O, 4 Ca O 9 Hz O or perhaps, 3 Si O2 Ca O 2 He O. Considering the water as basic, the latter formula may be written. 3 Si Oz R O. 2 Mz O where R O=Ca O Fe O Mg O and Mg OH, O Kz O Nag O, The latter is, I think, the better view to take of its composition. Nore.—The Mineral was picked up by Mr. Robert Starr, of Cornwallis, when I was examining the Geology of Blomidon. I have suggested the name Louisite, in consideration of Mr. Louis's kindness in undertaking to analyse it. Prof. Dana remarks in refereuce to its composition, that if all the silica in it is combined, and none of it free, there is nothing like it in mineralogy.-— Mr. Louis says that the silica is all combined, Mr. Louis exhibited a beautiful specimen of Crystallization in 16 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—-HONEYMAN. a tap-cinder from Londonderry Iron Mines. The multitude of Crystals thus formed are considered to be Olivine. Did Art. [V.—Nova Scotian Grotocy. By THE Rev. D. Honry- “MAN, D. C. L, Fellow of the University of Halifaa, Curator of the Provincial Museum, Professor of Geology in Dalhousie College and University, and Lecturer on Geology in the Technological Institute. (Read Dec. 9, 1878,) I HAVE received from the Rev. D, Sutherland, of Gabarus, (near Louisburg,) Cape Breton, an interesting specimen of fossi- liferous sandstone. The locality where he found it is described as “At a fine spring of water that boils up out of the rock, at the roadside, on A. Walker’s farm, Big Ridge, on the road from Marion Bridge, (Mira River,) to Gabarus, at about 14 miles, as laid down on Church’s map, direct south from Marion Bridge.” I have referred to Marion Bridge in my “ Retrospect” of last session as the locality where Mr. H. Fletcher, of the Dominion Geological Survey, discovered interesting fossiliferous strata, which I referred to the horizon of the Upper Lingula Flags of Wales, on account of the occurrence of the Trilobite Olenus alatus, associated with Agnostus. Mr. Sutherland’s specimen of fossiliferous sandstone indicates the width of a fossiliferous band 14 miles. If the series descends towards Gabarus, we may now have reached the horizon of the Lower Lingula Flags. The specimen of sandstone before me measures 24 x 3 inches;. its thickness is from 5 to 4 tenths of an inch; it is metamorphic and suberystalline. One of the sides is weathered; the other is fresh ; both are covered with fossils. On the fresh side they are very beautiful. The forms are Lingulellw. They are acuminate and subcircular. The acuminate forms range from a length ,, and a width to in length and in width. The subcireular are in the proportion of 4» to ss ; one appears to be circular, i in diameter. *Mr. Sutherland has sent to me, two other specimens. One is a * May 10, 1879. NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. 1b? piece of sandstone from the same strata as the preceding. This has on one side impressions of Lingulelle, which might be questioned as such if not associated with those I have already described. The rock itself is interesting; its edges are coated with microscopic crystals of quartz, and the whole might be designated a quartzite. The second specimen is a piece of ar- gillite having four fossils ef larger dimensions than those just described. Mr. Sutherland found this specimen in the rock, on the same Ridge, (Mira,) a mile nearer Gabarus, than the £ingullela sandstone. One of the specimens has fine concentric lines, which another shows to be lines of growth. They are inequilateral. Their length exceeds their width in the proportion of 4 to 3. The length of two of the specimens is »; of another, 3. There are no muscular or pallial impressions. We have thus evidence of the existence of a fossiliferous band of 2} miles in width ex- tending from Marion Bridge, southwards, towards Gabarus, and intervening between the carboniferous of Mira and the erystal- line and suberystalline rocks of Gabarus. Mr. Sutherland has also sent a specimen from Gabarus, in which are forms, which might be mistaken for fossils. These discoveries of Mr. Sutherland’s are very interesting, in consequence of their approach to the Louisburg and Gabarus rocks. Some of which have been referred by the Geological Survey of Canada to “ Snowdon.and Cader Idris, voleanie accumulations,” and to the Huronian age of Canada. I have elsewhere referred them to my “ Middle Arisaig Series,” 7. e. Cambrian. My investigations in Annapolis and King’s Counties, vide papers last Session and this (next paper), have directed my at- tention to a specimen in the “ Webster Collection,” of the Pro- vincial Museum. When I received and arranged this collection some years ago, I found in it a slab of sandstone thickly studded with Lingulellae I then considered it as a Potsdam Sandstone rock and placed it in the lowest position in the collection, as “ Acadian Geology ” led me to infer nothing lower in the collection than Niagara Limestones. I also concluded that the specimen was not Nova i8 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN, Scotian. My own investigations and conclusions regarding the Geology ef Kings and Annapolis in connection with the dis- eoveries of Mr. Fletcher, of the Geological Survey of Canada, and the Rev. D. Sutherland in Cape Breton, just noticed, have led me to suspect that the specimen after all is Nova Scotian, and that possibly it belongs to Kings County, and is indicative of the ex- istence of rocks of the Potsdam formatiun in this region. An examination of the specimen seems to indicate; Ist. That it was not found in situ but was a section of a boulder. 2nd. That it came from a region where granites or gnessoid rocks exist. The side of the specimen with fewest fossils is rather micaceous. In this it differs from the Mira specimen. It is also less hardened, the Mira specimen being subcrystalline. The Lingulellae of both are identical, even the proportions are nearly the same. The Lingulellae of the Webster specimen measure from % to % of an inch. Their forms are generally acuminate. A New TRILOBITE. Asaphus ditmarsiae (N. Sp.) The specimen is a pygidium. Width 5.8 inches; the length about 5.4 inches. It is semi-oval and gibbous. The mesial lobe is rounded and tapering. It is fragmentary and partly indistinct. Its apex is semi-oval. 4 inches of the lobe remains. At the top it is two inches wide ; 3} inches from the top the width is 14 inches; there is one almost entire ridge at the top and two parts succeeding, having portions of two in- termediate furrows, the apical part is in length 1? inches. Side lobes. The left is lengthened one inch by distortion. The right appears to be unchanged. Each lobe has 8 ribs with deep intermediate furrows. The ribs when regular are strong and rounded, and extend the whole width of the lobes as far as the margin. The upper one of the left lobe is bevelled, and has a flat plewron of the thorax attached, its surface is also granulated. This lobe has a short and narrow supplementary rib next the apex, the corresponding one is obscure. On the right lobe four of the ribs are widened and flattened. A smooth and slightly convex margin, 4-10 of an inch in width, is round the left NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. 19 lobe. It partially remains on the right. It is wanting, having been broken off the apex. The whole trilobite, if proportioned like the Isotelus gigas must have been 1 foot 3 inches in length. There accompanies, the cheek of a smaller individual, nearly resem- bling that of Asaphus gigas. The fragment of rock in which it 4s imbedded is heavy in proportion to its size, in consequence of the iron which it contains. It is Magnetite. Dr. J. B. Gilpin, to whose kindness I am indebted for the specimen, informs: me that it was found in the Iron Mines of Clements, Annapolis Co.. At his suggestion I have named it after Mrs. Laura Ditmars, who secured it from the collection. This is by far the largest member of the trilobite family that has yet been discovered in Nova Scotia. It is one of the Anahkim of the Silurian period. I shall quote authorities to show the distribution and range in time of the Fumily Asaphidae. ENGLAND.—Murchison. “The genera Trinucleus, Asaphus and Ogygia, are never de- tected, even in the lowest part, of the Wenlock group, therefore, being essentially characteristic of the Lower Silurian rocks,” —Siluria, 1872, page 114. Salter. Asaphidae, a large unwieldy group of great trilobites, which are characteristic strictly of Lower Silurian. rocks. The excep- tions to this geological position are very rare. Except Illenus: it does not rise out of the Lower Silurian, and it is very rare even in Llandovery or Middle Silurian rocks. Niobe, Prilo- cephalus, Asaphus, Ogygia and their swb-generw; one or other of these genera are characteristic of every locality where Tremadoc,, Llandeilo, or Caradoc strata are found. Asaphus or Isotelus is the largest, excepting of course Para-. doxides, among the Olenidae. Ramsay’s Geology of North: Wales, page 310. BouEmMiA.—Barrande. Trilobites. “Fannes Siluriennes—Distribution verticale des Trilobites em Boheme. 4 2 20 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. Groupe IT. | ‘D... Asaphus, d 1,3, d.2,.1, d:3,.1, d 4,1, dame Asaphus ingens Carvr., d 2. Asaphus nobilis, Barrande, d 1, d 3, d 4, 15, totaux, 7 especes. The genus does not appear at all in Groupe II. Divs, E. F. G. H. They are all Lower Silurian forms in Bohemia. ” AMERICA—HALL. “We have a sufficient number of Trilobites identical with those of the Silurian rocks of Europe to institute a comparison of the correlation of the ancient ocean in both hemispheres. That remarkable and characteristic Lower Silurian form, Trinucleus, is among the most common, while Illenus and Iso- telus or Asaphus, no less characteristic, are obtained in the earliest limestone.” Paleontology of New York, Vol. IL, page 21. Isotelus gigas. DeKay. Chazy Limestone. Trenton Lime- stone. Utica Slate. Hudson River group (all Lower Silurian). Table of Species, page 529. Meek. Asaphus (Isotelus), megistus ? Paleontology of Ohio. Fossils of Cincinnati Group, page 139. Miller. Asaphus (Isotelus gigas). DeKay, 1825. Ann. Lic. Nat. Hist. N.G., Vol.1. Trenton and Hudson River Gr. | Isotelus megistus, Locke, 1841. Proc. Am. Asoc, Trenton and Hudson River Gr. Miller's American Paleozoic Fossils. (Cineinnati, Ohio, 1817. Canada— Billings. ‘(Geology of Canada, 1863. (Catalogue of Lower Silurian Fossils of Canada. Asaphus megistus. Black River. Bird’s Eye. Trenton, ‘Hudson River (Lower Silurian) and Middle Silurian. Asaphus platycephalus. Chazy. Black River. Bird's Eye. Trenton. Utica. Hudson River. (Lower Silurian.) NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN., 21 In England and Canada the genus Asaphus rises into the Middle Silurian. It is not known to appear higher, not even in the Upper Sil- urian, much less in the Devonian. : The pygidium of a small asaphus occurs in the Wentworth, IC. R., strata. Musewm Collection. Art. V.—Noya Scor1an GroLocy—Kine’s County.—ByY THE Rev. D. Honrymay, D. C. L., Curator of the Provin- cial Museum, &e. (Read January 3, 1879.) INTRODUCTION. One morning in June, 1877, I left Halifax with the determin- ation of making an intimate acquaintance with the rocks of King’s County. Arriving by the train at the Wolfville station, I took the direct road, past Acadia College, to the high land, with the expectation of meeting with rock exposures. I took a passing look at'the amygdaloid boulders in the drain, regarding them as the possible fellow travellers-of our Halifax drift ac- quaintances. Reaching the height above Wolfville, I was grati- fied to find a good exposure of solid strata. Standing on these rocks, I deferred operations until I had admired the interesting scenery in view. Below lies old Acadia College, the beautiful Town of Wolfville, and Grand Pre, of Evangeline fame, with its brilliant garb of summer green. Beyond ‘stretches Cornwallis, with its serpentine streams, its fertile fields, and numerous vil- lages. Towering on the north is North mountain, with Blomidon looming and advancing into the Minas Basin, hiding the Minas Channel, Cape D’Or, and Cape Chignecto. This fine sheet of water, bounding Grand Pre and Cornwallis, extends to the dis- tant north as Minas Basin and Cobequid Bay. The Cobequid range of Cumberland:and Colchester rising to the dim distance beyond. Having thus indicated the sphere of our operations, and our first starting point, I shall:arrange my remarks on these opera- tions under three.comprehensive divisions.:— 22, NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. 1. Pre-carboniferous, 2. Carboniferous, 3. Post-carboniferous. 1. The examinations, as far as made, divided the pre-earboni- ferous formations into two areas, viz.: the Wolfville and Kent- ville, the two respective starting points of the examinations made. The Ist area is about 20 square miles in extent. Its N. E. corner lies in Wolfville; its N. W. at the entrance of the Deep Hollow road. The distance between these two points is 3} miles. The 8. EK. corner is at Vaughan’s Mill, Greenfield, on the Halfway River, Church’s map. The S. W. corner is at Bezan- son’s Mills, on the Black River. The distance between these two pcints is about 3 miles. Greenfield is about 5 miles distant from Wolfville. The greatest width of the area is about 24 miles from Wolfville, south, and 5 miles west of the falls of Black River, where the pre-carboniferous and carboniferous ap- pear in close connection, on the Halfway River road and side of the mountain. The rocks in this area are largely obscured, still, there are many and interesting exposures around Wolfville and in the Deep Hollow road. In certain elevated positions, and in the Gaspereaux River, Black River, and Halfway River, the great desideratum is the evidence of fossils. None were observed in this area although strictly searched for. Lithological evi- dence of age and diversity of formation was all that was observed. This seemed to divide the rocks into two series. At Vaughan’s Mill and Bezanson’s Mill, and on the road interven- ing, the exposures seemed to indicate Upper Cambrian age. The exposures around Wolfville, the Deep Hollow section, and sides of the Gaspereaux River, the Falls of Black River, and outcrops farther up the river, seem to indicate another, probably Lower Silurian. ; The whole aspect of the rocks at Wolfville is so different from anything that I had observed elsewhere, that I was altogether perplexed. The rocks are Argillites, grey and red, in a state of metamorphism more decided than any Middle or Upper Silurian in Antigonish, Pictou, or Colehester. They approximate so NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. 