IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // // ^ .V % 4&P 1.0 I.I |50 ■^" Mi^ ■u Ui IL25 i 1.4 1^ Photoeranhic o — r Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRICT WEBSTER, N.Y. 14380 (716) 872-4503 1 ^A^ CIHM Microfiche Series (■Monographs) ICIMH Collection de microfiches (monographees) Canadian inttituta for Historical IVIicroraproductions / institut Canadian da microraproductions hittoriquaa <\ TMhniMi and Bibliographic Notes / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. 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Commentaires supplementaires: This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est f ilme au taux de rMuction indiqui ci-dessous. ^0^ 1signifie "A SUIVRE" Ie symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent «tre fiimes a des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seui ciichA, !l est film6 A partir de I angle supArleur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant ie nombre d'images n«cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. n 22 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 [I Ai [Re Bu Bu wi( grf Th esc At esc ea( mi va pri On fill bel exi vei rej A [FnoM TriK American Journal or Science, Vol. XXIV, December, 1882.] Art. XLIV. — Terraces and Beaches about Lake Ontario : by J. W. Spencer, B.A.Sc, Ph.D., F.G.S., State University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. ^Late Vice-President of King's Col- lege, Windsor, Nova Scotia). With Plates VI and VII. [Road before the Montrenl Meeting of the American Association for the Advance- ment, jf Science.] The extreme western end of Lake Ontario is .separated by Burlington Beach from the open waters of the lake, and forms Burlington Bay, having a length of about five miles, and a width of four miles at the .astern end, from which place it gradually narrows to less than half a mile, at the western end. This triangular bay is bounded on two sides by the Niagara escarpment rising from four to five hundred feet above the lake. At a short distance westward of the bay, the two faces of the escarpment suddenly approach to within about two miles of each other, and thence extend parallel to each other for several miles, having formed the boundaries of a grand ancient river valley, through which the waters of the Lake Erie basin flowed, — receiving, as a tributary, the Grand River, which drained the principal portion of the high lands of the peninsula of western Ontario, — in Preglacial times. This ancient valley is deeply filled with drift deposits, as described in a former paper read before the A.ssociation. Interglacial and modern s^treams have . excavated deep valleys in the soft drift deposits producing a very broken country throughout the whole Dundas valley, as represented on Plate VL Along the sides of the escarpments, Am. Jour. Sol— Third Sbribs, Vol. XXIV, No. 144.— Deobmbbr, 1888. 27 * ^. > r^ 1^ W 410 J. \V. Spencer — Terrarea ahont Luh' Ontario. and in some of the hillocks, fragments of ancient beaclies and terraces remain. The eastern portion of the Dundaa valley is occupied by a marsh, which is separated from Burlington Bay by "Burlington Heiglita"— a ridge which rises abruptly from the waters (ot the same level) on both sides, to a height of from 108 to 110 feet, with the breadth on the summit of only a few hundred feet. Burlinj^ton Beach, which separates the bay from the lake is the counterpart of the " Ileiglits'' and rises eight feet above the water. It is not usually more than a quarter of a mile wide. Burlington Bay is excavated out of Erie clay and is 78 feet at its greatest depth. After this topographical description, let us now consider the elevation of the beaches and terraces, and their composition. (See Plates VI and VIT.) 1. The lowest beach is that forming the present lake margin and rising to a height of eiglit or ten feet above its surface, of which liurlington Beach is a portion. It is composed wholly of sand and pebbles (mostly llatloned) derived from the ruins of various rocks of the Hudson River formation, with a few sm.'ill crystalline pebbles. The pebbles are often full of characteris- tic Hudson River fossils. Sometimes the rounded slabs meas- ure more than a foot in length, though usually much less. At the western end of the lake the present beach does not con- tain any pebbles of the Niagara formation. The nearest expos- ures of the component rocks are more than twenty miles away to the northward. 