Some Alga' of M'nuH'Soto — Arthur. S)l 



fmnlnoiis coal, a^ well as those of the carboniferous d^e \n the 

 locality just referrel to. The "Turtle Mountain,'' *' Sims " and 

 ** Toston '■ coals, ou the other hand, would fall outside of the ordi- 

 nar}' class of bituminous coals in virtue of their composition. 

 Correi^pondin^j^ to the difference in composition between the five 

 whose analyses are here first <>'iven and the other three, we ob- 

 serve also differences in physical })roperties. in aspect and texture. 

 In the •• Turtle Mountain '* a wood-like texture is very plain ; in 

 the '* Sims '" it is i)erceptible, thou^^h not striking. These are un- 

 mistakably li(/Hffe!^ or brown coals. In the "Toston" coal we have 

 good specimens of the small lum))S of resinous matter which is 

 often found in these western coals. 



Other qualities of these varic^is coals have to be taken into con- 

 sideration, besides their composition as learned by analysis, in order 

 to settle their value for domestic use, or for mechanical purposes. 

 Some of these coals crumble very badly when mined, or after ex- 

 posure to the air, or when thrown upon the fire. Perhaps arrange- 

 ments may be made for utilizing such crumbling varieties. One 

 thing seems certain, that these coals are destined at some time to 

 be much used in the Northwest. Their discovery in localities where 

 other fuel is scirce has already promoted settlement and business. 

 Their (juantity appears to be very considerable, and their distribu- 

 tion quite extensive. 

 April 7. 1S85. 



I Pajx'r 0.\ 



«)MK AL(t.K ok MFXXKSOTA. srPrOSED TO UK I'OLSO.NorS. — 



J. C. Art/nir. 



The history of the investigation conducted in 1SS:2 for the 

 ■jdii pose of ascertaining the cause of a sudden mortality among 

 domestic animals at Waterville, Minnesota, has been given in a 

 former report.* The facts elicited were that <juite a number of 

 the animals, largely cattle, had died at a time when the lakes at 

 that place were filled with a minute alga (then called liicularid 

 //H/f(uts, but now referred to (i 1 (rot rich m Fisum)^ disseminated 

 through tlie watrr nnd forming ;i thick (lark-g»een scum when 



See vol. II, l>ul. ]\, Appendix. 