23 nearly to the Argillites of Halifax in all but colour, that I felt disposed to refer them provisionally to thesameage. The tilting and obscure stratification, the occurrence of large crystals of pyrite and quartz veins, here and elsewhere, as in the Deep Hollow, seemed to favor this view. The only seeming doubtful feature was the oceurrenee of Diorites in the Deep Hollow. The great quartzites at the meeting of the Deep Hollow and Gaspereaux roads, near the great saw mills; the quarries in these great beds; the various blocks of quartzite dislodged ; the beau- tiful dendritie and moss-like figuring in the cleavage joints, even more striking than in the Halifax quartzite ;—all tended to deepen the first impression. The magnificent exposure of rocks of the Falls of Black River presented another aspect, which tended to confuse and unsettle in reference to the age of the preceding. My usual good fortune failed me in the examination of this area. How welcome would have been the sight of a familiar fossil. I came to regard a search as hopeless as in the slates of Halifax itself. I am under great obligations for guidance to the Deep Hollow and Falls of Black River, as well as to other localities, to Mr. Robert Starr, of ‘Starr’s Point, Cornwallis. On consulting Church’s Map, I observed certain. saw-mills con- siderably back in the County. Mr. Thomas DeWolf, of Wolfville, kindly undertook to guide me to these localities. Traversing the old mountain road to Half-way River and Windsor, we entered the area about the middle where the Pre-carboniferous and Car- boniferous areas meet (already referred to). Here we found a great expesure of Black Argillites of very ambiguous character. Before reaching Half-way River we found ourselves in the Car- boniferous areas—a considerable outcrop of sandstones appearing on the road with Carboniferous flora. We evidently continued in this area as far as Half-way River and the County line. Taking the road leading up the river, we came to Bezanson’s Mill, where nothing particular was observed except large masses of granite. On reaching Willet’s Saw-mill, we observed a section of Carboniferous strata on the right side of the road. After this we observed nothing but drift, we 24 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. seemed, however, to have re-entered the Pre-carboniferous area. Reaching Vaughan’s Mill, Greenfield, we found a magnificent exposure of pre-carboniferous rocks, having lithological characters widely different from the other rocks of the area. The resem- blance of these to the black argillites of Halifax and Dartmouth, is sufficiently obvious. I felt no hesitation in regarding them as the north side of the great Cambrian series of our gold fields. Looking to the heights beyond we observed massive granites which seemed to indicate solid granite underneath. Traversing these in passing on from Vaughan’s Mill to Bezanson’s Mill, on Black River below the lake, we found outcrops of black argillites, the enormous and frequent occurring blocks of granite being only transported rocks, derived from granite outside of area, and not yet examined. At Bezanson’s Mill the black argillites were seen outcropping. Gneissoid and granite specimens were collected from rocks not in situ—precisely like the Halifax—granite and eneissoid rocks. We then followed nearly the course of the Black River, observ- ing the fine exposure of argillites at Payzant’s Mill, and occasional outcrops between this and the Falls. Before reaching the Falls we ascended the mountains on the right observing occurring out- crops of metamorphic rocks, and thus crossed the area to its border at Gaspereaux River Bridge. We then proceeded along the road that leads up the river, on the Wolfville side, towards the Deep Hollow, observing the extent of the quartzites already referred to. We passed through the Deep Hollow and emerged from the area described at its N. W. Corner. This examination led to the conclusion that there are two series of pre-carboniferous rocks in the area, viz.: Cambrian and Lower Silurian, which may be locally characterized as Greenfield, Wolfville. The second area examined is about } of the size of the preced- ing one and much more irregular. It begins at Kentville, the first strata being exposed at the mills, a little above the bridge, on the side and in the bed of the brook. At the great dam a little farther up, they are considerably exposed on either side; a little above this they disappear in the brook giving place to outcrops of another formation. They are again seen in a limited section NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN, 255 on the Beech Hill road. This shews that the high ground on the right is formed by these pre-carboniferous rocks. Above the bridge the continuation of these rocks is manifest by the expo- sure in the bed and sides of the brook, and in outcrops on the high lands on the right. Below the bridge are several branches of the brook, the most important has two falls, the lower and upper, the one at Mr. Webster’s farm, the other near the summit of the height of New Canaan. The rocks of the area are slates and shales with occasional arenaceous beds. Their colouring is sufficiently varied, some- times it is beautiful and ornamental. The colours are red, yel- low, fawn coloured, black and grey. They are not so highly metamorphic as the rocks of the preceding area, and their stratifi-. cation is more obvious. There are also fossils in one member of" the series. In the brook at Kentville some of the strata are yel- low with beautiful red, wavy lines, having the appearance of” woody structure (pine). At the dam the slates are black and. deep red (ochrey) with oceasional green, being coloured by films of carbonate of copper. At Webster Falls there is a set of fawn. coloured slates of considerable thickness, having sandy strata with a vesicular structure. I was fortunate enough to come upon a part of the fawn slates having Dictyonema Websteri (Hall), named after the discoverer, the late Dr. Webster. The strata of the Upper Falls are black slates, almost like roofing slate. The height and arrangement of the strata must form a beautiful waterfall when the brook is well filled with water. The Dictyonema and other strata of the area have been refer-. red to the Niagara Limestones (Upper Silurian Period), on the- slender paleontological grounds of Dictyonema occurrence.. Others are disposed to regard this as an evidence of Lower: Silurian age, so that the age of the rocks of this area may also: be regarded as doubtful. Ihave not observed any unquestion- able Upper Silurian rocks of similar aspect. In Cape Breton» Dictyonema is a Lower Silurian form, the same is the case at Quebee. It occurs in the Upper Lingula Flags of Wales. The revelations of Nictaux and the occurrence of Asaphus ditmarsiae at Clement’s tend to shake faith in received opinions, The: 26 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. Diorites noticed are regarded like the Nictaux Division, as of Devonian age. 2. Carboniferous——The carboniferous area of this county is about 25 square miles in extent. Its first appearance on the west is at Wolfville, where it is found overlying rocks of the pre-carboniferous area. Its next appearance is at the back of Wolfville where it is well seen on the road to Gaspereaux and in an adjoining hollow. The strata here are very coarse grits, overlying the pre-carboniferous argillites. It next appears in the Gaspereaux River at the bridge adjoining pre-carboniferous rocks. J have already noticed its next appearance on the moun- tain road, where the rocks are coarse grits overlying pre-carboni- ferous argillites. Its next appearance is at Willet’s Mill, where the pre-carboniferous strata are observed. It is thus only seen in contact with the Wolfville series. On the old mountain road sandstones have already been observed. Geologically higher than the strata in contact. These show the formation to be carboni- ferous by the debris of fossil flora. Higher in the area outcrops of grits and sandstones are of frequent occurrence and sandstones extensive, but uninteresting. When we reach within a mile of the shore of the estuary of the Avon, outcrops of black shales appear, and on the shore about five miles distant from the june- tion of the pre-carboniferous and carboniferous, there is a magnifi- cent section—Horton Bluff and Blue Beech. This section is lofty and extensive, in common with sections on the Minas Basin shores, it is sharp and comparatively free of debris. Here I found sand- stones with matted kelp surface. Clay-ironstone and abund- ance of beautifully shaped Septaria, Fossil Flora, Lepidodendra and Stigmaria and Sporangites, Fauna, Reptilian footprints, scales and teeth of Palwoniscus, and a half of the lower jaw of . Palewoniscus with teeth in place. No carboniferous strata were observed west of the point indicated at Wolfville. Still itis pos- sible that concealed or overlapped strata may exist in the valley. During the Carboniferous period there was no North Mountain or Blomidon narrowing the Bay of Fundy. It then extended as far as the Wolfville, Kentville and Nictaux pre-carboniferous, or nearly so. Conditions similar to those now existing in the Bay of NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. 27 Fundy seem then to have prevailed. Conditions rather favour- able to the denudation of shores, than for the accumulation of littoral deposits. The first littoral check given to the sweep of the waters seems to have been the pre-carboniferous rocks of Wolfville, which seem to have been a cape of the Carboniferous period. This seems to have been favourable to a coarse sandy accumulation (Grit), while at the same time the Cobequids had a shingle forming shore (Conglomerate). 3. Post Carboniferous.—Triassic Sandstones, &e., occupy the area north of the pre-carboniferous from Wolfville westward. They are first observed at the united corner of the Carboniferous area. Here they are seen overlying the carboniferous strata, at no great distance they are then seen at Jessup’s; directly overly- ing pre-carboniferous argillites without the intervention of the carboniferous. These overlying strata are loose and incoherent, wanting the compactness of the carboniferous strata, and not much different in appearance from banks of drift. At Hlderkin Brook, near Kentville, a fine section is seen on the site of a saw- mill. On the west side of the Dam up Kentville Brook a fine exposure is seen of the same formation, overlying the ochreous and copper coloured slates described in this locality. They re- appear up the Brook at the Shooting Range, and make an occasion- al appearance as far up as the mouth of the Webster Falls tributary. At Elderkin Brook they appear in their characteristic manner, soft, sandy strata of decided red colour. The east side of the area is beautifully exposed in sharp and clean sections from Starr's Point onward to the extremity of Blomidon. The north side is seen rising to the brow of North Mountain and terminating with Blomidon on the east (apparently). In this area conglomerates similar to the lower beds of the Cobequid Triassic do not appear, and the compactness of bedding which make the sandstones of the latter available for building purposes, is notably wanting. At Starr’s point the beds contain veins of calcareous spar, some of these are of considerable thickness. Crystals are of suffi- cient size and transparency to shew the phenomena of double refraction. At Blomidon foot were observed considerable masses of selenite and fibrous gypsum dislodged from the Triassic 28 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. sandstones. Irregular beds of impure manganese were seen in a road section near Starr’s Point. The red colour of these sand- stones are an obvious feature. Theories have been indulged in to account for its existence. At the close of the Carboniferous period conditions of deposition appear to have changed, so as to favour the formation of the Triassic sandstones at Kentville and elsewhere, but not so as to form conglomerate as in the Triassic of the Cobequids. The pre-carboniferous area of Kent- ville seems to have formed a breakwater in the Triassic Period. 4, Trappean Avea.—My acquaintance with this area is de- rived from the Blomidon cape and shore, a traverse from Lower Pereau to Scott’s Bay, an examination of the rocks on the shore of Scott’s Bay, and a return with a diversion leading to the Junc- tion of the Ross Creek Road (Church’s Map). The rocks observed are Basalt, Trap, Amygdaloid and Ash. Among the fragments of Basaltic rocks.on the Blomidon shores the prismatic structure is of frequent occurrence. The Amygdaloids correspond with the boulders abounding in our superficial drift. Ashy beds are re- presented by boulders occurring in the same drift. Minerals from the Amygdaloid traps of Blomidon collected are, Jaspers in great variety, Agates, Mesolite and Natrolite. These are of usual occurrence. A specimen found here is the new mineral, Lowisite. At Seott’s Bay, in the Trap, were collected Agates, Jaspers, Amethysts and Natrolite. Fine specimens were rare in this locality ; Mr. Steele, the local collector, being on the con- stant look out for choice minerals. In his collections were seen, besides beautiful agates from this locality, an exquisite coilection of varieties of Natrolite, many of them of rare beauty, and the striking mushroom like Mordenite var. Steelite (How) with brist- ling Stilbite). They were collected at Cape Split. They subse- quently came into the possession of Professor How, who has given a good account of them. Some of these have found their way to the Provincial Museum. The Webster collection in the Museum fully represent the minerals of Blomidon. We often designate these igneous rocks as of Triassic age. As they are intrusive they might be called Post Triassic rocks, as it seems a rather difficult matter to prove their age. NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN, 29s 5. Post Pliocene——The boulders of Amygdaloid in the drift eutting east of Acadia College, Wolfville, have already been re- ferred to. In the hollow over against the Gaspereaux Valley, at the junction of the Pre-carboniferous and Carboniferous strata. already noticed, the occurrence of similar boulders was so strilk- ing, that it appeared as if the rocks must be in situ. In the Gaspereaux Valley they were seen in sufficient abundance. | also discovered them at Greenfield on the Halfway River. There is no doubt but that they are to be found in intermediate drift, if looked for. Mr. Ellershousen informed me that they occurred in the drift at Ardoise. They are to be found all along in the drift cuttings of the Windsor Railway. In previous paper, “On the Superficial Geology of Halifax Co,’—Transactions, 1876-7— | I pointed them out in great abundance in the drift cuttings be- tween the Beaver Bank Station and the Windsor Junction. At the Windsor Junction they are found in abundance at the drift. They occur in the drift at Bedford, in the Navy Island, in Bedford Basin, in the drift cuttings at Richmond, in the Citadel Hill, in the Dartmouth drift beds, in George’s Island, MeNab’s Island, Point Pleasant; apparently at Ketch Harbor, Sambro, Devil’s Island, and along the Eastern shore as far as Three Fathom Harbor. Thus notably has the Blomidon area of rocks. suffered from the exactions of post trappean and post pliocene agencies. Its height must therefore have been considerably greater than we now find it. The sandstone of the valley must have risen to a greater elevation than at present, forming a highway for the transit of the mountain debris, the valley having been subsequently formed, and the pathway destroyedt The remains of these sandstones on the sides of the Trappean area, and the sections on the shore, running almost on a level with the Trap elevation, as well as the elevation of the drift on the south side of the valley, tend to prove the former existence of this highway. If Minas Basin then existed, its boundaries must have differed greatly from those now apparent. The creeks and sections of new red Sandstone now extending be- tween Blomidon and Grand Pre were unformed, and the Kstuary of the Avon unknown. These were doubtless exten- 30 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. sions of the great highway. Even the new red Sandstone of the Minas Basin itself, between the Cobequids and Hants, was not exempted from similar service, as the extensive Syenite trans- ported to the Atlantic coast in like manner indicates. “ That all parts of the valley were considerably elevated is evident from the appearance of Cleveland Mountain, Nietaux, and the Nictaux and Atlantic Railway sections. In these drift sections we have Amygdaloids from the North Mountain, and on the northern edge of the Cleveland Mountain, at the junction of the new and old road I observed a beautifully polished and striated surface of strata at an elevation equal to the greatest height of North Mountain, indieating the elevation of the former sandstone high- way over which the amygdaloids of the railway drift must nave passed. Last of all, I would notice another transportation which may have happened in this period, at its close. T have already referred to the enormous and abundant masses of Granite observed at Halfway River and on the heights at Greenfield. These have apparently been transported in N. E. direction, while the amygdaloid transportation has been to the S. E. A similar occurrence of granites was ebserved at Nic- taux. Restoring all the material referred to as transported in pre-pest-pliocene, post-trappean and post-pliocene time, as well as more recently, I would connect, widen and heighten the trap- pean regions of North Mountain, Digby Neek, Long Island, and Briar Island. I would also connect these with Isle Haute, Cape D’Or, Partridge Island, Parrsboro, Twe Islands, Five Islands, thereby closing up the Minas Channel between Cape Split and Cape D’Or, and bridging the space between the North Mountains and the Cobequids. I would fill up Annapolis Valley and the Minas Basin and Cobequid Bay. I would in- crease the bulk and possibly heighten the Cobequids. I would contract the Bay of Fundy by connecting the red sandstones of Quaco with those of Nova Scotia. Pre and post-pliocene agencies, especially the latter, are then set to work transporting and effect- ing changes. At the close of the pre-pliocene period, the Annapolis Valley, the Basin of Minas and Cobequid Bay are formed, and LIMONITE AND LIMESTONES—GILPIN. OL the existing agencies generally commence their work. At the close of the post-pliocene period, and the scooping of the Anna- polis Valley, the granite transportation may have been effected. Art. VI.