a 
ils neeroc en A 
Remarks on Professor Eaton’s Communication. 151 
tion previously <a by our countryman Mr. School- 
craft. and explained by Mr. Eaton in his Index to the 
Geology of the Northern States. We would not be thought 
to bave done any injustice to either of these gentlemen, 
whose scientific efforts we approve and respect. Yet 
cannot plead ignorance inthis case: for Mr. Eaton’s work 
was in our hands and we were familiar with its contents, 
We frankly confess then, that we did not refer to the views 
of this gentleman on this subject, because we were not sat- 
isfied of their utility, and we doubted whether they would at 
all relieve the difficulties under which the subject laboured. 
The views of Mr. Eaton we say : for we do not definitely 
know what were Mr. Schoolcraft’s views on the subject. 
_ Vium) according to the relative ages of the different kinds, 
and assigns pies ie characteristics for each kind.””. He 
urther says, that Mr. Schoolcraft makes a threefold divi- 
sion of onaas : but instead of giving us the ‘ distinctive 
characteristics’ of this division, be tells us he is inclined to 
consider it as ‘ hardly tenable’, and says, ‘I shall attempt 
_ a twofold division upon this plan,” comprehending in that 
twofold division all that, stratum which Mr. Schoolcraft. 
refers to.three divisions. Our neglect of Mr. Schoolcraft 
then consisted in omitting to mention that he had suggested 
a division of alluvium, although we were ignorant of its 
nature. But we had no idea that Mr. Conybeare was the 
first person who had made a division of alluvium: for 
although Mr. Eaton states in his ‘ Index, &c.’ published in 
1820, that * hitherto there has been no subdivision of this 
stratum, founded upon the relative ages of different layers,” 
we ink he must have forgotten ‘Hea ger st of Kirwan, which 
Prof Jameson in his notes to Cuvier’s Theory of the Earth, 
- (published in this country in 1818,) thus defines: ** By 
geest is understood the alluvial matter which is spread over 
the surface both of the billy and low country, and appears 
to have been formed the last time the waters of the ocean 
stood over the surface of the earth.” Prof. Buckland also, 
in his tabular arrangement of the strata of England, pub- 
lished as early as 1818, (we do not know the exact time,) 
and copied into Rees’ Cyaiciee 1819, divides alluvium 
into * diluvian detritus,’ or “fragments of neighbouring 
