- ds observed in South Carolina and Ala 
Tertiary period. 
It will be perceived that during the Tertiary period, the north- 
ern Gulf shore receded from its extreme northern limits ™ 
southern Illinois and Missouri, to a shore-line which, though 
running near the latitude of Baton Rouge, is not far irom 
parallel to the present one, if we ignore the extreme projection 
of the Mississippi delta. This rapid filling-in of the embay- 
ment, no less am the character of the deposits, prove that the 
depth of water was not great; especially in the remoter por 
tions, where lignitic and lignito-gypseous deposits V Pu 
ingly interspersed with small marine beds tthe remnants © 
_ estuaries) from the predominant material. Similar aleransie 
of materials occur, in fact, throughout the older Tertiary € 
_ of the southwest; and hence, the divisions marked off 
oy difference of color on the map, as “ lignitie” and “ marine 
ert 
the dip is very slight, lignitiferous strata are altogether predom: 
inant on the surface; ei the i to underlie 
out on the surface; forming, according to Hopkins, “§ a 
beaches around some of the Cretaceous outliers mention 
1 representing a : 
ary, I have little doubt that the larger portion, if aot alie 
(and Flatwoods clay) group (Lagrange and Porter's Creek group 
of Safford) are the strict srieentonte: in time of the oldest marty 
beds bama, and design® 