—THE LIMONITE AND LIMESTONES OF Pictou County, N. S.—By Epwin Girprn, A. M., F. G. 8. (Read Feb. 10, 1879.) I PURPOSE this evening laying before you a few notes on the Limonite or Brown Iron ores of Pictou County, their source and relation to the associated Limestones ; and, from the information at my disposal, to show that there is a possibility of these ores and their derivatives being much more widely spread than is generally considered to be the case ; and in connection with the supposed sources of these ores, I will briefly draw your attention to the great dynamic changes in the district, which have gener- ally been overlooked, and which have played an important part in the formation of the Limonite. The most superficial student of Geology can hardly avoid a correct conjecture at the comparative ages of the strata he passes over in this county. Were the turf and wood removed from the ground, a bird’s eye view would present each formation, colored by the hand of the Great Architect, and showing in its covering of soil the materials it is composed of. The light sandy soil of the Upper, or (as it has been called), the Permo Carboniferous, the clays of the Coal measures, the reddish loam of the Lower Carboniferous, and the meagre boulder laden clays of the Silurian, all mark, with an interval of a. few yards, the passage from one set of measures to another. In an equal degree, the valley of the East River, above Springville, spreads before the traveller the distinctive land- scape, marking the contact of two dissimilar rock systems. On the one hand the Silurian hills rise abruptly three or four hundred feet above the River, projecting here and there in bare, weather-worn knolls, or covered with a dense growth of gnarled birch and maple, and showing in places farms which have ill repaid the husbandman’s labour. On the other hand, the Lower. BS} LIMONITE AND LIMESTONES—GILPIN, Carboniferous measures rise to a lesser height, in gentle undula- tions, and present a pleasing succession of well cultivated fields, backed by the dark wall of the hemlock and spruce woods. Between these two landscapes, so widely differing, runs the East River in graceful curves, presenting alike to each broad elm shaded intervale, as if desirous of hiding the fact that ages ago it must have cut its channel chiefly in the softer Carboni- ferous measures, However, we must leave these lighter studies of the Geologist, and confine ourselves to the more prosaic subject of Iron ores and Limestones. On entering the County of Pictou by the Intercolonial Rail- way, the Lower Carboniferous are met near Glengarry Station, and from that point their line of contact with the Silurian runs in a general N. E. course, toward the Gulf, with a long funnel- shaped arm following the valley of the east branch of the East River, toward the south. The Lower Carboniferous measures of Pictou County, as met in the various natural exposures, are largely made up of highly arenaceous red shales, breaking with a conchoidal uneven fracture, and seldom holding fossils. These shales pass on one hand into massive bedded white and grey Sandstones, yielding many frag- ments of Carbonized plants, and on the other, into fine fissile clays, frequently calcareous, full of fossils, and holding nodular bands of impure Limestone. There are also beds of Gypsum, red and purple marls, and Limestones of various thickness and purity, and.a few beds of black bituminous shales. At one point these measures are penetrated by Diorite dykes, and in many places the traces of metamorphic action are shown by veins of specular ore. Conglomerates are rare in the district more immediately under consideration, and one insensibly imagines that the beds belong- ing to the shores of the Lower Carboniferous ocean have all been in great’ measure swept off. These measures rest: unconformably on the edges of the Silurian ‘strata, with a general dip varying from N. E.'to N. W.,.or away from the older rocks, This inclination is :preserved, with oceca- LIMONITE AND LIMESTONES—GILPIN. 35 sional undulations, until they pass beneath the later members of the same group, in the vicinity of Stellarton and New Glasgow. One is at once struck, when examining the sections of the Pictou Carboniferous, by the tremendous denudation they have been subjected to, which has dwarfed the Pictou Coal field to a tithe of its original dimensions, and in many places bared the Silurian rocks, which were once covered by thousands of feet of later formed strata. We find that the summits of anticlinals have been swept away, and that in places whole synclinal troughs have disappeared. The two following instances of this denudation are presented as examples of what has been going on all over the county. Thus, in the Pictou Coal field, we have in one section a breadth of outerop corresponding to a thickness of strata not less than 3450 feet, which has disappeared. Similarly, in the Lower Carboniferous under discussion, we have at Bridgeville a thickness of 2500 feet, which has been swept away. These great masses of matter have gone to form the millstone grit, the Coal measures, the Upper Coal measures, and perchance have swelled the volume of that new continent which the sounding lead has discovered beneath the waves of the Atlantic. At first sight it may seem almost incredible that such. enor- mous masses could be swept away by the agencies we now see in action around us; but from the surveys of Prof. Lesley, in Huntington and Centre Counties, Pennsylvania, it appears that Lower Silurian measures, formerly towering to a height of 30 or 40 thousand fect above the present sea level, are now but 2000 feet above it, and that they have yielded to denuding forces thousands of cubic miles of material which compose the creta- ceous and tertiary deposits of New Jersey and Delaware. We have now reached:a point of importance, with regard to the origin of the Limonite ores, when we imagine that this great mass of Lower Carboniferous sediments, containing ferruginous shales and Limestones, formerly spread over a great part of the ground which now presents tg our gaze strata of Silurian.age. Everywhere in the Carboniferous, at a distance varying from BA LIMGNITE AND LIMESTONES—GILPIN. 50 to 500 yards from the Silurian slates, runs a bed or series of beds of Gypsum. This is prominently exposed at Glengarry, West Branch, Springville, McLellan’s and Irish Mountains, and Sutherland’s River. Between the Silurian and the Gypsum are numerous beds of Limestone, the thickest continuous one that I have seen being about 135 feet. The total thickness must be very much greater, as the section of denudation already referred to, at iBrideevalles appears to hold an Bae) unbroken series of Limestone beds. The points of contact of these Limestones with the older slates afford many instructive sections bearing directly on the subject matter of this paper. One of them is as follows :—A bed of ferruginous Limestone rests on the Silurian slates, having at the point of contact a breccia of clay slate, cemented by a Calcareous paste. The fragments of slate are very close together in the im- mediate vicinity of the slates, but become more and more scat- tered until they disappear. Other beds of Limestone, shale and Gypsum complete the section. In another section the ferruginous Limestone is replaced by a dark Carbonaceous one folding many fossils, followed by 100 feet of ordinary gray Limestone. In another the pebbles appear rounded and the change to Limestone is quite abrupt. These Limestones are worn into ~ caves and sink holes, frequently large enough to engulf good sized brooks for a portion of their course. There is also another point to be considered in connection with this set of Limestones. Near Sutherland’s River, in the same Lower Carboniferous horizon, is exposed a bed of Spathic ore, associated with Limestones and Gypsum, and only a few yards distant from the Silurian rocks. Fragments of Spathic ore occur in French River, one mile to the east. And on Sutherland’s River, MeLellan’s Mountain and Brook, East and West Rivers, frag- ments of Spathic ore are also found in connection with this set of Limestones and Gypsums; and at one point on the East River there is exposed asemi-spathose Limestone holding 24.1 p.e. of Carbonate of Iron. Eight analyses of the Limestones of this dis- trict, made by myself, gave on an average 3 p. c. of this mineral. LIMONITE AND LIMESTONES—GILPIN. 39 We are, perhaps, not fully informed in the processes involved in the formation of the beds of Spathie ore. The Iron may be conjectured to have been deposited during the growth of the Limestones, and as a ferrous salt, to have been Carbonated by means of the decomposing organic matter which must have been present at that time. If now we imagine this great mass of ferruginous sediments formerly overlapping, more or less, the present exposures of Silurian slates of the district, we have a compound admirably calculated for the formation of the Limonite ores of the East River as they are now presented to our view. The precise manner in which this Limonite was separated, either from the Limestone, in which it formed a Carbonate, or from the shales which held it, probably as an Anhydrous ses- quioxide, and re-deposited, is perhaps not fully understood. Were the old outlines of the district restored, we would almost undoubtedly find the Pictou Coal field extending over this por- tion of it. The Carbonic acid dissolved in its waters from the decomposition of the vast masses of vegetable matter collected for the formation of our Coal seams, would furnish a most pow- erful agent which, charged with Iron as Carbonate, would pene- trate the underlying measures whenever access was allowed through faults, ete. We need not, however, draw upon this source. The ordinary per-centages of Carbonic acid present in the waters of our globe are amply sufficient for the changes we are contemplating, whem we consider the time allowed for its action. The water, charged with Carbonic acid, would take up the Tron in the strata as Bicarbonate, and filtering downward through the faults and meridional planes of the measures, would part with a portion of its Carbonic acid when it met the Lime- - stone, and then, depositing its insoluble Carbonate of Iron, would take up Limestone and pass away as Bicarbonate of Lime. Some of the Bicarbonate of Iron would also be decomposed in the cavities and fissures of the strata, with loss of Carbonic: acid, and the resulting insoluble Iron salt would be deposited.. The Carbonates of Iron thus thrown down as a distinct deposit, 3 36 LIMONITE AND LIMESTONES—GILPIN. and as a substitute for the Limestone, would be gradually oxy- dised and hydrated, as the air and water obtained access to it; and the same action would also change the beds of Spathie ore. The action being continuous, and extending over a long inter- val of time, the deposits would gradually assume proportions of economic importance, in spite of the large quantities which would be removed by the various physical changes the district has undergone. Jn places which were not so much broken by faults, or where the strata were more compact,’the Spathic ore would escape the oxydising prozess and remain to the present day as the Carbonate. Gradually, as the erosion went on, these deposits would keep forming, and be more or less swept away. Card ‘m7, me Neet Soe ows: See description on other side. ESS, nee Pw eek. “Mi fp. dé. lst.—A Pink, or Salmon six months old. 2nd.—A portrait of a Smolt half size. Taken 9th May, 1878, Digby, N. &., in a weir. In trying to escape he scaled himself, thus showing half Smolt, half Parr. 3rd.—A portrait of a ten pound Salmon in highest condition. Halifax Fish Market. 4th.—Head and jaws of a spawning male taken September, Shubenacadie River, and given me by M. Brown, Esq., Halifax. he SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. 39 land, seldom frozen on the toilsome passage to and from the sea, as some believe that the Lake Ontario fish have to perform. We must immediately admit that however valuable all these facts and personal observations may be, they can: only be called the natural history of the Salmon of Nova Scotia. Should any one diligently examine the shallow bottoms of our i@land lakes or small streams, nay even the overflooded cart-ruts ef an old road, he will find them filled with small fish or fry. Qn examining them they will be found of various sizes, but all differing from other minnows, by lateral bars upon their sides, and by having a rayless fin on the back near the tail Some of these may be young trout, others young salmon. It is very hard to determine betwixt them. The sketches I show you came from Cole Harbour. Mr. Webb, Druggist, Water Street, had many of them in a vase in his window. They died very fast, and when he had them replenished, he was kind enough to procure me some, on Sept. 15, 1865. The eye is very large and the nose blunt, © colour greenish with dusky bars and reddish fins. I have, my- self, at Annapolis, seen the children catching them in brooks within a few yards of the tide, during @ctober. These may be considered as having been hatched during April and May, and thus nearly five months old. They can not yet be called Parr, but rather Pinks. From that time I have been endeavoring through myself and my friends to obtain a Nova Scotia Parr ; but have never succeeded. As these were taken late in Septem- ber it is probable that the increasing frosts of October and Noy- ember compel them to leave their shallow haunts and retreat to the lakes, which are soon frozen over, and thus they pass into Parrs unnoticed during early winter. Mr. Atkins, Commissioner of Fisheries, State of Maine, wrote me upon the same subject, saying he could never obtain Parrs. By the first of May the Smolts become frequent in our lake waters, that is to say, these Parrs have now, in the early Spring, the lakes still ice-bound, cast off their greenish yellow with dusky bars, and present themselves in silver laced with blue, but still re- taining the vermillion spots. Mr. Silver gave me one taken three niles from the sea, on May Ist, 1864, still retaining red spots. On 40 SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. 