171 
’ gave on analysis 17:15 per cent. of combustible material, 6°85 
of which was volatile. I have no doubt that the so called 
bituminous character of the Shales is due to the vegetable 
matter contained in them. 
As to the spores,—In the Forest of Dean, at Drybrook, 
two varieties are found, one of which shows triradiate 
markings (Fig. 2.) The largest of the two varieties do not show 
these markings, and vary in size from 004 to ‘006 of an inch in 
diameter. Though much decomposed, some of them still 
retain the outlines of a wall and, as in the case of Nos. 4 
and 5, show minute rings or dots on the surface. I 
was at first inclined to regard these markings as spores, 
and the main object as a sporocarp. On examination, 
however, of a perfect specimen from Ohio, I found the surface 
covered with what appeared to be spines, and where these 
seemed to be broken off minute discs, with a black mark 
-_ in the centre, remained to mark the spot (Fig. No. 6.) 
Mr E. T. Newron, F.G.S., of H. M. Geological Survey of 
this country, has described* spores found in Tasmanite and 
“ Australian White Coal.” I sent him specimens from the 
Forest of Dean and from Ohio, and he recognized them as 
similar bodies to those he had described. Mr Newron, in his 
description, notices the dots on the surface of the spores, 
and gives figures of them, two of which I have copied (Figs. 
Nos. 8, 9.) Mr Newron says, in reference to them, “‘ When 
examined with a power of about 250 diameters, the dots 
ean be resolved into minute circles s955 of an inch in 
diameter, with a still smaller dot in the centre. It may 
be thought that these dots are comparable to the granules 
to be seen upon the surface of some of the macrospores of 
Flemingites; but the study of transverse sections shows at 
once that these dots are not mere surface-markings, for they 
ean be distinctly traced as minute lines (tubes,) passing from 
the outer to the inner surface.’”’ The second variety of spore 
from Drybrook I have not seen described. They are much 
* “Geol. Mag.,” N.S., Decad. 2, Vol. IL., p. 337 
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