1886.] Geology and Paleontology. 883 
perceive that vast physical changes intervened between the depo- 
sition of the latest Carboniferous and the earliest Mesozoic rocks. 
The Appalachian mountains were raised up, and with them came 
the greater part of the continent east of the Mississippi river and 
was added to the stable dry land. A gap in the life of the earth 
as tremendous as the physical change just mentioned, intervenes 
between the coal measures and the Triassic. These mighty 
changes in the distribution of land and water, this immense stride 
forward in the life-history of the earth required a long period of 
ime, as there no sedimentation, no rock-forming going on 
anywhere in America during that time? It is highly probable 
that there was, and the rocks then formed ought to be called Per- 
mian, though they may not, in their lithological composition or 
the fossils they contain, exactly agree with the Permian of Eu- 
rope.—L. Æ Hicks, Univ. Nebraska. 
unfit for habitation, and at least sixty persons have been killed. 
e following reply of Dr. J. W. Powell, of the U. S. Geological 
urvey, to a despatch of Secretary Topley of the British Asso- 
ciation for the Advancement of Science, gives a general view of 
“The earthquake was the most severe on record in the United 
States, and affected the greatest area. Its origin was along the 
line of post-Quaternary dislocation on the eastern flanks of the 
Appalachians, especially where it crosses Central North Carolina. 
Slight Premonitory shocks were felt in the Carolinas for severa 
Ys, moderately severe shocks occurring near Charleston August 
27 and 28. The principal shock, causing the great destruction in 
Charleston, originated in Central North Carolina, August 31, at 
9:50 P. M., 75th meridian time. Thence the shocks spread with 
Sreat rapidity in all directions with a velocity varying from twen- 
'Y-five to sixty-five miles a minute, over an area of 900,000 square 
miles, or one-quarter of the United States, embracing twenty- 
“ight States, from the Gulf of Mexico, the Great lakes and South- 
vik New England, and from the Atlantic sea-board to the Central 
Mississippi valley. In the Carolinas it was accompanied by land- 
ms crevasses, and great destruction of property. Half of 
leston is in ruins, more than forty lives lost. No sea wave 
yet reported.” 
There are many phenomena of disturbance in all parts of the 
res which was shaken most severely. At Summerville and 
oe Mile Station, near Charleston, and for a great distance along 