20th May, 1865, the one from which the sketch was mnade, I show you, was taken at Bedford, in my own presence, and within a few yards of tide. On Ist of June, 1864, Mr. Morrow gave me a Smolt taken six miles from the sea, but having no red spots. These dates are sufficient to show that in his Smolt form the Salmon is numerous now in our streams. On 10th May, 1878, my son took a Smolt from a river in Digh¥ Basin. He had travelled ten milés in the tide waters, and the nearest lake he might have been spawned in, may have been five or six miles from tide. In his efforts to free himself from the weir, he had sealed himself, and thus was one-half a smolt, the other half a parr. Extreme length 73 inches, head contained four and half times in body, from nose to end of caudal] fin. The oporcle had the round edge peculiar to Salmon, and the fin end of maxilla—the round point—one opercular spot, nose a little blunt. There were teeth upon intermaxilla, maxillz, and palatines, none on vomer. The silvery scales remained upon fore part of body. On the rest of the body where the scales had been rubbed away, the lateral bars of its Parr state were very apparent. There were six, I judged the silver scales covered three more. The sketch I show you is from my sketch book, and though it is only a repetition of Sir Tumphrey Davy’s beautiful drawing in the Salmonia, done many years ago, yet it was a Satisfaction to have it, and to fix it by a date and a drawing as occurring in Nova Scotia. These Smolts are all taken going seaward, and during spring and early summer, and weil known to the young fishermen who take them by bait and in greater numbers than they should be allowed to do. During the latter part of August and September formerly, our markets were supplied from the Shubenacadie by small Salmon weighing two or three pounds called Grilse. Of late years, owing I suppose to the fishing act being carried out more strictly, I scarcely see them. Mr. A. B. Wilmot, in his report dated 31st Dec., 1877, speaking of Bedford River, writes :—“I placed a small trap at the head of the first ladder over the dam immediately above the hatching house, and succeeded in capturing about sixty, mostly Grilse. They were taken about the latter part of September.” Mr. Wil- mot was obtaining Salmon for spawning purposes. Thus we find that young Salmon ascend our rivers during the fall, and not for spawning purposes. The Commissioner of Maine SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. 4] Fisheries wrote me to explain why he had never captured Grilse in Maine, whilst we took them in the Shubenacadie. I could only refer him to Couche’s British Fishes. No Grilse are taken in the Severn, but many in the Scotch rivers. The real reason is, I fancy, that though they ascend all rivers, yet some physical difference in each river makes it more or less a place of better observation. Thanks to the marking of Smolts in the breeding stations, we have long been enabled to connect the Smolt of a few- ounces and about six inches long running to sea in May, with the Grilse weighing three or four pounds, and a foot and a half long running to fresh water in September. The enormous growth during that period is remarkable. The next stage in the Salmon life to which I will point your attention, will be as he appears during spring and summer in the Halifax market. The first sea-run fish is ustally taken about Yarmouth or Mahone Bay, in March. I have heard of one in February ; indeed an Indian told me whilst fishing for trout through the ice in a mill-pond a mile from tide-way, he caught an ocean-run Salmon of ten pounds on New Year's day. He assured me it was an ocean fish, and indeed the fact of its taking bait would almost prove it. The Indian Saul took ocean-run Salmon by fly in January, Shelburne River, according to the Editor of Porest and Stream, New York, in a letter to me. During April, May and June they continue to run, and our markets are well supplied until July. As I wish this paper to be complete I will repeat from my paper of 1866, the description: “The description of a fresh run of fish from the ocean as they appear in Spring, from our markets, would be: Weight from six pounds up to twenty. Head very: small, body very deep, and at the same time round or thick through, back very muscular and tail strongly based. The opercle is circular onits outside edge. The free end of the upper maxilla also rounded. In both these parts they differ from trouts, the eye rather small and abcut two and one-half diameters from tip of nose, the nostril double. The outline of back round up from the head then runs gradually upwards to dorsal fin, the dorsal is irregularly rhomboidal. The adipose fin commences opposite the fifth ray of the anal, its posterior edge- opposite its last ray. The tail is very strong, and the outline of back runs from dorsal to tail, descending in an equal curve with the rise anterior to dorsal. The belly runs in an outline similar to the back. The colour is hlack along the back running into steel blue with green reflections to lateral line, all below is silvery. The head and opercle are on the upper part dark blue, on the lower. 42 SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. silvery. ‘On the opercle and pre-opercle one or two black spots. The colour of the fins are—dorsal lavender with irregular black spots, rays dark blue, adipose dark blue, caudal base and edges dark, the rest pale yellowish white, anal pale yellow, ventral yellowish, rays and anterior edge dark, pectoral pale bluish white, anterior edge and rays dark blue, a number of dark irregular blotches occur along sides and belly. Teeth upon intermaxilla, maxillz, palatine bones, one to three upon vomer, and about nine or ten upon tongue. “Rays P11, A 9, C20, V9, D 12, Gill rays 11 each side a large axiliary scale to V. “Tn counting fin rays I may state this as only an approximation, that the dorsal and anal may be said to have strictly proper webs, that in the dorsal the first ray is shortiand joined to second without webb, that the anal has also the first very thick, and that in the rest the rays starting as in the caudal from many irregular bases, and in the pectoral and ventral from one, the web being all but obliterated, it makes a count exceedingly difficult and varied by each counter. At the same time these rays vary in different specimens even in the dorsal, and are not typical.” I have presented you now with a description and portrait of a Nova Scotia Salmon in the full glow, strength and beauty of his magnificent proportions. His rounded back and powerful tail, the glorious steel blue of his back and sides, the opal lights ever reflecting on his silvery belly, tinged as it sometimes is with the warm pink of his blood-red flesh showing through, and the fair lavender of his fins cannot be described, must be seen to be rea- lized. Formerly, after the season was over, Salmon were often brought to Halifax from the Shubenacadie river, during the middle of July. They were.always out of season fish, blackish, with reddish blotches over them. On the 10th July, 1865, I pur- ‘chased from about two dozen, the fish I now show you the sketch of. They all resembled each other. Both jaws were ‘curved, the teeth were gone, the tongue exposed, and they were all out of season. On 26th November, 1865, Michael Brown Esq., sent mea Salmon, a male, weighing perhaps sixteen pounds, a ‘sketch of which I now offer you. ‘The intermaxilla articulation was very loose, and much enlarged, the intermaxilla bone itself had grown at least two inches in length, formed into a beak like -an eagle’s, and filled with large teeth. The lower jaw had also grown to correspond in length, and-was also armed with large ‘teeth, a‘cartilaginous knob projected upwards from the tip, which ‘fitted into.a groove above in the intermaxilla. The new jaws SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. 43 were so arched, that it was impossible for them to close in the centre, and the teeth were much larger and with wider bases than usual. Mr. Stayner also gave me on March 14th, 1866, the head of a male much like the last, but with the appearance of a large ulcer upon the pre-opercle, as if the increased growth was now dropping off. From these facts we gather that our Salmon, at least some of them, enter the rivers in early spring, remain there, and as early as the middle of August, commence those changes in colour, and in the male of the jaws, which culminate in November. During November, the spawning season takes place. Mr. A. B. Wilmot, Bedford, allows me personally to state these facts from him. That he has retained Salmon all winter in ponds of fresh water. That the jaws of the male commence their changes in September and finish in November, and after that seeming only to shrink till dismissed in spring. That he has never seen the immense jaws I have figured from a portrait taken from Shubenacadie. That he has seen the upper jaws entirely perforated by a large hole made by a knob from the lower, but has never known the lower jaw to drop off before the upper, as some have asserted. That they take no food during winter, and that he has known Salmon retaining the bright and silver scale all winter, in the midst of others entirely blackish and reddish, but this formed rather the exception than the rule. He thinks the body of Salmon in Nova Scotia winter in the lakes, the Parrs which he has dpened having melts developed and not ovas, leads him to suppose the male parr matures sooner than the fémale. This corroborates Mr. Anderson’s letter, and also agrees with the English Salmon. The Parrs run to sea late in the fall as well as in the spring. In the manipulations of fish, he finds those taken in November, and from the sea, much easier to manage, from the absence of nacre or slime which soon covers those in fresh water. It is necessary for the preservation of ‘the eggs that they be deposited on a gravelly bottom of a running brook. In the Province these spawning’grounds occur often within three or four miles of the tide, and at an elevation of scarce sixty feet. My friend, W. C. Silver, Esq., allows me to say he has frequently 4 SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. seen them spawning in Salmon River, three or four miles from tide, and about five miles from Halifax. Here the male, con- spicuous by his hooked jaw, and the female with the spawn streaming from her, were seen furrowing up the gravel in water so shallow that their tails flapped out of water. Charles Ander- son, Esq., Magistrate, informs ime he has seen the same at the Musquodoboit River, and that the male makes furious rushes at other males approaching him, and that he is often surrounded by young males, scarcely seven inches long, but with hooked bills like the adults. This is corroborated by melt being found in Smolts before going to the sea, and also by the accounts of Sal- mon in English waters. Mr. John Duncan, Ingraham River, St. Margaret’s Bay, told me he once saw Snake Lake filled by hun- dreds of spawning fish. This lake is one of the sources of In- grahain River, and can be but only a few miles from, or a few feet elevation above tide. Mr. James V. Buskirk saw during November, at least seventy Salmon spawning in pairs, in a shal- low gravelly ran from the Shubenacadie lakes, their tails lashed the surface, the stream was turbid by the white melt of the male which he emitted from above the female and shed upon the ova. Both sexes covered the ova with gravel, and attending trout were eating what the stream washed away. His dog rushed into he water, when they all disappeared, but returned immediately. This was about 14 miles from, and two hundred feet elevation above tide. The spawn now shed and impregnated by the males, must soon be ice-covered, and remains till about the last of April, when the young fish escapes, but with a placenta attached to its body. From Mr. A. B. Wilmot’s excellent report, we learn the various stages of artificial hatching. The black dot, the signs of life in the embryo, the escape from the egg,’ and the final dis- charge of the young fish to its native waters. I have already said that in March, (rarely in January and February,) the Salmon commence to run from the ocean up our rivers, and that this run continues till July, when the markets are closed. In Mr. John Mowat’s report (Government Report, 1877) we find him taking Salmon for hatching purposes in the Metapedia, 24th August ; SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. 45 and again Mr. Wilmot in the Musquodoboit and Bedford, taking them in September and October, males more numerous than fe- males, and many grilse. In the year 1865, the Sackville River was very low from the November droughts, and as many as thirty Salmon were seen at flat rock, unable to get up. Then we have records of fish going up from every month except De- cember, and we must suppose that for various reasons, all the Salmon bred in our waters, are, during November, held in our lakes ; with the exception of the Smolts going to sea, we have no record of Salmon returning to the ocean. I say record, for no one seems to have studied our rivers, and it was the common belief, even amongst naturalists, that after spawning they return- ed immediately to the sea, principally because they came from the sea in spring. Some ten years ago the Rev. Mr. Williams, stationed at Truro, who brought his fondness for fishing from his native Wales,. brought to my notice some fish which he caught in the Shuben- acadie River, in April. They were descending beneath the loose ice in such numbers, and so ravenous, that he took two at a cast, and might have filled a boat ina few hours. They were true Salmon, but perfectly discoloured, reddish-black, spotted, and no silvery scale. On further enquiries, I found that the Musquodo- boit River was subject to the same exodus, Mr. C. Anderson being my informant, and also those streams flowing from the Hants, Horton, and Cornwallis Basins, into the Bay of Fundy, through the Avon, were all thus crowd@d during early spring. Every spring we hear, especially from the eastern parts of the Province, of the wanton destruction of this fish, of their quanti- ties, and the easiness of their capture. As we have no other re- cord of their descending, we must conclude that as regards our own Province, the Salmon ascend our rivers from March to No- vember, some remaining all summer, or perhaps returning to re-ascend again; though of this we have no proof, that they remain all winter and return in vast multitudes to the ocean in early spring. That our facts are scanty, must be allowed, the ice covering concealing our researches, and that they may not be true as regards other countries, is equally conceded, bat until further investigation, I think they must be admitted. 46 SALMON OF NOVA SCOTIA—GILPIN. I have now shown you our Salmon from his almost first ap- pearance as a minnow, explained how in our rivers his changes into a Parr and Smolt are obscured by the ice; exhibited him going to sea for the first time as a Smolt, and also by a rare chance shown him to you in his form of half parr, and half smolt, and that produced by his own efforts. 