

* 



1917] FORSAITH—ALLOCTHOXOUS PEAT 195 



from localities throughout a wide range extending from eastern 

 Canada to Florida. The numerous deposits were so selected 

 that all stages in the formation of peat beds were inspected, includ- 

 ing large and small deep lakes with sandy shores; filled lakes where 

 the zones of growth have entirely covered the former body of water 

 with a layer of accumulated vegetation; large and small shallow 

 lakes; and swamps and river estuaries. At every station a vertical 

 series of samples was secured at 1 ft. intervals. The probings 

 were made over a sufficient area to allow an estimation of the depth 

 and extent of each deposit. The specimens were obtained by the 

 use of a probe devised by Davis (3), and stored in cloth sacks. A 

 careful record was made concerning the topography of the region, 

 the gross character of the material, and the depth from which it 

 was taken. These specimens were later studied microscopically in 

 order to determine the correlation between the grosser structures 

 and the minute anatomy in respect to the mode of deposition. 



Turning to the more detailed consideration of the several pro- 

 gressive steps in bog formation, Lake Weir in Florida may be con- 

 sidered as an example of the first stage. Sandy shores surround 

 this body of water, and probings show that there are no accumula- 

 tions of organic detritus nearer than 100 yards off shore; while 

 beyond this there appears a quite extensive stratum of lacustrine 

 peat. A gross examination of the material showed a consistent 

 homogeneous mass, the grayish color of which is due to a calcareous 

 silt. In addition, there appears a very large amount of diatoma- 

 ceous and limy remains of extinct plants and water animals. The 

 more peatlike content manifests itself as pollen of abietineous and 

 amentiferous derivation, amorphous matter, root fragments (the 

 stigmarioid rootlets so characteristic of certain samples of coal), 

 and herbaceous and ligneous elements from the higher plants. 



Attention may now be directed to the more organic peats in 

 order to establish their relation to coal more definitely. In the 

 first place, I shall consider two forms, the one modern and the 

 other ancient, the origin of which is undoubted, namely, lake peat 

 and cannel coal. Samples of lacustrine ''muck" were found in 

 the centers of Lakes Newman, Orange, Griffin, Harris, Apopka, 

 Eustis, and many others in Florida, New Hampshire, Massa- 



