190 Obituary— Charles William Peach, A.L.S. 



the increase in thickness of the sedimentary strata towards the north- 

 east and east of the N. American continent, and their attenuation 

 and replacement by limestones in opposite directions. In the case of 

 these sediments they are truncated along their thickest margins ; and 

 the fact, which I have pointed out, that the British and European 

 formations exhibit similar phenomena of attenuation and truncation, 

 only in an opposite direction, leads us to a similar conclusion with 

 reference to the position of the derivative lands. Prof. Le Conte 

 admits (p. 100) that the great thickness of Carboniferous strata 

 would require a large land-mass to the east of the Appalachian 

 region; but, he adds, "There is no reason why the eastern land- 

 mass, which sufficed to contribute 30,000 feet of Silurian and 

 Devonian sediments, should not have been sufficient to contribute the 

 much smaller amount of sediments of the Carboniferous period." 

 This, however, allow me to say, is begging the question at issue 

 between us. I maintain in the first place, that the narrow strip of 

 land (comparatively speaking) allowed by Prof. Le Conte was quite 

 insufficient for the production of 30,000 feet of conformable sedi- 

 ments ; and secondly, that this continuous accumulation of such 

 sediments must have caused the originating land-mass to recede 

 farther and farther eastwards into the Atlantic area, down to the 

 close of the Carboniferous (or Permian) epoch. 



Prof. Le Conte is scarcely correct in stating, that in my map, fig. 

 3, I have completely abolished the Atlantic Ocean by converting it 

 into land during the Carboniferous epoch. As a matter of fact, I 

 have indicated the land as far south as lat. 38° — 40°, making it in- 

 tentionally vague at this line. As will be seen, on referring to the 

 map itself, the main land-areas are represented as occupying the 

 Arctic regions ; and there is an interesting fact tending to corroborate 

 the view of the land connection between Europe and America during 

 both Devonian and Carboniferous times which should not be lost 

 sight of, viz. the general resemblance, and partial identity, of the 

 land floras of both regions during these epochs. Altogether it would 

 appear that there is cumulative evidence of the general correctness 

 of the views I have endeavoured to enunciate, whether we have 

 recourse to the organic or physical aspects of the question. 



Edward Hull. 



OBITTJAEY. 



CHARLES WILLIAM PEACH, A-L-S, 



Born 1800. Died 1886. 

 Charles W. Peach, Geologist and Naturalist, was born in 1800 at 

 Wansford in Northamptonshire. His father was a harness-maker. 

 He first went to a dame's school in the village, and at the age of 

 twelve was sent to a school at Folkingham in Lincolnshire, where he 

 remained three years. He was appointed to a post in the Eevenue 

 Coastguard in January, 1824, and sent first to Southrepps in Norfolk, 

 and afterwards to Weybourn, Cromer, etc. Here he first commenced 