1 have pointed him out as a grilse, shown him again in his grand proportions, and glori- ous flashings of silver light, as he is exposed in our markets, and have lastly given you some drawing of his degeneration in colour, of his leanness, and the singular and almost grotesque changes in the jaws of the male during spawning. In this I have given you nothing new, but only, as it were, given you old things, stated from original and new material, yet it is well to fix all these with a sketch and a date. In fixing the dates of his pro- longed journey up river from the sea, and his rapid exodus downwards, I cannot deny that they still require confirmation. That they may be found to vary not only in the different rivers of the Province, but at different seasons in each river, why some ascend early, remain long in fresh water, and perform the func- tion of spawning thoreughly degenerated, and others perform the same functions with all the strength and health of ocean run fish—(we find, Report Fisheries, 1877, that at one hatching sta- tion, the fish taken for spawning purposes were kept till wanted in tide way basins)—remains te be explained. If we compare our short streams with the St. Lawrence, or even the St. John, of New Brunswick, our ghallow lakes, lying so close to sea-board, with Ontario, or even our ice-bourfa streams with the never frozen waters of England, or the arctic winters of Greenland and Labra- dor, and remember that the same species frequent all, we can only wonder that these vast physical differences have produced so little changes. In regard to the only new fact I have put be- fore you, the retention of al] the Salmon in our waters during the winter, in the inland lakes, I think Iam justified in asserting it, or at least of drawing the attention of observers to it; but such observation sheuld only be made where the physical features correspond with our own. If I have succeeded in giving you the itinerary of a Nova Scotian Salmon, with his biography attached, only approximately even, the object of this paper is effected. ANKERITE VEINS OF LONDONDERRY—LOUIS. 47 We find also, principally from the Fishery Reports, the follow- ing facts :-—That Salmon are more vigorous, and their ova equally fertile, that have never been in fresh water, but have been kept in tide-way reserve ponds. (Reports of Tadousac Breeding Es- tablishment). That the Ontario Salmon on the contrary never go to salt water, but are equally vigorous, (see Mr. R. Wilmot’s ' reports,) and that a few in Nova Seotia resist the fresh water changes. These facts are all comparatively new, and bearing as they do, so strongly upon the question of what are called land- locked Salmon, by many scientific men, still in the United States Fishery Commission, they are well worthy of a most minute, exact and scientific series of new observations, which might be made with little expense, if connected with the various fish breeding establishments of the Dominion. The growth of scale, the discolouration of flesh and of body, the changes of teeth and jaws in the male, and the peculiar changes in the pyloric cceca in fresh water and ocean fish (lately pointed out by R. Morrow, a member of our Institute) as taking place in the three forms of all fresh water, all salt water, and partly fresh and salt water, with exact dates and minute comparisons, would well reward the attempt, and be a small boon from the Government to her men of science. Art, VIII.—On THE ANKERITE VEINS OF LONDONDERRY, NOVA Scotia.—By Henry Louis, Assoc. R. Society, Mines, London. ; (Read March 10th, 1879.) EXTENDING along the base of the southern slope of the Cobe- quid mountains, and parallel, roughly speaking, to the mountain axis, is a remarkable series of fissure veins, filled with a number of interesting minerals, of which, as at present known, the most plentiful and the most characteristic is the Ankerite. These veins, which I shall in this paper designate the Ankerite veins, although Ankerite is not by any means their sole constituent, occur in a band of slate and shale, varying in colour from a dark blue to a pale olive green, and forming apparently the topmost 48 ANKERITE VEINS OF LONDONDERRY—LOUIS, beds of the Silurian formation. They are found of all thick- nesses from about the tenth of an inch up to fifty feet; the larger deposits are very variable in thickness, much faulted, and approximately parallel to each ocher and to the general strike of the strata, whilst the rocks between them are frequently traversed in every direction by a network of the smaller veins. ‘These veinlets appear to occur for the most part in the blue slates, but the walls of the larger deposits most frequently consist of greenish-grey shale. I have not been able to make out any de- finite relations between the modes of occurrence of these two «lasses of Ankerite veins, | Wherever I have been able to examine these deposits, I have found them to present very similar characters. Most of my ob- servations have been made on the large deposits of Ankerite in the right bank of the west branch of Great Village river, which has been very extensively quarried: I have, however, no doubt but that they will apply equally well to any portion of the series of Ankerite veins. The following descriptive list includes all the minerals that I have up to the present met with in these veins: Ist.—Ankerite. This mineral occurs most frequently in the massive crystalline state, readily cleavable into rhombohedra, the cleavage planes being often very large; sometimes, but more rarely, it is eryptocrystalline and granular. I have, however, also found it in true crystals, lining the walls of a small fissure in the vein. The crystalline form is the simple primary rhom- bohedron, very minute, the largest erystal not being over $ inch in length, and the faces too dull for measurement. The colour of Ankerite before it has been exposed to the atmosphere is pure white, but, owing to the rapidity with which its protoxide of iron is per-oxidized, it is usually found of a yellow or brownish colour, Its specific gravity is 2.998. , The following are analyses of three specimens of the pure mineral; Nos. I and IL were white, and No. III of a brownish tinge :— ANKERITE VEINS OF LONDONDERRY——LOUIS. 49 ne HE Ul. Insoluble Siliceous Matter... .... 0.57 0.12 0.19 Mileieh@arbonate.. .. ..., ad ie SO A 49.32 54.96 Ferrous CPN et HOLE Tegel Bey A DS phe) Daal t 21.92 PAMOAMOUS oe. ke wt)a- bone iene Oaded, 0.68 1.29 PEPTIC 55 foe o) a diel Leap Asie esate CORRECTIONS. I find that, trusting my memory, I was led into error in some of the reasons that I assigned as objections to the division of the Arisaig fossiliferous rocks into Upper and Lower by the author of “Acadian Geology.” When I wrote the objection, 1 forgot that he made the division in his paper in the Canadian Naturalist in 1860. : At the time the division was made it seemed altogether pro- ‘OO NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN, per, while at the time of the publication of “Acadian Geelogy,” 1868, it had become objectionable by reason of the further deve- lopment of the series and Salter’s determinations of the severa members. My proper reasons were then given, when I had occasion to make a “ Middle Arisaig series.” Vide paper “on the ‘I. C. R. in the Cobequids,” pp. 390, 392, Transactions of the In- stitute, 1873-4. I shall quote these: “After the lapse of ten years, and a great amount of labour and research, I consider that the alphabetical division is the only unobjectionable one that has been proposed, and that the only modification of the British division required is the omission of the ‘ Lower Ludlow, which was not suggested by Mr. Salter. Previous to Mr. Salter’s examination and corre- lation, I had correlated D with the Upper Ludlow of Wales. Dr. Dawson, at the same time, correlated C and D with the Lower Helderberg, U. S., and B' with the Clinton, U.S. D and ‘C are further distinguished by Dr. Dawson ‘ Upper Arisaig, and B’ ‘ Lower Arisaig. Extensive observation has proved that Mr, Salter was correct in giving the Arisaig series a greater range in time than that given by Dr. Dawson. I have referred to another division of the Arisaig series into Upper and Lower, the Lower Helderberg equivalent being the Upper, and the Clinton the Lower Avrisaig. There are two applications of the word Arisaig. ‘There is the Avisaig township and the locality Avisaig. In the former sense it is much too restricted, as it ignores a great part of the Arisaig series, besides a typical series of Crystalline rock, which I have elsewhere designated as ‘Lower Arisaig,—Trans- actions, 1872,—-and Carboniferous rocks. In the latter sense it includes too much, as the ‘Lower Arisaig’ of the division alone lies in Arisaig, while the ‘ Upper Arisaig’ is in the Moidart. “On these grounds I consider these divisions as untenable.” ACADIAN GEOLOGY. Maps. In my remarks upon the Maps of the two editions of Acadian Geology, I did not make sufticient allowance for necessary im- perfections, so that my remarks seem to be somewhat hypercriti- cal; still, it cannot be denied that on some very important NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN, 67 points the map of the second edition is the reverse of an im- provement on that of the first. A New Map. Much has been done by the Geological Survey and others in exact surveying and mapping in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton since 1868. The publication of a progress map on a larger scale than the maps of Acadian Geology, indicating the work thus ac- complished, is certainly a great desideratum. Maps CONSTRUCTED SINCE 1868. Maps of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, accompanying Reports of Geological Survey of Canada. Robb & Fletcher’s. Prof. Hind’s Maps, published by the N. S. Department of Mines. The Author’s Maps in the Museum portfolio, constructed to illustrate papers on Nova Scotian Geology read before the Insti- tute, which were exhibited at the American Centennial Exhi- bition. To these have been added a Map of a part of Annapolis County and a Map of a part of King’s County, which were also made to illustrate papers read. GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I have referred to the abstract of my paper “on the Lauren- tian Rocks of Arisaig,” which appeared in the Journal of the Geological Society. This, like many abstracts of papers not made by the authors, seemed to me not to do justice to my paper ; still, I regard the abstract as valuable, as it is the first description of this interesting series of rocks in a scientitic journal. I regard the nature of the discussion as also interesting and useful. I would observe that the publication is also to be valued, as it led to the production of a very valuable note by Prof. T. Rupert Jones, on Hntomostraca from Arisaig, “D, Upper series,” which J had given to him in 1862. CENTENNIAL Exurpition Putt, 1876. When I saw the admirable ‘stratigraphical collection of rocks 5 68 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. of the Canadian Geological Survey arranged in the Canadian Mineral Department, I was somewhat surprised to find a suite of specimens from George’s River, Cape Breton, (the Cape Breton representative of my “ Lower Arisaig series,”—vide Trans.,) arranged with others from C. B. in the Laurentian division, I was led to believe that the Geological Survey still followed in the wake of “Acadian Geology.” I was therefore not at all sur- prised to find Mr. Selwyn, the distinguished Chief of the Survey, describing to the International Judges of Class 100 the Laurentian axis delineated on a sketch map of Nova Scotia, and including in it George’s River, Arisaig, and the Cobequid Mountains, as well as the Laurentian series of rocks of New Brunswick. PRE-SILURIAN ROCKS OF CAPE BRETON. August, 1876, I received the Canadian Journal containing Prof. Chapman’s admirable “Outlines of the Geology of Canada.” In the Cape Breton section I took particular notice of the Geology of Campbellton, Victoria County. Here the Pre-car- boniferous rocks are described as Pre-silurian. These had been examined by the author, accompanied by Mr. Fletcher of the Geological Survey. In the vicinity of these are the Pre-silurian rocks of St. Ann, from which Mr. Hendry, Dep. Comnr. of Crown Lands, took the specimen of Ophicaleite which was exhibited in the Nova Scotian Department of the Exposition de Paris, 1867. This was the specimen referred to in which Sir C. Wyville Thompson found eozonal structure. There were also the rocks which Mr. Hartley, of the Geological Survey, considered to be of Laurentian age. Mr. Robb considered the Campbellton rocks to be of Quebee age. Every Geologist that examined the Cape Breton Pre-carboni- ferous Crystalline rocks had thus come to form an opinion different from that expressed by the author of “Acadian Geo- logy,” who seemed still determined to maintain their Devonian or Upper Silurian age. CORRESPONDENCE. Not long after the receipt of the Canadian Journal, I re- NOVA SCOTIAN GHOLOGY—HONEYMAN, . 69 ceived a letter from the author of “Acadian Geology,” requesting a copy of the Transactions of 1875-6, containing my papers, “A month among the Geological Formations of New Brunswick,” and “Geology of Antigonish County.” On receipt of the Zransactions, another letter was sent, in which he made some objections to my use of the terms Lower, Middle, and Upper Arisaig, stating that Geologists would never concede to one locality all the formations that I had assigned to it, at the same time proposing that I would call my “ Lower Arisaig series” the “Cobequid Mountain series,” and then he would accept of it.* I had adopted the nomenclature after dis- posing of the “Acadian Geology” division, and as a convenient and, to me at least, satisfactory method of indicating my opera- tions in Pre-carboniferous Geology, especially at Arisaig, I could not see any valid reason for substituting any other local nomen- clature in its stead, especially that preferred. If I were to consider it expedient to adopt any other, I would adopt “George’s Riwer, C. B.” which I associated with Arisaig in my paper of 1872, following the example of the Geological Survey in its maps and reports of Cape Breton. For the Middle Arisaig I would adopt Wentworth, I. C. R., Cobequid, A, (B being em- ployed to represent the Wentworth fossiliferous series.) It was here that I first found occasion to adopt the term “ Middle Ari- saig.” My “Upper Arisaig series” I would then call the “Arisaig and Moydart series,” the last being the “Lower and Upper Ari- saig” of Acadian Geology. Considering that the Pre-silurian age of the “Lower Arisaig series ” has now been established, and that it may be an open question for some time to come, whether the series be of Lauren- tian, Huronian, or Lower Cambrian age, I have no objections, whatever to discontinue the use of the term “Lower Arisaig series,’ and to imitate the example of American Geologists in adopting the term “Archzean,” under which Prof. J. Dana has already placed the typical Arisaig series. “ Manual of Geology,” *It appears, according to his own acvount, in his address as President of the Natural History Society of Montreal, the author of Acadian Geology in his last EF /ition-Third, has acted on his suggestion, and made a ‘‘ Cobequid Series” and described it. He seems to have described my ** Middle Series” but certainly not my ‘ Lower Series” nor the George’s River, C. B. Series,—~ Address Canadian Naturalist, New Series, Vol. 9, No. 3. 70 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN, last edition. I would reserve “Middle” and “Upper Arisaig” for further use. ARCHHAN. George’s River, C. B. The Arisaig Crystalline rocks were per se correlated with the Laurentian by comparison with the fine series of Laurentian rock specimens in the Canadian Department of the Exposition de Paris, 1867. Shortly after I thus correlated them I showed spe- cimens to Sir W. E. Logan, who considered them to be of Quebee age. When I found the corresponding series at George’s River, C. Breton, I came to the conclusion that both were of Quebee age, which was then regarded as corresponding with the Calci- ferous’ (Lower Silurian), and designated the typical series “Lower Arisaig.” The discovery of an intermediate series in the Cobe- quids, which I designated “ Middle Arisaig,” led me to lower the horizon of the “Lower Arisaig.” The subsequent examination of the Saint John, New Brunswick, Laurentian, led to the con- clusion that the two were perfectly identical,—vide note on paper, “A month among the Geological Formations of New Brunswick,” 1875-6. Mr. Fletcher’s very interesting discoveries of Primordial forms in strata overlying the Crystalline rocks of George’s River, C. B., Lower Arisaig, tended to confirm the correlation with St. John Laurentian. Additional evidence is also furnished by his dis- covery of Upper Lingula flag forms at Marion Bridge, Mira River, C. B. To these I have to add the Rev. D. Sutherland’s discovery of Primordial sandstone, with Lingulella sp., on Mira ridge, C. B. Note. I have just received from Mr. Selwyn, Director of the Dominion Geological and Natural History Survey, a brochwre giving a very interesting account of his examinations of the Quebee forma- tions of Canadian rocks. He proposes to adopt the following divisions of systems to include the groups enumerated. J.