277 



The mode of formation and age of the brown coal. 



(Brunkullenes Dannelsesmaade og Alder.) 



Whilst the Jutland lignites have previously heen regarded as allochtone 

 formations, the author regards them as autochtone and deposited in fresh- 

 water basins. Tree-stems are far from being of such importance liere as the 

 old drift-wood theory demands, and the stems and branches dug out of the 

 coal do not give the impression of bring drift-wood; in spitc of much search 

 not the least trace of marine fossils was found anywhere in the mica-clay 

 or sand, which lie above and muler the coal, and such have never been de- 

 scribed from onr lignite or the clay lying immediately above or below. 



At all the localities where the author was able to investigate the under- 

 laver of the coal, a distinet freshwater gytje was found underneath and in 

 such close connection with it, that there can be no doubt that the gytje 

 and the coal are connected formations and a continuous deposit from a 

 freshwater basin, analogous to the common arrangement in peat-layers 

 over gytje in our postglacial wood-bogs. 



J. P. J. Ravn* refers the Jutland lignite to the Lower Mioccne; the few 

 plant-remains determined from the lignite are not against this determination 

 of the age. 



On pp. 76—90 analyses and determinations of the heating valne of the 

 lignites are given as also some remarks on their use. Of special interest is 

 the series of analyses made by Cand. polyt. Alf Stage on the different 

 lavers of coal from Sandfeldgaard (p. 81). 



That the Jutland lignite has hitherto not been much used in practicc 

 probably depends mostly on the faet, that the coal lavers are considered to 

 be too thin and to contain too much sulphur. The coal lavers hitherto known 

 are probably indeed too thin to pay exploitation, but the author maintains 

 that the thickness of a good number of the coal lavers has not hitherto been 

 known, as in most cases no borings have been made through the coal lavers 

 which have been met with by chance on digging. 



Pleistocene deposits. 



(Diluviale Aflejringer.) 



Various deposits of un determined age with ol der character 

 are first described, the lirst of these being the 



Amber-pin-beds. 



(Rav-Pindelag.) 



By amber-pin-beds the author indicates the dark-coloured beds in the 

 fluvio-glacial sands, which contain a mixture of Tertiarv and quaternary 

 seeds and fruits of piants, characterized by 



Carpolithes Johnstrnpii, 

 — Rosenkjærii, 

 Stratiotes Kaltennordhemensis and other Tertiarv species, as also 



