December 24, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



923 



10 zo 



PEIR CLNTOF 



alone. The argument may be made clear by 

 the two following tables: 



ELEIIESTS IN COAL 



Combustible Non-combustible 

 Carbon. Oxygen. 



Hydrogen. Nitrogen. 



Sulphur. 



COMPOSmOX OF COAL 



Combustible Non-combustible 



Carbon. Water of combination. 



Available hydrogen. Xitrogen. 



Sulphur. 



The first table presents a list of elements in 

 coal and by this pure coal is meant, or, in 

 Other words, free from ash and moisture. In 

 the second tabulation it will be observed that 

 no oxygen is listed, but a new constituent 

 water of combination takes its place. Our 

 conception of the presence of oxj-gen in coal is 

 that it is all in combination with hydrogen. 

 The table also shows hydrogen which is avail- 

 able in combustion for heat production. Thus, 



30 AO 



ASH IN DRY COAL 



when values are given upon this basis, the 

 inert volatile matter which contains oxygen 

 and hydrogen as water of combination, be- 

 comes a larger quantity than the oxygen 

 figure which Dr. White has employed. 



A. Bemext 

 2114 FisnEB Building, 

 Chicago, III. 



alligator mississippiensis in oklahoma 

 The occurrence of any species of reptile at 

 a considerable distance beyond its usual or 

 recorded range is a matter of general zoolog- 

 ical interest. The capture of Alligator mis- 

 sissippiensis Daudin in central Oklahoma 

 under circumstances which render it very im- 

 probable that the individual had ever been in 

 captivity seems, therefore, worthy of record. 

 The specimen was taken in a " lake " or bayou 

 of the South Canadian River within five miles 

 of the State TJniversity of Oklahoma, at Nor- 