—Laurentian. To be confined to all those clearly lower un- conformable granitoid gneisses, in which we never find interstra- a . NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—-HONEYMAN. 71 tified bands of calcareous, argillaceous, arenaceous and conglom-. erates. IJ.—Huronian. To include, Ist, the typical or original Huronian; 2nd, the Hastings, Templeton, Buckingham and Grenville group; 38rd, the supposed Upper Laurentian or - Norian ; 4th, the altered Quebec; 5th, the Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick pre-primordial sub-erystalline and’ eneissoid group. It thus appears that when I regarded the “Lower Arisaig series” as Laurentian, and then Quebec, and last of all, as iden- tical with the New Brunswick, and therefore, Laurentian, I had. not diverted very much from first to last. : The Canadian Naturalist of July, 1879, contains a paper read before the Natural History Society of Montreal, by, McFarlane, Esq., in answer to Mr. Selwyn’s pamphlet. In this he claims precedence in ascribing a Cambrian age to the Quebec Metamorphic rocks. It seems that this view of their age was: expressed by him in a report to the Director of the Survey as early as 1862. If I had been fortunate enough to meet with this report when comparison of the Arisaig and George’s River, C. B., with the Quebee rocks was instituted, I would have been prevented from making so great a change as from the Lauren-- tian to the Calciferous, (Lower Silurian.) ANNAPOLIS COUNTY. Nictaux. Fossiliferous Rocks. Silurian, Gesner, 1849. Devonian and Lower Helderberg, Dawson, 1868. Middle Silurian, Honeyman, 1878. When I examined the Nictaux formations, I had no recollec- tion of the existence of the coral there, which had been considered a Zaphrentis, and referred to by the author of “Acadian Geo- logy” in a note to my paper “on new Fossiliferous Silurian localities in Eastern N. S.,” Canadian Naturalist, 1860, and also in “Acadian Geology,” ed. 1868. I had only a faint recollection of anything that I had read about the Nictaux fossils, and I did 72 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. not wish to refresh my recollection, as I wished to examine them in the light of my own experience. This led me to identify the rocks with others with which I was well acquainted without any reference to the coral in question. The lithology and strati- graphical relations and familiar forms of fossils found in certain strata, enabled me to correlate the strata with the Middle Silurian formations of Eastern Nova Scotia, and led me to seek for other familiar forms, and to find them; Petraia was notably one of the number. It is noteworthy that the Devonian Zaphrentig of Dawson is the Petraia Forrestere of Salter, occurring in strata referred by him to Mayhill Sandstone, (Intermediate Silurian of Ramsay and Salter). This is eminently characteristic of all the Mayhill Sandstone localities in Eastern Nova Scotia, which are eight in number. In one of these localities in the Marshy Hope, in the County of Antigonish, the Petraia strata seem to stand alone. In Barney's River, French River, and Sutherland’s River, they are associated with Clinton and underlie it, other members of the Upper Arisaig series being absent. At Lochaber the same strata are associated with C and D Upper Arisaig, and underlie them. At Ivish Mountain and McLellan’s Mountain they are asso- ciated with B’ and D Upper Arisaig and underlie them. At Arisaig the Petraia strata (A) are associated with and underlie B, and the B’ Clinton of Hall and Dawson, C Aymestry Lime- stone, and D Upper Ludlow, cr Lower Helderberg. In Irish Mountain and McLellan’s Mountain the Petraia strata are Cen- tral Mountain strata in common with the extensive Diorites of Devonian age. It is also peculiarly noteworthy that the author of “ Acadian Geology,” on the faith of “one indistinct specimen of Zaphren- tis,” concluded that the Petraia strata of Lochaber was of Devonian age, and re-asserted the same opinion about 1874. PRE-CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS OF THE PICTOU COAL FIELDS, OF DEVONIAN AGE. In the Report of Progress of the Canadian Survey from 1866-9 NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. 73 page 7, Sir W. E. Logan says, in reference to certain pre-carbon- iferous rocks underlying the Pictou Coal Fields: “No evidence was observed by me on McLellan’s Mountain, to show to what epoch these older rocks belong, but masses somewhat similar are noticed by Mr. Hartley on the west side of the East River, in a position where they have been mentioned in his Acadian Geology, by Dr. J. W. Dawson, who considered them to be of Devonian age, and on his authority they will be so distinguished.” In my criticism of this conclusion in Transactions 1870-1, Ist paper, I said: “I presume that this language is intended to apply to the area indicated on the 8. E. corner of the map which accompanies Sir. W. Logan’s Report, which is distinguished by the Devonian colouring. Now this area has its N. E. corner at the Falls of Sutherland’s River, and its S. E. corner at the bridge at McPher- son’s Mills, so that in addition to the northern part of McLellan’s Mountain, (range,) the area in question includes also a part of Sutherland’s River.” In my second paper of the same session, Transactions page 141, I wrote: “The supposed Devonian rocks on the west side of East River, which are considered by Sir W. Logan to be “somewhat similar” to those of McLellan’s Mountain, as indicated on Sir W. Logan’s map, by a Devonian coloured area on the north west. Here the Pre-carboniferous rocks of Waters’ Hill are regarded by Dr. Dawson as “probably of Devonian age,’—vide page 319 of “ Acadian Geology” Ist Ed. It will be observed that this cauti- ous expression hardly warrants the positive conclusion which Sir W. Logan derives from it.” When the question of the age of the Pre-ecarboniferous rocks of McLellan’s Mountain had to be referred to the authority of “Acadian Geology,” it would have been as well to make a direct reference. In 1855 the rocks in question were referred to the altogether problematical “Devonian and Upper Silurian, mostly metamorphosed,’—“Acadian Geology,” 1855, map,—and no one had succeeded in finding evidence up to the time that Sir W. Logan examined them and found no evidence by whieh he could determine their age. 1. e., 1868. It was in the summer of 1869 when Mr. Hartley was working 7+ NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—HONEYMAN. alone in the Pictou Coal Field that I succeeded in identifying A B’ and D of my Upper Arisaig series, (i. e, A Mayhill Sandstone, B’ Clinton, and D Upper Ludlow or Lower Helderberg), in Irish Mountain, McLellan’s Mountain, and Sutherland’s River, and in discovering characteristie fossils in them all. It was on this occasion that I identified the Mayhill Sandstone of Fraser’s Mountain, (McLellan’s Mountain range), and found Petraia afterwards in the same way that I identified Nictaux correspond- ing strata and found Petraia in them. I also identified the same formation at Sutherland’s River by the occurrence of Petrawia, the rocks being unlike and the rela- tions doubtful and found characteristic, Athyris and Orthis: of A in like abundance, and of the same genera and species (un- determined) as at Lochaber, Arisaig, and Marshy Hope. About the time that Sir W. Logan was writing his report, I read a paper before the Institute which I concluded thus :—* It may seem strange that during my deseription of the area under- lying the Pictou Coal Field, J have made no mention of the Dev- onian formation which is so often spoken of in conneetion with the strata underlying the coal field. The reason why is this,—there is no Devonian to be found there.’ —Transactions, 1870-1, page 75. I felt called upon the following session, 1871-2, to maintain the conclusion arrived at, after the appearance of Sir W. Logan’s Report on the Pictou Coal Field, which I did by adducing the evidence which I had discovered in Irish Mountain, McLellan’s: Mountain, and Sutherland’s River, in opposition to Sir W. Logan’s views, evidence which has not yet been called in ques- tion, but which the author of “Acadian Geology,” in accordance with his views on Lochaber and Nietaux, would have regarded as confirming the opinion expressed by Sir William Logan, founded on his authority. An application of the preceding to views entertained regarding Nictaux is obvious, but as the Devonian age of the Lochaber Petraia strata was inferred by the author of “Acadian Geology ” from a specimen of Petraia which was Zaphrentis, “a cast not sufficiently perfect for specific determination, but not unlike im- perfect specimens from the Devonian of Nictaux.’—Canadian NOVA SCOTIAN GEOLOGY—-HONEYMAN. T> Naturalist, Aug., 1866, page 199. Ido not consider the appli- eation as of much importance.* CORRECTION. I used the expression “antiquated” in characterizing the views of Sir W. E. Logan. This was an improper application of the word to Sir W.’s views as expressed in 1870. I then had refer- ence to the views entertained in 1855, and did not eonsider that it was my own observations in 1869 that disposed of the Dev- onian at McLellan’s Mountain. GRANITES. Archean. In the typieal “ Lower Arisaig series” granites have not yet been found. Quartz veins with mica are found penetrating the Petrosiliceous rocks of the series. In Cape Breton coarse gran- ites are of very frequent occurrence among rocks of the series. In the Cobequid Mountains they also oceur. In this respect the rocks of this series correspond with the Laurentian formation of Saint John, New Brunswick. I consider these granites to be the oldest in Nova Scotia, i. e., according to present. appearances. HALIFAX, SHELBURNE, ETC. Granites. “The Granite of Nova Scotia and its associated gneisses and lica slates are among the oldest rocks found in the Province.’— “Acadian Geology,” 1868, page 622. NICTAUX. “As the Granite is itself of Devonian Age.” “ Acadian Geolo- ay,” page 500. Sir Wm. E. Logan, the late Director, regarded, and Mr. Selwyn- the present Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, regards the Granites as all of the same age—Devoniun. Professor H. Y. Hind considers the Cape Breton and Nova Scotian Granites to be Laurentian Gneisses. I have shown in my paper “on Geology of Annapolis County —Nictanx,” that the Granites underlie (almost unaltered) Middle * Norr.—T have just examined the Geology of the Muose River Iron deposits. They amply eonlirm my opinion regarding Nictaux deposits, 76 FISH CULTURE—MELLISH. Silurian—possibly Lower Silurian strata, and therefore that that they are of “pre-Middle Silurian” age. I have also demon- strated that a Gneissoid connection of this Granite and phenomena are precisely similar to what are observed at Halifax, and that there is not sufficient grounds for assigning one age to one and another age to another. All our Granites seem to be of Archwan Age. In the case of the Halifax Granites, as well as those of Nictaux, there seems to have been a ve-metamorphism effected during Upper Cambrian and part Lower Silurian time. In a paper which I am preparing “on the Geology of Halifax” I will give my reasons for the conclusion stated. ART. XI.—FisH CULTURE—ByY Joun T. MELLISH, M. A., Prin- cipal of Albro Street School, Halifax, N. 8S. (Read May 12, 1879.) THE subject of fish culture, or the propagation of various kinds of fish by artificial means, has within the past few years received considerable attention on both sides of the Atlantic. As a branch of economic industry, the culture or breeding of trout, shad, oysters, salmon and other kinds of fish used by man as food, cannot be too carefully attended to by the State, and es- pecially so, when such artificial breeding seems to be the only remedy for re-stocking depleted rivers and streams. My object in preparing this paper is to place on record in connected form a short history of fish culture in our own country. In doing this, I shall touch very briefly on the subject as referring to other countries. The culture of the salmon, and, to some extent, the white fish, is all that has been attempted as yet in Canada. As the Institute was favored a short time since with a most excel- lent paper on the Salmon by a distinguished member of this body, Dr. J. B.Gilpin, it is not at all necessary that on the present occasion I should refer, except incidentally, to the various stages of growth and development through which the fish passes, from the time it leaves the ova till it becomes the full grown salmon, beautiful to the eye, delicious to the taste. The peculiar instinct of the FISH CULTURE—MELLISH. rare salmon, shad, and some other fish, in seeking the river where they emerged from the ege and were deposited after being hatched, in order to spawn, after having acquired their wonder- ful growth in salt water, renders it possible not only to re-stock a depleted river, but to introduce a larger run of fish than orig- inally frequented the river. Salmon will seek their native water, even if only asmall stream. It is computed that 90 p.c. of the ova is lost when the spawn is deposited in the river, and that 90 p.c. is hatehed when deposited in charge of the fish breeder. Fecundated fish spawn has been an article of traffic among the Chinese from time immemorial. The Romans, who, as their old writers inform us, used fish at their tables of various kinds and of the choicest quality, resorted to artificial culture to supply the demand. We are told that Lucullus, at his house at Tusculum, on the shores of the Bay of Naples, dug canals for his fish ponds to the sea; that fresh water streams were led into these canals; that sea fish having passed up into the ponds and deposited their ova were prevented from returning to the sea by flood gates ; and that the yearly value of the fish kept in these ponds amounted to a sum equal to $250.000. After the fall of the Roman Republie fish culture does not seem to have been practiced until the 14th century, when Dom Pinchon, a monk of the Abbey of Reome, bred fish in wooden boxes. He was the first who expressed the ova and applied the male milt toit. The ends of these boxes were of wicker work, their bottoms being covered with sand on which the ova were deposited. An interim seems to have ensued when no interest was taken in the art. In 1763, Jacobi, a German, began experiments which he carried on for thirty years. Others soon took an interest in the matter, and about the year 1834 Messrs. Shaw and Young, of Scotland, bred salmon in wooden boxes. Joseph Remy, a French peasant, suc- cessfully experimented in 1849 in re-stocking with young fish many depleted rivers and streams. During the past twenty years salmon culture has been carried on with great success in Scotland and Ireland. In many cases large fortunes have been accumulated in the business by private individuals. Consider- 78 FISH CULTURE—MELLISH. able attention has also been given to the subject in the United States, but the Americans are free to confess that the facilities in Canada for salmon culture are much greater than in their own country. In several of the Eastern States the culture of the common brook trout has been carried on successfully. Artificial fish culture was first introduced into Canada by Mr. Samuel Wilmot, a native of the Province of Ontario. Having been brought up in the immediate vicinity of a once famous salmon producing river, and having observed the gradual decline in the numbers of this fish entering the stream, Mr. Wilmot conceived the idea of endeavoring to re-stock it by artificial means, some- what after the manner practised at Stormontfield in Scotland, and at Huningen in Germany. His first attempt was made in the year 1866. Having then no practical knowledge of the de- tails of the work, his operations were necessarily limited and rather unsuccessful. The art of manipulating the fish and of im- pregnating the ova obtained from them required close study and experience. Mr, Wilmot, being exceedingly ingenious and a man of great determination, was nothing daunted by failare, but con- tinued year after year to renew his attempts to overcome the difficulties before him, and was highly gratified to find in the year 1870 that he had mastered the art and was able to take the ova from the mother fish without injuring her, and after fecund- ing them by the milt or impregnating fluid obtained from the male fish, was able to keep them safely during their long period of incubation, and finally to deposit them safely in the river. Having accomplished this much entirely at his own expense, and being convinced of the practical utility of the work in re-stock- ing the almost depleted rivers of his native Province, he brought the matter before the Dominion Government and asked for a small appropriation which would enable him to perfect and ex- tend his scheme. Up to this time Mr. Wilmot’s operations and experiments had been carried on in his own cellar, through which a small stream of water passed, but as no extensive re- sults could be secured in so limited a space, he was anxious to obtain more suitable accomodation. Mr. Wilmot then succeeded in obtaining a sufficient sum from the Dominion Government FISH CULTURE—MELLISH. 