GEOLOGY. 145 



with steel, scratches glass, and which, when moist- 

 ened and rubbed, emits a smell of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen gas. It is also infusible before the blow 

 pipe, and does not effervesce with acids. The 

 super strata, consisting of swine stone, are more 

 strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen 

 gas, and contain small quantities of martial py- 

 rites, alumine and silica. This stone exists in 

 various parts of this region, and is an indication 

 of coal, so far forth as bitumen is concerned in its 

 composition. 



The great coal beds of Ireland repose on lime 

 stone, which is also intermingled with the coal 

 mines of the region further west of this state ; and 

 I have been told that at a place near Zanesville, 

 in the state of Ohio, a cellar was dug and walled, 

 which furnished for its construction, sand stone 

 for the wall, lime stone and sand for mortar, and 

 a suiFiciency of coal for calcinating the lime. 

 Clay slate generally forms the roof of coal mines, 

 and sand stone the floor. These different 

 formations sometimes intermix with, and some- 

 times underlay each other in this region, and they 

 all point with an unerring hand to the existence 

 of this all important substance of coal. 



The black shale which contains bitumen — the 

 oil stones — the petroleum springs — all concur in 

 corroborating this conclusion. Below the cele* 