2. The next terrace is 70 (to 80) feet above the lake, and consists of sand, — or, in the Dundas valley, where it forms a conspicuous Hat terrace, it is com|)osed of thin-bedded loose arenaceous clay, with son»e fine gravel along the margin. This terrace in the Dr.ndas valley is the remnant of the deposits of Saugeen clay. 3. The most conspicuous of all the terraces is that at 116 feet above the lake, of which " Burlington Heights " is a por- tion. Its composition is precisely of the nature of Burlington Beach, and on a succeeding page, the structure will be niore fully noticed in studying its origin, along with that of Burling- ton Beach. , _ _ 4. The upper portion of an isolated conical hill," rising to 180 feet on the southern iiide of Dundas, is composed of stratified fine gravel, probably of the Hudson River formation, but with Q\ large stones and semi-angular slabs (sometimes a foot and a half 71 long) composed of Niagara dolomites and other rocks of that ^ formation. . la 5. On the northern side of the town of Dundas there is an k old beach with the sand and fine gravel exposed from 224 to ai 261 feet above the lake. 890321 Liih' Ontario. J. W. Spencer — Terraces ahout Lnle Ontario. 411 f ancient V)eaclies and illey is occupied by a 1 Bay by " Burlington rom the waters (o( the from 108 to 110 feet, / a few hundred feet, y from the h\ke is the eight feet abt)ve the viarter of a mile wide, e clay and is 78 feet Rt us now consider the nd their composition. le present lake margin Et above its surface, of is composed wholly of ved from the ruins of ition, with a few small en full of characteris- le rounded slabs meas- ;h usually much less, nt beach does not con- 1. The nearest expos- lan twenty miles away t above the lake, and llcy, where it forms a of thind)edded loose ong the margin. This riant of the deposits of terraces is that at 116 on Heights" is a por- :; nature of Burlington structure will be more g with that of Burling- nical hill/rising to 180 composed of stratified ^er formation, but with etimes a foot and a half nd other rocks of that of Dundas there is an exposed from 224 to 6. Higher up, on the side of the escarpment north of the town (at the mouth of Glen Spencer), and not distant from the last beach, there are still the fragmentary remains of stratified gravel and sand rising to 835 feet above the lake. This de- posit probably reached higher at a former time, but has been removed from the steep siile of the soealletl "mountain." It is composed of a mixture of Niagara and Hudson River pebbles and sand, with a few crystalline pebbles. Farther up the Dun- das valley and near Ancaster, this same beach is represented in fragments on some of the hills. But there they are composed more largely of line materials of Hudson River age, with only slabs of Niagara rocks (being farther removed from the escarp- ment). 7. Westward of Ancaster village, and near the watershed between the present Dundas valley (at an estimated height of 440 feef, above the lake), there is another beach composed largely of Hudson River pebbles, and showing much oblique Vjedding, dipping at 23 degrees to the southeastward. Farther .southeastward we again find an old beach at the .same elevation adju' .Mit to the Grand River. 8. On top of the Niagara escarpment, just north of the village of Waterdown, there is a beach of very fine gravel at a height of about 500 feet above Lake Ontario. From the .study of the beaches in the Dundas valley there appears to have been simply a gradual recession of the water with comparatively few sudden changes of level — the most sudden being between the deposit of the terrace at 110 feet above, and that at the present lake level. Between Toronto and Lake Simcoe, Mr. Thomas Roy, in 1837, measured beaches at 110, 210,282,810,346.402,422, 502, 558, 626, 682, 734, 764 feet respectively above Lake On- tario. In addition to the.se gravel beaches, others at 600 feet, and, on descending toward Georgian Bay (along the Northern Railway) at 520, 388 and 354 feet, have been measured. Along the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway, which extends in a direction north of west from Toronto to the highest portions of the peninsula of Ontario, and cro.ssing the "Artemcsia Gravel " ridges, there are a number of conspicuous beds of sand and gravel, which follow contour lines more or less closely. The elevations of some of the most conspicuous of these de- posits were furnished by the kindness of Edmund Wragge, Esq., Chief Engineer of