79 to permit of his erecting a suitable hatchery in which to pro- secute his experiments on a moré extensive scale. The first salmon hatchery, built in 1870, was located on Wilmot’s creek, near the village of Newcastle, Ontario. In this building a number of hatching troughs were placed, in which were laid the impregnated ova, each trough being fed by a small stream of water supplied from a large tank or reservoir placed at one end of the building. Previous to this time Mr. Wilmot’s experi- ments had been confined to comparatively small numbers of ova, but now, having increased space and better facilities, he was anxious to deal with hundreds of thousands of them. By the most determined effort and diligent labour, he succeeded in_ pro- curing about 250.000 ova. Having been very successful in hatching this number and depositing them in several of the rivers in the vicinity of the hatchery, additional means were fur- nished him still further to increase the facilities for carrying on the work. The then Minister of Marine aud Fisheries being convinced of the great utility of the scheme, decided to carry the work into the Maritime Provinces, where the most valuable fish- eries existed. He accordingly, in the year 1872, had $20,000 placed in the estimates for the year for fish breeding and fish ways, and in 1875 was completed the first hatchery built in these Provinces. This was situated on the far famed Resti- gouche river, the boundary between the Provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. During this year another hatchery was com- menced at Gaspe in the Province of Quebec, and still another on the Miramichi in New Brunswick. In 1874 these three estab- lishments were fully completed, and each year since they have turned out their quota of salmon and other fish. En- couraged by the success attending these hatcheries, the Fish- erles Department in 1875 extended the work to Nova Scotia, and erected on the Sackville river, at the head of Bedford Basin, another establishment. This hatchery was located by Mr. Samuel Wilmot who had previously been appointed super- intendent of Fisheries for the Dominion, and was completed and opened by Mr. A. B. Wilmot, one of the oldest apprentices at the work. Mr. A. B. Wilmot’s extensive and varied experience gained 80 FISH CULTURE—MELLISH. while in the work at the older institution in Neweastle, Ontario, and afterwards while in charge of the hatcheries at Gaspe and Miramichi, has enabled him to introduce into the Bedford establishment the most improved and serviceable appliances for prosecuting the work on a large scale. Among these appliances which are as yet only used in his establishment, but which will shortly be introduced into the others, are Ist, a set of filterers for preventing the foul sediment from coming in contact with the ova, and thereby injuring them ; 2nd, a new description of tray or hatching grill, upon which the ova are placed during the sea- son of incubation ; these trays are of the ordinary earthenware, covered with a thin salt glazing, and were introduced to prevent the possibility of any chemical action which might injure the young fish, between the iron and sulphur contained in the water and the zine of the trays previously introduced by Mr. Samuel Wilmot, and which up to this date were the only trays used; 3rd, a simple but most serviceable escape or overflow pipe, which will permit any required quantity of water to pass through the hatchery trough, while no young fish can possibly escape. Aided by these improvements, Mr. A. B. Wilmot has been enabled to achieve a degree of suc- cess comparatively greater than that attained in any of the older establishments. As it was impossible to obtain from the Sack- ville River a sufficient number of the parent fish, from which to obtain a full stock of ova, recourse was had to some remote rivers of this province, principally River Philip in Cumberland county, West River in Pictou county, and the Annapolis and Musquodoboit Rivers. Those rivers producing the largest salmon were chosen in preference to the others, the object being to re- stock the depleted rivers with a larger run of fish than formerly frequented them. At convenient points auxiliary establishments or reception tanks’ and spawning sheds are erected, in which to confine the salmon and perform the delicate and important work of manipulating. The result of Mr. Wilmot’s labours for the three years this‘ establishment has been in operation, has been the hatching and distributing among thirty-five rivers of this Province, the large number of 3,000,000 Salmon, 160,000 EXPERIMENTAL MICROSCOPY—SOMMERS. SI White Fish, and 8000 Salmon Trout, the latter having been ob- tained from the lakes of Ontario. He has at the present time (April, 1879) 1,800,000 Salmon hatched, and in a few days will commence to distribute them among the most suitable rivers within reach’ of the hatchery. This will make a total of 4,800,000 salmon distributed from this one hatchery, in the short space of four years. The Bedford Establishment, although one of the smallest in the Dominion, has a hatching eapacity of 2,500,000. There are at present eight fish-breeding establishments in the Dominion: two in Ontario, four in Quebec, one in New Bruns- wick, one in Nova Scotia; and it is proposed to erect an addi- tional one, during the present summer, in New Brunswick. P. E. Island is certainly entitled to one. There will probably be distributed during the next four weeks from the hatcheries now in operation, within the Dominion, about 40,000,000 young fish, of which about 30,000,000 are the White Fish of the great lakes of the west. No doubt the culture of the Trout, the Oyster and the Shad will receive attention in Canada at an early day. Art, XIJ.—EXPERIMENTAL Microscopy.—By J. Somers, M. D., Professor Physiology, Microscopy, &c., Halifax Medical College. (Read May 12th, 1879.) Tuis short essay owes its existence to a wish expressed by members of the Council of the Institute. It contains nothing original, or what any person familiar with the use of the Microscope, does not already understand. It was prepared to accompany a series of experiments presented to the members, and it does not pretend even to explain the nature of these, nor of the specimens exhibited. The writer feels complimented in that he has been requested to fill at the final meeting of this season, a vacancy which has occurred for the first time for many years. One who never failed to present the results of his observations at the final meet- ing of the session, has closed his earthly labors. Endeared as he was to us all, not only for his zeal and arduous toil in the cause $2 EXPERIMENTAL MICROSCOPY—-SOMMERS. of science, but also for possessing those qualities of head and heart which constitute the true gentleman; his death has caused’ a vacancy in eur ranks, which time will scarcely obliterate. The memory of his scientific and personal worth will ever recur te remind us ef the loss which science and our Institute has sus- tained. Our subject for to-night is appropriate, in view of the honour recently conferred upon us by the Royal Microscopical Society of London. The fellowship which comes to our President, while he is in office, is a tribute to werk which has been done by our body, and every member should feel a reasonable pride in the distinction, inasmuch as it is given in appreciation of work which all have tended to forward; furthermore we have reason for con- eratulation in the circumstance that the honour has fallen upon right worthy shoulders, those of a pioneer in the cause of science, It would be out of place to take up your time in describing the construction, or even the history of the Microscope. Its begin- nings, like that of many useful inventions, were very simple ; the lenses with which Leuwenhoeck discovered the blood corpuscles, and Malpighi the capillary circulation, when compared with the compound Microscope of to-day, tells at a glance of the vast strides which microscopy has made within the two centuries which have passed since it began to be applied to the study of Biology. It will enable us also to comprehend and appreciate its value to the student ef science, in opening to his bodily and mental vision fields of observation, which without it could never be explored. A glance through the instruments before you will reveal that sublime sight which the immortal Harvey is said to have never beheld, “the circulation of the blood in the capillary blood ves- sels.” This discovery was made twenty-six years subsequent to Harvey’s publication of his discovery of the circulation through the heart and great vessels. The development of the young Salmon from the ova can now be easily observed ; and the various changes, from the swelling of the blastoderm to the formation of the perfect minnow, are very interesting. Embryology may be said to date as a scientific EXPERIMENTAL. MICROSCOPY—SOMMERS:. 83: study from the time, 1672, when Regnerus. De-Graaz applied the. Microscope to its elucidation. The infusoriz, so called, are very interesting to the Microsco- pist. The multitude of forms, variety of structure, uncertainty of the position of many of them, whether they belong to the animal or vegetable kingdom, inerease their value as objects for: study. They afford an immense field for original research, but partly explored. Here we find the battle ground where. Vitalist, Evolutionist and Panspermatist cam wage intellectual warfare. The Microscope has, rendered invaluable service in exploding: false ideas and crude theories. If we take for example the spon- taneous generation theory. Assuming all animals, the mode of whose generation is unknown or obscure, owe their origin to the spontaneous efforts of nature acting by force upon inorganic matter, the extent of its application would be proportionate to, the sum of our knowledge of sexual generation, or of generation. by division ; hence, in looking backward at the history of this theory, we find it always resting on an ever shifting base; accept- ed by the ancients, it sufficed to explain the generation of reptiles, fishes, insects, and all animals of whatever kind, whose mode. of re-production was unknown. The study of the embryology of these creatures have satisfied all doubts relative to their re-production, yet are we very much in the position of the scientific world in the time of Aristotle, heterogeny is still received by many as a scientific fact, the base being shifted to a still lower stratum of life, where the process of reproduction is obscure or not yet known. The question then arises, have we really a spontaneous origin of minute beings; or is there a possibility of the existence of a process of generation amongst them, of which we are ignorant? We are, so far as this question extends, in the position of our predecessors, previous to. the discovery of the Microscope. We cannot account for the ex- istence of a’Bacterium by reproductive generation, therefore it is generated spontaneously, if so, why not a snake? as Kercher be- lieved. Writing to Redi, he gives the following recipe for manu- facturing snakes :— “Take some snakes, of whatever kind you want, roast them, 6 84 EXPERIMENTAL MICROSCOPY—SOMMERS. “and cut them into small pieces, sow these in an oleaginous soil, “sprinkle from day to day with water, taking care that the piece “of ground be exposed to the spring sun, and in eight days you “will see the earth strewn with little worms, which, being “nourished with milk diluted with water, will gradually increase “in size till they take the form of perfect serpents.’—Kercher Mund. Subterran. Redi determined to prove the recipe, and in doing so, exploded his friend’s theory. He says :— “Moved by the authentic testimony of this most learned “author, I have frequently tried the experiment, but I could “never witness the generation of those blessed snakelets made to “hand.’—Redi, Generat, Insectorum, 1686. Redi however found an abundant progeny of Maggots, which, being confined in a covered box, were ina short time transformed into flies. To Redi’s observations science is indebted for some of the earliest definite knowledge of the generation and metamor- phoses of insects. If one of the ablest men of his time, which Kercher undoubt- edly was, will to us appear at a disadvantage, because he too readily accepted a false theory, how ‘careful we should be lest our successors a century or so hence may be in a position to sub- ject our theories and experiments to the criticism of ridicule. The substitution of infusions of chopped hay ‘or turnips in water and exposure to sunlight, for chopped snakes, milk, and sunlight, is startlingly like a repetition of the old process, and is likely te be followed by equally satisfactory results. The revelations of the microscope in all that relates to the process of generation so far as positive facts are concerned, tend to prove the truth of the proposition that every living organism has been generated or produced by a pre-existing living organ- ism. The theory of spontaneous generation had fallen inte disregard until certain observations of Pouchet, put forward in the year 1847, caused its revival. Pouchet in his experiments seemed to show that certain infusorial animalcules were gene- rated spontaneously, but subsequent experiments ‘of Balbiani, in 1861, demonstrated the existence of sexual generation in these EXPERIMENTAL MICROSCOPY—SOMMERS, 85 organisms, heterogenists had then to recede a step,—new or- ganisms were needed to uphold the theory. Bacterize came to the front. The theory of spontaneous generation may perhaps be resolved by the question: Do living organisms come from, 1,—a spontan- cous aggregation of particles, living or inorganic? 2.