1917J FORSAITH—ALLOCTHONOUS PEAT 197 



same 



demonstrate the distinctive features of all such lacustrine accumula- 

 tions. 



It is at least significant that cannel coal, which is universally 

 considered to be of open water derivation, should manifest the 



structures so generally found in lake peat. Both of these fuels, 

 when microscopically examined, present a considerable spore 

 content. In fact some of the cannels (especially tasmanite) as 

 well as their modern homologues were found by Jeffrey (7) as a 

 result of studies of a great number of carefully prepared sections 

 to be almost entirely sporiferous. A somewhat clearer idea of 

 this correlation may be obtained by a reference to fig. 5, which 

 exhibits the organization of Kentucky cannel coal as it appears 

 under the microscope. Scattered throughout the section there 

 may be seen numerous light bodies, which are the flattened spores 

 of vascular cryptogams (homologues of the spores and pollen shown 

 in the illustrations of allocthonous peat). The long grayish 

 bands are indicative of metamorphosed bits of wood. Separating 



amor 



spores and lignitoid fragments are dense black masses of 

 >hous organic material. In comparing this illustration with 

 fig, 4, it is apparent that both the recent and prehistoric deposits 

 show a striking anatomical similarity. Thus it would appear 

 that whenever a peat and coal show like organization it has been 

 brought about by the same methods of deposition. It will con- 

 sequently be assumed in the sequel that similarity of structure, as 

 between peat and coal, implies an identical mode of origin. 



Since the next stage in peat formation is illustrated by those 

 areas where the zones of growth are starting to form around the 

 shores, an example will be given. The shores around Lake Orange 

 in Florida show this fringe of water plants quite well. The peat 

 derived from this vegetation consists of fragments of amphibious 

 angiosperms, among which rushes, water lilies, pond weeds, etc., 

 are common. Although the plants which are found in this zone 

 vary systematically in wide ranges, the peat formed by them is 

 uniform. Since the parts of plants which enter into the composi- 



differences 



omi 



Although it is allocthonous, samples taken from this deposit are of 



