Page:The Journal of geology (IA journalofgeology11893univ).pdf/69
a slaty matrix through which are scattered rather distantly pebbles of granitic, quartzitic and other crystalline rocks. This is one of the forms of the "basal conglomerate" of Irving. Other varieties of this "basal conglomerate" are present. In addition to these very peculiar rocks, a quartzite of a very light greenish semi-translucent hue has a wide distribution along the tract. It is readily distinguishable from the numerous other quartzites of the drift of the interior. Some years since, on returning from my first field examination of a portion of this belt, I sent a typical series of chips from the characteristic erratics to Professor Irving, who had recently returned from the study of the original Huronian region. He returned a suite of chippings that matched them perfectly throughout, all of which were taken in situ in the region north of Lake Huron.
Among the boulders of the belt are occasionally found specimens of impure limestone or of limy sandstone that might perhaps be referred doubtfully to some member of the paleozoic series; but on the other hand, might with equal or greater probability perhaps be referred to the similar rocks of the Huronian series. These are quite rare, never forming, so far as my observations go, as much as one per cent. of the series. In the several definite enumerations made to determine the percentage of the doubtful specimens, the result never exceeded a fraction of one per cent. In the most extensive enumeration the result was about one-half of one per cent. Aside from these doubtful specimens there are practically no boulders in the belts that can be referred to any of the paleozoic rocks that intervene in the 500 miles between the parent series north of Lake Huron and the tract over which the boulders are now strewn. Occasionally there may be seen erratics from the paleozoic series at or near the surface, but they are not usually so disposed on the surface as to appear to be true members of the superficial boulder tract. There is, therefore, the amplest ground for the assertion that these boulder tracts are of distant derivation, and that they are essentially uncommingled with derivatives from the intermediate region.