90 On Spore-cases in Coals. 



to that employed in the sedimentary rocks. We speak of Carhon- 

 iferous or Tertiary sandstones, &c., why not Carboniferous or Tertiary 

 dolerites or melaphyres ? When the age cannot be precisely ascer- 

 tained, an approximation may generally be made, and such terms as 

 post-Carboniferous, ante-Triassic, &c., might be used. 



If some such system were adopted, all the basic, augitic rocks 

 contaiaing much iron oxide, would form one group, and we should 

 get rid of a number of useless names which have been applied to 

 rocks in utter ignorance of their mineralogical composition or 

 structure. 



Until quite recently ;?uch a suggestion could not have been 

 adopted, as there were no means of ascertaining with certainty the 

 constituents of the fine-grained rocks ; but now that improved 

 methods of microscopical research are available, it is quite time that 

 the unscientific nomenclature still in use should be supplanted by 

 one more in accordance with the present state of knowledge. — 

 Geological Magazine, June. 



VIII.^ — On Spore-cases in Coals. 



By J. W. Dawson, LL.D., F.K.S. 



When in London, last year, Prof. Huxley was kind enough to 

 show me some remarkably beautiful slices of coal mounted by his 

 assistant, Mr. Newton, and showing with great distinctness multi- 

 tudes of spore-cases and spores, some of them very well preserved. 

 He further stated to me his behef that such material had been 

 largely or mainly instrumental in the production of Coal. At the 

 time I declined to accept this conclusion, on the ground that the 

 specimens probably represented layers of coal exceptionally rich in 

 spore-cases ; and that even in these specimens a large quantity of 

 matter was present which long experience in the examination of 

 coals enabled me to recognize as cortical or epidermal matter, which 

 I had previously shown by my examination of the coals of Nova 

 Scotia to be the principal ingredient in ordinary coal. I promised, 

 however, on my return to Canada, to look over my series of prepa- 

 rations of coal, with a view to the occurrence of spore-cases, and also 

 to make trial of the somewhat improved method of preparation em- 

 ployed by Mr. Newton. On my return I gave the results of my 

 examination to Prof. Huxley, in a letter which he has quoted in the 

 brilhant exposition of his observations and conclusions in the ' Con- 

 temporary Review ' for November,* and which will probably give a 

 tone to the representations of popular writers on this subject for 



* In the quotation the word "cuhifal" lias l)een substituted for "cortical." 



