Dr Fyfe on the Use of Steam. I73 



been kindly placed at my disposal by Mr Kefersteln. These 

 belong evidently to the genus Abies, and still contain between 

 and on the scales a large quantity of amber, and may therefore 

 with much greater reason be regarded as the cones of the amber- 

 tree, than the cones found included in amber. Specimens of the 

 latter description are extremely rare, but Dr Behrendt of 

 Dantzic, and Professor Reich of Berlin, each possess one, and 

 both are very nearly allied to the genus Larix, as was formerly 

 remarked of the last specimen by Professor Link, (HandbucU 

 der physUcalischen Erdbeschsreibwig, vol. ii. part 1 , p. 333) : 

 both belong to the same species, and only differ in size. Be- 

 sides alluding to these vegetable productions yielding amber, all 

 of which have been found in the brown coal formation, I have 

 to mention an observation which is probably new, and which has 

 been communicated to me by Dr Schneider of Bunzlaw, viz. 

 that amber occurs in coniferous plants associated with ferns in 

 the coal of Wenig-Rackvity, a deposit that has been referred by 

 Raumer to the quader-sandstone. Since then it appears that 

 we already know four different species of tree which afford am- 

 ber, (and the number would doubtless be increased by attentive 

 investigation), the probability seems to me to t^e rendered 

 still stronger, that amber is nothing else than an indurated resin 

 derived from various trees of the family of the Conifera ; which 

 resin is found in a like condition in all zones, because its usual 

 original depositaries, viz. beds of brown coal, have been formed 

 almost every where under similar circumstances. 



On the Use of Steam, in the Economising of Fuel. By Andrew 

 Fyfe, M. D., F. R. S. E., M, S.'A.* 



It has been long known that wjien steam is passed over 

 charcoal, at a red heat, excluded from air, a gaseous inflammable 

 matter is evolved, which has by some been considered as a spe- 

 cies oHiydro-carbon . I have been induced to investigate the na- 

 ture of this action, partly with the vicwof ascertaining the com- 

 position of the gaseous fluid, and partly also to ascertain how 

 the substances, commonly used as fuel, are acted on by steam, 

 when they are undergoing combustion. 



* llcai before the Society of Aits. 



