454 Appendix. 



laminse, varying in thickness from the fourth to the sixteenth of an 

 inch, often adhering closely together, but sometimes with an in- 

 termediate layer of fibrous glossy charcoal, in broken portions, 

 which causes it to separate easily. These laminae are best ob- 

 served in the cross fracture, and often exhibit considerable dif 

 ference in compactness and lustre, some being so much more 

 bituminous and shining than others, that they may be traced for a 

 great length. This structure, though in some coal seams indistinct, 

 is so general that it seems to point to some law which the 

 chemical geologist might advantageously investigate.' 



It is not meant to assert that these views expressed by Mr. 

 Bowman were original, but they are put in his own words to show 

 the steps by which Mr. Binney was led to his own views regarding 

 both the origin of coal and conditions of peat. 



Transactions of the Manchester Geological Society. Vol. VIII. 

 Session 1868-69. On the Petroleum found in the Down 

 Holland .Mass, near Ormskirk. By E. W. Binney and John 

 Hawks head Talbot. Read March 30, 1843. 



Page 46. ' On the composition and origin of the petroleum. 

 .... Although it is by no means uncommon to find traces of 

 an oily matter floating upon the surface of the water that drains 

 out of peat bogs in the low mosses of Lincolnshire and other 

 parts of England, the authors believe that the occurrence of peat 

 so strongly impregnated with petroleum as that found in Down 

 Holland has not yet been noticed. 



Page 47. * On first inspecting the peat, the authors imagined 

 that the petroleum had its origin from some spring which flowed 

 up through the moss from a fissure in the strata underneath ; but 

 after examining these deposits, composed of silty clay, sand, till, 

 and most probably portions of the new red sandstone formation, 

 and finding the lower bed of peat not only destitute of petroleum, 

 but quite dry, they became convinced that the oil could not have 

 come from below. They next considered that it might possibly 

 proceed from a spring which rose out of the higher land at 

 Halsall or Down Holland, and then flowed down into the moss ; 

 but the peat on the eastern side, although moist and nearest to 



