182 Scientific Intelligence — Geology and Mineralogy. 



his observations to the remains of vegetation found in the body of 

 the coal, apart from tliat in the accompanying shales. The princi- 

 pal points of the memoir were, that the remains of the larger forms 

 of the coal epoch, as well as of the smaller plants, were abundant in the 

 coal, contrary to the usual opinion. Specimens were exhibited from 

 the interior of the coal, shewing the external and internal parts of 

 plants — the vessels — the leaves — the seeds, &c. 



Since the meeting, Mr Teschemacher has continued his investiga- 

 tions, and has communicated in a letter to one of the editors the fol- 

 lowing results : — 



Isf, What I considered as vessels, were said to be mere mai'ks of 

 the sliding of the coal. Prof. Bailey prepared a specimen of this 

 by his method, and told me, that if I found vessels there, my propo- 

 sition was correct. Examined by Agassiz and myself, with his large 

 Obei'hauser, it turns out to be nothing but a mass of perfoi-ated ves- 

 sels, as clear and as distinct as if they were recent. M. Agassiz 

 observed, " One moment suffices to remove every doubt on the 

 subject." 



2d, What I considered as fossil seeds, were said to be mere pea- 

 cock-eye coal : the dark carbonaceoiis centres of these seeds which I 

 held to be carbonized cellular matter, was thought to be a mere mis- 

 take, and the seeds imaginary. I have since discovered them with 

 distinct and clear apparently spinous appendages. M, Agassiz thinks 

 the seed a Sumara, and I have found sufficient quantity to pick 

 out the carbonaceous matter from the interior with a fine needle — ■ 

 decarbonize it in a clean platina crucible over a spirit-lamp, with 

 every possible precaution to prevent any foreign substance mixing 

 therewith ; on examining this with the Oberhauser, 700 diameters, 

 M. Agassiz shewed to Dr Gould and myself the cells as clear and plain 

 as possible ; it is a mass of cellular matter, as I stated. You may, 

 of course, imagine the extreme tenuity of the parietes of cells of 

 seeds when decarbonized, and the difficulty of those less experienced 

 than Agassiz in the microscope in managing the subject. He feels 

 quite convinced of their being fossil seeds. The nature of the genus 

 of plants must require farther examination. 



3a?, The smooth glossy surfaces which I considered the external 

 parts of large plants, rendered smooth by intense pressure, were said 

 to be nothing more than slickenslides. My position here is proved 

 much more easily than in the other cases, by specimens passing gra- 

 dually from the smoother through different degrees of protuberance 

 (all still smooth and polished), until we arrive at the full form of the 

 Lepidodendron. Nay, more, I have found the parallel lines (chan- 

 nels) which are on the slickenslides, also on the perfectly formed 

 Lepidodendron. The correctness of my views here I could prove to 

 the most sceptical. 



The discoveries still to be made on this subject are numerous 

 and important, and I doubt not that the investigation of the coal 



