96 Mr. Prvrve on the Catskill Mountains. 
Hudson. ‘This seam which has been recently explored, is 
eight inches wide on the surface, and is observed for some 
distance on the face of the ledge. The coal is stratified, 
and inelines with the rock at an angle of near fifteen degrees. 
Narrow strata of argillaceous slate, imbedded in the gray 
wack ledges, Kies the roof and floor of the coal bed. ze 
dcubie crysta Is 
sometimes robe a dark surface glistening with carburet 
The ‘coal bed, inexploring; widened to twenty-two inches ; 
~ but diminishing i in the interior to a narrow seam and the ad- 
_jacent rock being of difficult fracture, the pursuit has been 
abandoned for the present. Another vein of coal is located 
in a higher ledge of the same mountain, and coal has been 
noticed to the south west in this range for three miles. 
The coal of the Catskill mountain appears of a good quality 
for upper strata. It is light, shining, and burns with a mod- 
erate flame proceeding from bitumen or sulphur 
If beds of coal of this description could be found five feet 
in thickness they might be penetrated without breaking the 
rock, and would be valuable. Vegetable impressions: 
narrow seams of coal have been found in gray ype ‘slate, in 
the Catskill range bordering the river Schoha 
Flames, from spontaneous combustions, geindtated in beds 
ef coal or sulphuret of iron have been seen issuing from the 
ledges of the Catskill mountains by the neighbouring inhab- 
itants. Combustions of this character often occur in the 
coal districts of Europe and America. 
_ Adjacent to, and forming a threatening canopy over the 
entrance of the coal excavation in the mountain near Wood- 
stock, is a rock of several hundred tons weight. It is sepa- 
rated from the ledge and balanced on a narrow base of de- 
caying alum slate by an opposite projection of equal weight. 
rom progressive decay this base is lessening, and the ro 
will before long be cipitated down the steep side of the 
mountain. The ledges in this neighbourhood are fast de- 
composing in many places, ong the quantity of alum and 
rt oe of iron they contai 
he eastern side of the Catskill mountains eitth of the 
Kauterskill clove is steep, but thickly clothed with wood ; 
near this clove at a considerable elevation is noticed an im- 
mense circular basin resembling a volcanic crater. A basin 
