34 Notes and Comments. 



MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF COAL, 



In this paper,* read before the Manchester Geological 

 and Mining Society, Mr. James Lomax gives some valuable 

 observations on the structure of Coal, which is often regarded 

 as practically structureless. If sections are carefully prepared, 

 coal is seen to contain, not only numerous well-defined struc- 

 tures, but characters which the author considers to be peculiar 

 to each seam. He finds that most coals consist of alternating 

 bands of lamellae of bright and dull coal, the dull laminae are 

 made up largely of megaspores in a ground mass of microspores ; 

 while the bright laminae are composed of microspores, and the 

 remains of highly compressed leaves and other tissues. He 

 also describes and figures certain amber coloured bodies 

 which he names provisionally Amber ites, and other oval, 

 apparently highly resinous bodies Ovalites resinosiis. Several 

 vesicular cavities were also found to occur commonly in 

 coal, which, before being tapped, probably contained gas. The 

 sections of coal described are from several seams at Atherton, 

 Abram and Little Lever in Lancashire ; Altofts and Barnsley 

 in Yorkshire and the Sneyd ColUery in North Staffordshire. 

 The paper was described by Mr. W. E. Garforth as the most 

 valuable and instructive ever presented to the society. Cer- 

 tainly no cost has been spared in its publication. It is illus- 

 trated by thirty-two figures on twelve folding plates, fifteen of 

 the figures being beautifully reproduced in colour. 



NEW SPECIES. 



In The Entomologist's Record, Vol. XXIII., No. 12, Mr. 

 Oscar John has some useful suggestions to make in reference 

 to the admirable principle that it is suggested should be adopted 

 by the next Entomological Congress, viz., that ' no description 

 should be valid without a good figure.' One is that ' Types 

 should not be kept in private collections, but given over to 

 museums, where they are less subject to the possibility of being 

 lost or destroyed.' We need hardly say we cordially agree with 

 this, though whether the average ' private collector ' will, is 

 another matter. He then makes very pertinent suggestions 

 in regard to the steps to be taken to ensure that the so-called 

 'new species' have not previously been described, and as to the 

 best method of illustrating them. With his concluding remarks 

 we heartily concur. He says : ' All this, of course, would 

 make it much more difficult to put out lots of new names ; 

 but I am sure, that if one or another species should remain 



* ' The Microscopical Examination of Coal, and its use in determining 

 the inflammable constituents present therein,' by James Lomax. pp. 21 

 and 12 plates. Transactions ot the Institution of Minine; Enc'incers, Vol. 

 XLII., part I. 



N'aturalisi, 



