Trans. N. Y. Ac. Scz. a2 Dec. 19, 
observed in the mines, in the production of the explosive “ fire-damp,” 
and the poisonous “ choke-damp.” 
Running from cellulose through wood, peat, and coals up to graphite 
we have a complete series ; the difference being the loss of hydrogen, 
oxygen and in a less degree of carbon. This table, after LeConte, 
exhibits the proportions of the elements dy wezghz, the carbon being 
reduced to a fixed quantity : 
Carbon. Hydrogen. Oxygen. 
Gelluloseattme cates coe os hee vette tes hele atye 100 16.66 133.33 
Wood: Sixese a80 Cerise rs - 2 eer meee sete 100 12.18 83.07 
| Ete: ee SG 5 Ae ian ee NE 5S Oe ery 100 9.83 55.67 
Bisel (erred pict oo. coe ORR ORO ED Cr 6.0 CORR GD 100 8.37 42.42 
ILM NOUS COaler sees ee ieee eee ray oer ae Too 612 21.23 
Anthtacite Coals ci 8 cir. tacts olersre a's, < ceteris eis iere'e es I00 2.84 1.74 
Graphite nts rot vojete stoee inti ais sisknl> eames helasete cl entctee 100 0.00 0.co 
Anthracite coal, it will be seen contains a very small proportion of 
volatile matter, and graphite none at all. No two specimens of coal 
from different beds or areas are likely to yield upon analysis exactly 
the same results. This is due to differences in degree and manner of 
decomposition, the varying degree of metamorphism, the varying im- 
purities, and perhaps a difference in the kind of vegetation. Anthra- 
cite coal naturally contains more ash than bituminous, because it is 
more concentrated, and of course peat has the least proportion of ash, 
simply derived from the inorganic matter of the plant. 
The substance to be described was found in a peat-bog in the city of 
Scranton during the past summer. It has received attention from the 
newspaper and scientific people of the eastern coal region of Pennsyl- 
vania; and has been recently mentioned in the 4m. Jour. of Sczence 
for Dec. by a quotation from a letter of a Scranton gentleman to the 
Engineering and Mining Journal. 
Scranton lies in the midst of the Lackawanna anthracite coal-basin, 
which forms the northern half of the Wyoming basin. Since the 
financial panic of 1872 the city has grown but slowly, and a swamp 
lying in the midst of the city had remained unoccupied, except as an 
old dumping-ground for cinders from the furnaces. The city having 
been lately made the county-seat of the newly created Lackawanna 
county, this swamp was selected as the site for a court-house. In ex- 
cavating for the foundations there was found a bed of excellent peat, 10 
to 14 feet deep. I visited the excavation and collected specimens from 
depths of 3, 5, 8, and 13 feet. These specimens, of which a series are 
before you, were, of course, when fresh and saturated with water 
several times their present bulk. 
The peat from the greatest depth was highly decomposed, or very 
“ripe.” It was fine-grained, close in texture, and although soft held 