—Are they the result of the development of ova? Spontaneous action is defined to be that arising from natural disposition, tendency or inclination, or without external cause, that is, no cause can be assigned for its production—a confession of ignorance. All that is positively known of the reproduction: of living beings points to sexual generation as the means by which nature attains that object, even accepting certain variations of the process. If we reason from the supposition that living beings are formed by the fortuitous aggregation of particles, organic or inorganic, we assume a fact of which we have no example in nature by analogy, and one which we are incapable of demonstrating. We assume likewise that such ageregation er combination of molecules is capable of producing beings of a definite and wniferm character, for which we have no basis. If we on the other hand suppose the production of the lowest orders of beings to be ewing to the development of germs vr ova, separated from living beings of their own kind, finding suitable conditions, we rest upon a basis which is analagous to what occurs in all cases where the process of reproduction can be seen and followed, confessing mercly our inability as yet to demonstrate the process by which it is brought about. The conclusion we arrive at from the foregoing is that living organisms reproduce beings like themselves, through successive generations, and life passes down the pathway of time always reproducing itself; that the mind of man, also a product of living matter, like that matter, is constantly reproducing itself, and often, when supposing it has arrived at the termination of a linear course, finds that it has only travelledinacircle. It seems to me that the only true philosophic view to take of the ques- tion is to assume that there is in nature no such thing as a spon- taneous generation, admitting, however, the exact mode of pro- duction ef the lowest forms is not at the present time understood. + JaGat < r ' \ 2 e = © a ‘ . { : vary \ 5 i b PPh» | ‘ * ry iY ‘ i] i ! 4 - ™ bh te j | a 5 rh Feu, \ na eC ier ant Pia ries os Lak RA r 4 eu * 7 f at (aot iV WAS No: (nea (Ny ih a te ay rig tie AS! buit'y My aries dir ee yD ar 1s hens in “ q Te if by ” Mri wnies ky Leesa Linge ee my as ar ik a «' . 7 oP ee a Micha tpit! : ‘ Py js win ae ane | + ip “ab "ig o ehtaea jars 71 on : w Hi aa 7 far: fay ra. igee thew Th es ee ae oe vs isd + ul he iv i bet Pret” i by ths per ita i 6s “uate a ated nae Watt? i bY aoe vase Mae Kee ‘Og & otid ‘ Ba 2) r ie ae Mis, + teh tif ogirteul dy Hie i) ae epee iat a i in a ms era "i if Pil ent 7 Waray, 1a inl gd agg all ey Ki Chee waar cae igs vated ps, eis] git te Me sect " a nate Navas Mati fi) Bearesir' veotitis alt aia! Wt f a te abet “skutheuD eas t ty Wits i a ule sp Hees f wikia WiXhty Hcl. . Ail ari. ih ‘e leet weit hh Datei on ail se ERE ANR, Cyn apeney Mane eee Bo ua Mie ecth Dede fos he on first eae 2 Sa Ms Nese eis r AUF Lae 4 Pit yainy ee 87 Pele by IN eX, LIST OF THE FISHES OF NOVA SCOTIA. (Corrected to date, 1879.) By J. MATTHEW JONES, THE following list comprises all the Fishes recorded to date as occurring in our waters. A few other fluviatile species doubtless exist in the more remote lakes and streams of the interior, and we may look forward to the occasional occurrence of additional boreal marine forms on our northern fishing banks, brought there under the influence of the cold arctic current which bears annually its burden of icebergs from Davis’ Strait; while the number of southern marine forms may also be augmented at in- tervals, by errant examples, thrown off during their northerly course, along the heated waters of the Gulf Stream. In the preparation of this list the author has received the generous assistance of his much esteemed friend, Prof. G. BRown Goopbk, of the Smithsonian Institution, Assistant U. States Fish Commission, who has kindly furnished a list of hitherto un- known species, procured from our fishing banks by the Commis- sion during the past three years, and revised in part the nomen- clature. Fam. GASTEROSTEID. 1, GASTEROSTEUS ACULEATUS, L. ‘Two-spined Stickleback. Common. Fam. PERCIDA. 2. Perca FLUVIATILIS, LZ. Perch. Perca flavescens, Stor. Common in most lakes and streams. 3. Roccus LINEATUS (Schn.) Gill. Striped Bass. Labrax lineatus, Gunth. Common. 4. MoRONE AMERICANA (Gimel.) Gill. White Perch. Labrax rufus, Gunth. Common. 88: Or is, 8. LQ: 1a 13. 14, APPENDIX.. Fam.. TRIGLID. SEBASTES MARINUS (L.) Lutken; S. Norwegicus. Gunth. Common ; taken on the banks while fishing for cod. Cottus scorpius, L. Seulpin. Very common. C. OCTODECIM-SPINOSUS, Mitch. Not common. CENTRIDERMICHTHYS UNCINATUS, Rewnh. Fishing banks off the coast (U.S. F. C.) TRIGLOPS PINGELI, Reinh. Fishing banks off the coast, CU,Ss Bae) ASPIDOPHOROIDES MONOPTERYGIUS, Bloch... Storer. Ob- tained from fish stomachs. Fam. SCOMBRIDZ. SCOMBER scomBRUs, L. Mackerel. Scomber scomber, Gunth. As on other coasts this fish is more abund- ant some seasons than others; attributable no doubt to the ample food supply, or scarcity, as the case may be. It generally consists of the minute fry of other fishes; but when that particular food fails, they appear to resort to the minute crustacea. Dr. Gilpin carefully describes this species in Trans. N. 8. Inst. Nat. Science, vol. I., Pt. 4, p. 11. ORcYNUS THYNNUS (L.) Goode. Albicore. Thynnwus thynnus, Gunth. Common in the bays and harbours during the months of July and August. O. ALATUNGA, (L.) Gill. Thynnus alalonga, Gunth. Ac- cording to Messrs. Goode & Bean’s admirable List of Fishes of Massachusetts Bay, (1879) a specimen was obtained by Capt. William Thompson, of the schooner “ Magic” of Gloucester, in the Summer of 1878, on Banquereau, at a depth of 300 fathoms. SARDA PELAMYS (L.) Gunth, Cuv. Bonito. Pelamys sarda, Not common. A young example captured at the mouth of Halifax Harbour is now in the Museum collection. EcHENEIS —————-? Suck-fish. A specimen in the Hali- fax Museum not yet determined. 16. Lye 18. 19. 20. at, 22. 23, bb) bo OU me 26. APPENDIX. 89, PORONOTUS TRIACANTHUS (Peck.) Gill. Stromateus. tnia- canthus, Gunth. Common. LAMPRIS LUNA, ftiss. Very rare. A specimen was taken at Sable Island some years ago, a rough sketch: of’ which, with the colours well depicted, was made by one of the men belonging to the establishment there, and given to Dr. Bernard Gilpin, in whose portfolio I saw it and carefully examined it. Although the sketch was rude in the extreme, the peculiar form and brilliant colours left no doubt as to, the fish. The man had never seen one before. Fam. CARANGID. PARATRACTUS PISQUETUS (Cuv. & Val.) Gill.. Canana: chrysos, Gunth. Not uncommon. ARGYRIOSUS VOMER (L.) Cuv. & Val. Not common, Specir mens are occasionally taken in shore waters. PoMATOMUS SALTATRIX (L.) Gill. Blue-fish. Tenmmodon saltator, Gunth. Inserted on the authority of Dr. Bernard Gilpin, who has seen specimens.taken on this coast. Fam. XIPHIID. XIPHIAS GLADIUS, Z. Sword-fish. Occasionally taken in, the bays and harbours. Fam. DISCOBOLT. CycLoprerus LumpPusS, LZ. Lump-fish.. Very common. C. spinosus, Fabr. Very rare. Trawled off Halifax Har-. bour by the “ Speedwell” Expedition, August, 1877:. (U. 5: Bae) LIPARIS VULGARIS, Flem. Common. L. Montacui, Don. Rare. Taken: off’ Halifax: Harbour: by the “Speedwell” Expedition, Aug., 1877: (U‘S:F.C.) L. RANULA, Goode & Bean. Very rare. One specimen only has been obtained by the “Speedwell” Expedi- tion off Chebucto Head, Halifax Harbor, at a depth. of 52 fathoms. (U.S, F.C.) 90 34. 36. 37. 38. APPENDIX. Fam. PEDICULATI. LopnHivs PiIscaTorius, LZ. Devil-fish. ‘Common. Fam. BLENNIDZ. ANARRHICHAS LUPUS, LJ. Cat-fish. Common. A. minor, Olaf. Fishing banks off the coast (U.S. F. C.) A. LATIFRONS. Steenst & Hallg. Fishing banks off the coast (U.S. F. C.) LEPTOCLINUS ACULEATUS (Reinh.) Gill. Stichoous aculeatus, Gunth. Fishing banks off the coast (U. 8. F.C.) EUMESOGRAMMUS SUBBIFURCATUS (Storer) Gill. Pholis subbifurcatus, Stor. Taken off Halifax Harbour by the “Speedwell” Expedition (U.S. F. C.) E. UNIMACULATUS (Reinh.) Goode & Bean. ‘Sticheus uni- maculatus, Gunth. A specimen was forwarded by Mr. Whiteaves from the vicinity of Anticosti to the Smithsonian Institution. See Goode & Bean's List of Fishes of Mass. Bay. MURZNOIDES GUNNELLUS (L.) Goode & Bean. Common in shore waters. Described by the author, Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Se: vol. 1. Pt. Lp. 50: CRYPTACANTHODES MACULATUS, Stor. Wrymouth. Occa- sionally taken. The variety C. inornatus, Gill—is net uncommon. ‘ZOARCES ‘ANGUILLARIS (Peck.) Storer. Common. Fam. ATHERINIDA. Currostoma NoTATUM (Mitch.) Gill. -Atherinichthys motata, Gunth. Fam. FISTULARIID. FISTULARIA TABACCARIA, Z. Occasional specimens taken in shore waters during the summer months. A speci- men in the Halifax Museum. F, serrata, Cuv. Like the last species this is occasionally taken in shore waters. The author examined a fine specimen 31 inches in length including caudal fila- ‘ment ‘in Sept. 1863, which had been talzen.at Portu- 40, 41. 42, 43, APPENDIX. 9] guese Cove, Halifax Harbour. A small specimen is in the Halifax Museum. There can be hardly a doubt as to the distinctness of these two species. Fam. LABRID/A. TAUTOGOLABRUS ADSPERSUS (Walb.) Gill. Sea Perch. Ctenolabrus burgall, Gunth. Very common during the summer months in harbours and bays. The variety wninotatus, having a black spot at the base of the two anterior soft dorsals rays, mentioned by Gunther, Cat. Fishes, vol. iv., p. 90, is found in com- pany with it. Fam. LYCODIDA. Lycopes VAHL, Reinh. Fishing banks off the coast, (U2S/-F5@.) L. VERRILLIL, Goode & Bean. Fishing banks off the coast, WES. BC.) L, PAXILLUS, Goode & Bean. A single specimen obtained between La Have and Sable Island Banks, recorded in Messrs. Goode and Bean’s List of N. E. Am. Fishes (1879) p. 9. Fam. GADID. GADUS MoRRHUA, L. Cod. Very common. G. Tomcopus, Mitch. Frost-fish. Very common. G. HGLEFINUS, Z. Haddock. Very common. G. POLLACHIUS, LZ. Pollack. Very common. Large schools come into Halifax Harbour about the latter end of June or beginning of July, to feed upon the fry of the common hake. MERLUCIUS BILINEARIS (Mitch.) Gill. Whiting. Merluc- cius vulgaris, Gunth. Not common. | Puycis cHuss (Walb.) Gill. P. TENUIS (Mitch.) De Kay. Hake. Phycis americanus, Gunth. Very common. P. rEGIus (Walb.) Jord. & Gilb. Phycis regalis, Gunth. Sir John Richardson gives Halifax as a locality for this species. Faun. Bor, Am. 60. 61. 62. APPENDIX. HALOPORPHYRUS VIOLA, Goode & Bean. Fishing banks off the coast (U.S. F. C.) ONOS (RHINONEMUS) crmBRIUS (L.) Goode & Bean. Mo- tella cimbria, Gunth. Fishing banks off the coast (Ui Spry Gs BROSMIUS BROSME (Mull.) White. Cusk. Common, AMMODYTES AMERICANUS, De Kay. Sand Eel. Common ; burying in the sand at ebb of tide, and going in schools at high water. Fam. PLEURONECTID. HIPPoGLossus VULGARIS, Flem. Halibut. Very common on the fishing banks off the coast. HIPPOGLOSSOIDES PLATESSOIDES (Fabr.) Gill. Arctic Floun- der. Hippoglossoides limandoides, Gunth. Not un- common. Of two specimens forwarded by the Rev. J. Ambrose from St. Margaret’s Bay, the largest measured twenty-two inches in length. PSEUDOPLEURONECTES AMERICANUS (Walb,) Gill. Flounder. Platessa plana, Stor. Very common in shore waters. Described by the author, Trans. N.S. Inst. Nat. Se., Wol: 3.) Pt: 1 spoil. LIMANDA FERRUGINEA (Storer.) Goode & Bean. Pleuro- nectes ferrugineus, Gunth. PLATYSOMATICHTHYS HIPPOGLOSSOIDES (Walb.) Goode & Bean. Turbot. Hippoglossus groenlandicus, Gunth. Occasional specimens are brought in from the northern fishing banks, but it is more common off Newfound- land. It is a very oily fish when cooked. GLYPTOCEPHALUS CyNoGLOssUS (L.) (ill. Pleuronectes cynoglossus, Gunth. La Have fishing bank (U.S.F.C.) Fam. SILURID. Amiurus catus (L.) Gill. Not common. This fish is very tenacious of life, for a specimen survived being carrfed wrapped up in paper in a pocket for two hours. Fam. SALMONIDAL SALMO SALAR, Z, Salmon. More abundant some years 64. oc Coq 66. 67. 63. 69. 70. Q. APPENDIX. 93 than others. Described by Dr. Gilpin, Trans. N. 8S. Inst. Nat. Se, Vol. I., Pt. 4, p. 76. S. CANADENSIS, Hamilton Smith. Sea Trout. Very com- mon at the mouths of rivers, May to August. Dr. Gilpin has described the species, Trans. N. 8. Inst. Nat. Sc., Vol. I., Pt. 4, p. 84 S. GLOVERH, Gir. This fish under the name of “ Grayling ” is known in most rivers and lakes. It is probably from its light colour that it obtained the name, for it does not belong to the genus Thymallus. Describ- ed by Dr. Gilpin, Trans. N.S. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. I, Pt. 4, p. 86. CRISTIVOMER NAMAYCUSH (Penn.) Gill & Jordan. Lake Trout. Salmo namayeush, Gunth. Common in the larger lakes where it is known to the countrymen as the “pickerel.” It is well described by Dr. Gilpin in Trans. N.S. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. I., Pt. 4, p. 88. SALVELINUS FONTINALIS (Mitch.) Gill & Jordan. Brook Trout. Salmo fontinalis, Gunth. Very common in all lakes and streams. Described by Dr. Gilpin, Trans. N.S. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. I, Pt. 4, p. 81. OSMERUS MORDAX, Mitch. Smelt. Osmerus viridescens, Gunth. Very abundant in January and February, when they are taken through holes in the icé im great quantities. MALLotus viLtosus, Cuv. & Val. Capelin. Occurs as far south as Halifax only occasionally, when the tempera- ture of the shore waters is lower than usual. Its proper habitat is further north, om the coasts of New- foundland and Labrador. * Described by the auther, Trans. N.S. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. L, Pt. 2, p. 5. Fam. SCOMBRESOCID&. ScoMBRESOX sAURUS, Flem. Bill Fish. Not uncommon during the summer months. A specimen preserved in the Halifax Museum jumped out of the water into a fishing-boat. The fishermen say it comes with 94 (i 72. 73. 74. APPENDIX. the mackerel. We are informed by Mr. Robert Morrow that it is seen on the coast of Cape Breton in schules during the month of August. ExoczTus —————? Flying-fish. A specimen was taken at Sable Island in 1859, but the species was not de- termined. Fam. CYPRINODONTID. FUNDULUS sp.? Minnow. A species not yet de- termined ; in all lakes and streams. Fam. CYPRINIDA. CATOSTOMUS TERES (Mitch.) Les. Sucker. Common in most streams. ERIMYZON SUCETTA (Les.) Jordan. Moxostoma sucetta, Gunth. : Fam. CLUPEIDA. CLUPEA HARENGUS, LZ. Herring. More plentiful some seasons than others. Described by Dr. Gilpin, Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Se, Vok. 15 Pt, 1 pm: &. ALOSA SAPIDISSIMA (Wilson) Storer. Shad. Abundant on the west coast Bay of Fundy. Described by Dr. Gilpin, Trans. N. 8. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. I, Pt. 4, p. 107. PoMOLOBUS VERNALIS (Mitch.) Goode & Bean. Gaspereau. Very abundant. Oe BREVOORTIA TYRANNUS (Latrobe) Goode. Menhaden. On the authority of Dr. Gilpin. Fam. MURANIDZ. Nemicutuys scotopaceus, Rich. Nenvichthys scolopacea, Gunth. Fishing banks eff the coast, (U.S. F. C.) SYNAPHOBRANCHUS PINNATUS (Gronow) Gunth. Fishing banks off the coast (U.S. F. C.) ANGUILLA VULGARIS, J. Eel. Very eommon. Fam. SYNGNATHID£, Synenatuus Peckranus, Storer. Pipe-fish, Common in shore waters. 33. 84. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91, APPENDIX. 95 HIPPOCAMPUS ANTIQUORUM, Leach. Occasionally taken dur- ing the summer months; a Gulf-stream migrant no doubt. Fam. SCLERODERMI. BALIsTES CAPRiscUS, Gm. A specimen taken at St. Mar- garet’s Bay, is in the Halifax Museum. STEPHANOLEPIS SETIFER, Bean. Monocanthus _ setifer. Gunth. Occasional specimens are taken in shore waters. The Rev. John Ambrose kindly forwarded one to the author about twelve years ago which was secured at St. Margaret’s Bay. It is described in Trans. N. 8. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. I., Pt. 1, p. 53. Fam. GYMNODONTES. Mota roTunDA, Cuv. Sun-fish. Orthagoriscus mola, Gunth, Rare. A specimen five feet six inches in length taken in Halifax Harbour, October, 1873. Described by Dr. Gilpin, Trans. N.S. Inst. Nat. Se., Vol. TIL, p. 343. Fam. ACIPENSERIDA. ACIPENSER sTuRIO, L. Sturgeon. Occasionally taken. Fam LAMNID#, ALOPIAS VULPES (Z.) Bon. Alopecias vulpes, Gunth. Thresher. Occasionally taken in fishing nets, to their great detriment. A fine specimen in the collection of King’s College, Windsor, N. 8. CETORHINUS MAXIMUS (L.) Blainv. Basking Shark. Sel- ache maxima, Gunth. From descriptions given by different observers we have no doubt as to the occur- rence of this species on the coast. Fam. SPINACID4, SquaLus acanTutas, L. Dog-fish.