

Mr, HatchittV Qbfervatkns on Bituminous Subpncct. 14.T 



fiances under which they are found, are alfo fimilar*. The whole, 

 therefore, of the opinion in favour of fire, appears to reft on the 

 volcanic nature of Iceland ; but it furely would be going too far 

 were we to afcribe to fire all the phenomena which are obfervccl 

 in volcanic countries. 



Bovey coal, like the furturbrand, refembles half-charred wood; 

 and J will allow, and indeed am difpofed to believe, that it is in a 

 ftate nearly fimilar; but from this it does not follow that fire has 

 been the caufe. 



Carbon is known to be one of the grand principles of vegetables, 

 and alfo as that which is the moft fixed, excepting the fmall por- 

 tion of the earths contained in them. As a fixed principle, carbon 

 appears to form, in great meafure, the vegetable fibre ; and after a 

 certain degree of combuftion, (by which the other principles have 

 been diffipated,) it remains, and the particles of it keep the fame 

 arrangement which they pofleffed when the vegetable was com- 

 plete. If, however, the combuftion has been carried on with the 



breti flexura funt adunata.— Quae autem immanis requiritur vis, ut truncus cylindricu* 

 ita complanctur ? Nonne antea particularum, nexus putredinis quodam gradu fueiit 

 relaxatus ? Certe, nifi eompages quodammodo mutatur, quodlibet pondus incumber 

 huic effe&ui erit impar. Cxterum idem obfervatur phenomenon in orani fchifto argil- 

 laceo. 



Orthoceratitae, quae in ftrato calcareo conicam figuram perfecle fervant, in fchifto 

 planum fere triangulare compreilione emciunt. Idem valet de pifcibus, conchis in- 

 fe&ifque petrefa&is. Caufa adhuc Iatet, fed in utroque cafu fine dubio eadem eft, et 

 digna quae exploretur. Obfervatu quoque dignum eft, quod idem reperiatur effect us, 

 quamvis ftratum calcareum fub fchifto collocatum fit et majori ideo pondere comprimente. 

 onuftum. Bergman de Products Vukaniis Opufcula, torn. iii. p. 239. 



* V It is found (the furturbrand) in many parts of Iceland, generally in the mountains, 

 in horizontal beds \ fometimes more than one is to be met with, as in the mountain of 

 Lack in Bardeftrand, where four ftrata of furturbrand are found alternately with different 

 kinds of done."— TroiPs Letters, p. 42. 



<* 3 free* 