the Railway. They are at 160, 280, 370, 710, 990, 1120, 1340 feet respectively above Lake Ontario. After passing the summit of -the road, at 1462 feet above the lake, there are extensive gravel beds at 1310 feet, and from 1000 to 697 feet above the same datum, along the main line, and along the western branch at 1299, 1130, 1050, 870, 850 412 ./ r. Sj>.nr.r-T.rrare. ahont Lal'e Ontario. are others a r,4t ioH^ d 4«rr'r , ^'^\ ^^^" ««""^ there Along the Great VVetern^ T "'^"^« I^^^e Ontario. St^Davfd's (near th^N ™^^^^^^^^ ^« ^he valley of -^g.veMofHud.nKCre!Jrh?i^^^^^^^ rise^?ri5^stl9r4t";w1hf,^"^^r^^^ '«^« -'^^^es eastern Margin of the hke hasi M ^^'^ ^^'"A ^" the south- ■eet. and at the nor h eml^f'sUnpn^'^^^ ^^^^^^^ «t 400 feet al,ove Lake 0,,tario there ^^1,"' ^""^^^ ''' ^^^°»t 626 lected records of tlie New Y '1 f "''" ^^''^'•^^- ^^«t the col- for general coniparison '^ '^''''''' ^'^ ^°« fragmentary wi^trs^t!:i:f^;7£::i;ii^^ref'iatei,i.p.essed elevations which su Lund t^irinwf *'^^^^«''««'^t the various «Iow recession of the waers Thoh^h i ^^^^'^"tinnity of the to the time wher. the wSs of all f ^r '""'t^'l' "^ ««"^««' --efer 'n one body. In Mi^-Moln .i? '^^ ^^''^^' ^^^es were united Lake OntaL Nea pTtL fer ^'^'^^^^e resented hl^elo^'.lT^^^^^^^^^^ be rep- beltof graveThas a g nraf ''^.Tl' f ' '^^'.^^"^ "This gr^at raent a^nd follows thTSLSio^;^^^ materials comoosinrr h n ■. ^'?»"a of the peninsula. The " Guelph formToT^o wSlhrS"^^^ '\' ruins of The ward the southern ex trim ty wherlThe T^''"' ^'''^ ^^^^P* *«■ largely represented. PebbT;, of t ^^""^ formation is roeks are everywhere S with ^h^T"" "".^ ^"'•°"'^" form a considerable proSon whil ^^^fl' ^"^ sometimes the harder beds of theZdrRTvei^:^"^^^^ ^''Sm^^^'^ from the harder beds^f'Ih'e H'^Z'RTvTf^r^r''^ ^''^'^''^^'^ ^^ some abundance." (TheseTst IT ^"'^'"^j'^? occur locally in The grav^rS, w . "lV//„^T-d ^-^ lower levels.) ''Thnraveini '5.'''"''^''^ ^^"^^d from loier It oftin cons^it^Lt afmi: ItT'^V^^^^^--^^^^-^- stones,' being loose and ftee fo' TJ'Z^^- ^' "^"^^ '«°bble It IS distinctly stratified w!)? anj admixture of clay; and rentian and Huron In rockJ^rl/'''" ^""'^."^^ of Guelph.Lau to cc to 5< 4 '(IVM. i5ouii(J there itario. the valley of atified sands 50 feet above lake rid^^es n the south- iches at 400 t about 626 [iut the col- 'ragmentarj y impressed the various '^ity of the ourae, refer ^'ere united * feet above beaches at ^e Ontario rs. Gilbert I 165, 195, ily be rep- e sea, but i the con- fhis great ra escarp- ila. The us of the scept to- nation is luronian •metimes fits from ocally in M lower f coarse. •' 'cobble ay; and 'h, Lau- le whole ie clay. s, there miles »/. W. Spencer — I'erracra ahmit Lah' Ontario. 413 to near the Trent River, known as "Oak Ridge." Its most conspicuous portion may bo represented by the contour line of 650 feet above Lake Ontario, altliough ihe highest portion rises to 893 feet. Its height is from 200 to 300 feet above the broad Table of Elevatio.ss of Terraoks, Bbachbs and Ridokb. Eluvutions in feet above ^feau Tide. woi: Between To- ronto and iJike Simcoe (Boy). long Northern Railway. 2S IP I New rork State. t Western end of Lake Krle (Geology of Ohio). long the St. Lawrence | (Dawson). ■< < < "g, X " < 1709* noof 1587 1557 154(5 1377 1367 1297 1247 lUOJ .... 1117 1077 •> • • _ • . . a ...» j 1063 to 1011 .... - - - - .... - _ - - .... ^ 959 981 967 - - - - ( 981 to } 923 929 • - - • 944 .... 946 .... 882 .... 900 873 '847 "848g — 874 839| 872 805 . - - « 793 .... 793 767 - - - - - • - . - . • . . - - _ 768 747 749 737 745 738 7*t; 687 (?) 669 713 '706 649 656 « . - • S 663 to 660 633Tf * - ■• * 635 .... 645 647 \ 638 601 017 - - - - - - * . 583(7) 682 593 557 529 627 508 to ( 471 f a - . > - - - - .... . - - « > . - a .... 505 . - - _ 498** - _ - - • • . . B - . > .... . . > - 479 457 448 427 a » . • .... - _ - - ..... j437 to ■J 432 407 401 — 363 "342tt — 405 378 327 * - « * a . ■• _ 325 255 to ) 247 . The descend nir nor- above Lake Onfcr.-io.Yo wmI Up;;?;;'ai^^^^^^^^^^^ "^ ^/S, Lt the^s^c:ii:iVe"le"fc^^^ A rte.e.sia ridges and and Coteau de Mi..^ ? Therf !"""' ^^f'"" '^^^ P'-«i''«« tween these ridcres The Arfpm! • "" ^''"f"' Pa'-a"elisrn be- nbove the sea-a height a^ I rZ''" ^''^'''' '^''''^''' ^^OO feet Prairies. ^ '^ "' ^'""^ «« P"''t'ons of Coteau des ter. The deposits of tlu A.? being of morainic charac- the high rocT; bor o th,f S'n' Tm'' '"'^^ '^'■'"<'>' ''-'"»^ the recession of the waL s in n orln. 1 "^ '?"""'