68 GEOLOGY COAL FROM CHILE AND AUSTRALIA. 



extent of the area over which the tertiary deposits are spread along the North and South 

 American Pacific coasts. 



The coal of Australia has heen fully described by Professor Dana in the geology of the ex- 

 ploring expedition, and is only interesting in this connexion on account of the amount annually 

 sold in the San Francisco market, and for comparison with those which have been already 

 described. This coal has more of the laminated structure, the rhombohedral fracture and 

 general appearance of the older coals, but, from its softness and the evidently large quantity of 

 sulphuret of iron which it contains, it cannot claim the first rank as a fossil fuel. 



