606 STEVENSON— FORMATION OF COAL BEDS. [November 3, 



the peat. In the great Digenmoors of the Bavarian highlands he 

 found 



Meters. 



1. Black peat, with Sphagnum i to 1.2 



2. Homogeneous black-brown, compact, plastic peat, with 



layers of crushed birch stems ; a few specimens of 

 Sphagnum, but 90 per cent, of the mass consisting of 

 roots of Cyperaceae i to 1.5 



3. Wood layer of conifers 0.4 to 0.6 



4 Glacial drift. 



He gives measurements from fourteen locaHties in Switzerland, only 

 one of which failed to show the succession observed in the section. 

 The exception is a Hochmoor Avithout Rasenmoor foundation and 

 resting directly on a layer of wood remains. One group seems to 

 contradict Sendtner's generalization that Hochmoor accumulates only 

 in localities where the water is not calcareous. This, the " Todte 

 Meer," is a typical living Hochmoor, near Willerszell, bearing on its 

 surface many hummocks nearly equal in height and basal diameter, 

 and bordered by a mountain stream, whose drainage area is in a 

 limestone region. It shows 



Meters. 



1. Hochmoor, Sphagnuni 0.2 to 0.3 



2. Felted Rasenmoor, upper part consisting of Carex and 



Arundo, with scattered alg.T ; lower part with 

 Hypntim 3 



3. Almost pure well-preserved Hypniim. 



4. Clay and gravel. 



He finds a simple explanation in the fact that the stream, at high 

 water, does not wet the Spliaginun. It may be well to note here 

 that in Michigan, according to Davis, SpJiagmon is indifferent to the 

 character of the water, the presence of calcium carbonate in no wise 

 affecting its growth. 



Friih reports 48 Hochmoors in the Alpine region as originating 

 on Rasenmoors. Y. Bemmclen and Staring are cited as having 

 proved the same relations for the provinces of Orenthe, Friesland 

 and Gottinguc in Holland. The Rasenmoor does not require hard 

 water, for the vast moors of the Rhine and Maas area are watered 

 bv those streams, which contain only 65 and 41 millionths of calcium 

 and magnesium compounds. The relation between Hochmoor and 



204 



