150 



of the same type here and there ; diatoms are present and are 

 decidedly more numerous, and there is a fungus, which again is 

 more distinct near the surface of the specimens ; fragments of 

 parenchymatous tissue are also present. I submitted a slide to 

 Frot.tr. S. West, who notes that the Alga is very similar to that 

 VL N n a ngelhte, and certainly belongs to the same genus, but 

 aitters in its larger and more crowded cells. Besides the diatoms 

 ne observed other aquatic organisms, viz., Peridinium sp.. and 

 some Desmids (Cosmarium 2 spp.. Xanthidium 1 sp.). A list of 

 diatoms present in Coorongite was made by E. O'Meara in 1872. 

 lhe species were named by him as follows : -Denticula tenuis, 

 Lymbella helvetica, C. macuiata, Tabellaria flocculosa, Mastogloia 

 bmithn, Synedra capitata, Epithemia gibba, E. rupestris, Nitzschia 

 palea Amphora minutissima, Navicula rhomboides, N. qibbemda. 

 Me also pointed out that they were all fresh-water forms, and 

 Jf' I ■?} m ? ntlon 7 s that the same is true of the Gocoonema sp. 

 SSL P iT^ ff lbh "'" la fo und in N'hangellite. One may, I 

 M>w S ?,-? y J*?™ 1 ? 6 that Co °rongite had a similar origin to 

 thi » ^i ' i Ut ' ^ mCe the Alga i8 onlv visible here and there, 



m»v Zt nCe -W ° rigin of the matrix is n °t so strong. It 

 may perhaps include additional components, but on the other 



Sinnn? aT^ llh ?, ly that the bulk of !t is the P r oduct of the 

 pv tnl ^f ( T A gae) - Thus one observation gives passable 

 It l ha P + at t 8 at an y rate of the structureless regions of the 



Cvni s wi- na Ure - A few 8ma11 colonies, bounded by 



embedded °fi mes and . containing their Algal cells, were seei 

 Wvnith ££ matl "f A n Which there waa ^o structure beyond 

 W^eS^&Jgtr* - «d shape as those o? the 



NWelin/ll^f 11811 ? that 1 the greater P art of the substance in 

 mainf the Irnhi ^ d ^T d from a S^tinous Alga, there re- 



Wd into P » ™? !*i *L h ° W the mUCilage has become trans " 

 whSher t£ l mate f 6h ? Wm Z the characters of bitumen, and 



Either of tW ge ^ Pl , aCe nnder Water or on dry ground. In 

 m^ss shmdd hL P S i tl0nS d ° eS H a PP ear likeI y th at a gelatinous 

 pTtroleum so ™?n T™ uniform1 ^ infiltrated by bitumen or 

 K in S^nP?i USt a88U T e that ch emical changes have taken 

 o these 1™. gm0US 8ub8tanc e itself. The nature and cause 

 mveStion JS L™ J i u ^tcly be determined by chemical 

 N ; ttC ifSd ^i^ 1 * 11 observati onB in the locality where 

 substance ta f orZl 1° ^ "^ m proc * 8S of formation/ If this 

 in the cJ! of cL,?^ **?>.** ap P eara to have been observed 

 enemicaHLnip?^ T/f', 11 is Ver y ^rprising that extensive 

 anHndef such a nnr M + ake P > Ce in 8uch * short space of time 

 original liaanL'Tw 11117 ? dinary conditions. Assuming the 

 a Se»ble?o« 8 ? b8tance to con8i «t largely of muco-cellulose, 

 to Zer agents nn.i Xyg , en mU8t take P lace Witb out any clue 

 being contended? 0nly 8Ugge8t the Possibility of an enzyme 



snaie and boghead coal &« ;« ,i7- T' , * CAam P ieH oi Kerosene 

 formed the chief mrt of 'fi ^h gelatinous Algae sometimes 



occasionally well-Deserved I P ° 8lt ' ? he8e Algae ' wh ich are 



J «u preserved, were examined by Bertrand and 