-^'' «"^ '"«'-'^' with rnost of the n.TSof Kr;. -ghr '"'"^ ^"'"^"^ ''"-' ^^Z^TZ Z'tZ'^Tlf t /"^^ '-^^'^'^ ^-" merged beneath the .ea lveTto\ h n.M ^ T'" ^'"''^ «"''• lake could account for t e h Uh td beLhe, F ^"' 'l? ^''T''^^ acter of the deposits there appears to W Sen buUi ,'.! f"": intj ice — nerhana iirtt r.^., 1 T ii'ivc ueen out little IJoat- any such fci-rht as to dc™ 1 -, ? n"' "'" '"''f ''° "»' >■«' ^ level. ' • ' ^'^ ""'' ^''O leci above present oeean ,. am conspicuous and areTo^ttwerpS" """"' '" """ '"^^ h.^"tLn ca;ried"bv''?£slT"'''^ of on-stailine rocks ™ay «-. U. .he 'el^p,^l?rhf Hudt^Kfv:r"p^^,e°Vi rto. orffinn Bay }nai ng por- of 250 feet ro Heights, evel (more •f stratified Jer- bearing ridges and es Prairies llelisrn be- 1700 feet )oteau des and "Oak lie cliarac- l.y )i round and mark tour lines, ^ion from was sub- no glacial the cliar- ttlo float- ;s of the ot rise to tig ice to md lake ;a, across awrence. ant part, ipal old feet; hj r, at 434 !t above IS other It ocean .» outlets lat they ks may of the les and J. W. Spmcer—Ti'i'tacfHahout Lake Ontttrtn. 415 slabs, which are observed in the old beaciies, higher than these original sourcen, can be best accounted for by the theory that they were carried upward by tlie coast-ice during tlie time when the continent was undergoing subsidence, and were re- arranged by the waves and shore ice of a later perioil. Let us now return to the lower water margins of Lake On- tario, represented by " Burlington Heights " and " Burlington Beach," which are almost wholly composed of Hudson River pebbles. The former of these ridges is U6 feet and the latter eight feet above the lake. Both of these beaciies, of the same materials, skirt much of the western shores of Lake Ontario. Their component pebbles and sand appear to have been en- tirely transported by the action of shore-ice and wavcs.^ At the commencement of the deposit of the bcuch at lUJ feet above the present water, the Dundas valley formed one vjontin- nous basin with the lake bed. But at tliat time, as now, only the extensions of Lake Ontario forming bays were fro/en over in winter. The Dundas valley, being a conlined arm, was frozen over, and the pebble-laden ice, from the more exposed coast, was drifted by the winds and currents, and packed across the front of the ice-sheet, covering the waters in this arm of the lake, at 116 feet above their present level ; and with annual dissolution of the ice, the small amounts of material transposed during the winters began to deposit the barrier, which was in course of time destined to produce "Burlington Heights"— the beach of that day. The location of the " Heights" was in no way produced by the unimportant streams flowing down the Dundas valley, as is apparent, for the Pre-glacial and Inter-gla- cial drainage of the western peninsula of Ontario was turned into Lake Erie before the Tp; .;e Epoch. The false and in- clined bedding of the "Heignts" is always toward the lake (the material sometimes consisting of fine beds of sand, and sometimes of clean large gravel) showing that tlie stratifying forces proceeded from the side of the lake. In addition to the transportation of the material by ice, the action of the waves in no small degree assisted in the production of this old beach. The present " Burlington Beach " is simply a reproduction of the " Heights " since the time when the lake receded to its present level. Burlington Bay is frozen over every winter, but the lake is seldom frozen to a greater extent than enough to produce fringes. Yearly much ice shod with pebbles is drifted against the western shores of the lake by the action of storms and waves. In this way much of the western end of the lake, although almost against the foot of the Niagara escarpment, has had its shores made up of pebbles and sands of Hudson River formation. A small portion of the shore mateiial may have been derived from the ruin of former beaches at higher levels. 416 J rv- ^i " Ar'C»!"r«vel "'°-^ '«• "'■<' •••« the c„„„... »f tke di.no,i,™y '5"'™ "»cvif „ ^™>'<"'«i with I Ter^oeEC'-'l,'';. /;?■"« from .t" gr^ .""^^'"■•""'ic orig* '"'■n."-' » mo o extend, 1? °".'"'l«=''Sml tfd ^r °' '••« """ the Xv^ Z"J -«"l«tio,„ of The, *,, '■''■'"''? "'""""« Juiitry covered with ay niorainio origin subsidence of thS ^. and afterward \t ^ were contractingj the whole region of ^«red and studied -''en there may be ereh.t.ve amounts •"ent for we see '"8 show a close would doubtless « more complete, t'hc results. t § i