PROFESSOR 0. C. MARSH 181 



and seed production in the group of trees which form the upper 

 subhumid types, and a pushing of the lower subhumid types 

 which grow in drier atmospheric and soil conditions into the 

 areas of the upper types, and frequently a complete and perma- 

 nent replacement of the upper subhumid types with those be- 

 longing to the lower groups when such upper types have been 

 destroyed by fire or other means. 



In the humid forest are found the same phenomena as noted 

 for the subhumid tracts, with areas in the upper humid belts, 

 where certain species occupy tracts separated by long distances 

 (sometimes a hundred miles or more) from the next appearance 

 of the species elsewhere. These intervals, which break the con- 

 tinuity of the range of such species, are held to indicate more 

 humid conditions in the part favoring extensions across these 

 gaps, which are now precluded and cut off by adverse climatic 

 changes in the direction of aridity. 



PROFESSOR O. C. MARSH 



Othniel Charles Marsh, LL.D., Ph.D., Professor of Paleontology 

 in Yale University, Vertebrate Paleontologist of the U. S. Geolog- 

 ical Survey, and a member of the National Geographic Society, 

 died in New Haven," Connecticut, March 18, 1899. His death 

 removes an eminent contributor to American science. 



Born in Lockport, New York, October 29, 1831, Marsh grew up 

 an athlete and sportsman, rather than student, until his observa- 

 tions on nature directed his attention to the natural sciences. 

 In 1852 he went to the Phillips-Exeter academy at Andover, 

 whence he graduated as the valedictorian of his class. In 1856 

 he matriculated at Yale, graduating with honors in 1860. Sub- 

 sequently he retained almost constant connection with his alma 

 mater, to whose prestige he contributed much, the longest inter- 

 ruption occurring in the early sixties when he was engaged in 

 special work in European universities. In 1866 he was made 

 Professor of Paleontology, a position retained until his death. 

 The nephew and heir of George Peabody, he was the possessor 

 of means enabling him to exercise his strong individuality freely 

 in the prosecution of scientific researches. His best-known work 

 was that of explorer in the western territories and collector of 

 vertebrate fossils, by which the museum of Yale and U. S. Na- 

 tional Museum were enriched; yet his most enduring monument 

 takes the form of original contributions to vertebrate paleon- 



