NOTES AND NEWS. 335 
he made an important discovery of Macrospores ina coaly seam 
between vast beds of sandstone in a Sheffield quarry. This drew 
his attention to the coal plants, and, in a few months, hundreds of 
coal sections were in his cabinet—slides from Mr. Butterworth, of 
Oldham, Mr. Spencer, of Halifax, and others ; sections prepared by 
himself and his son, who, at this time, was actively engaged with him 
at home and in the field. There are few societies of a scientific turn 
in Sheffield and its neighbourhood that are unable to boast of having 
had ‘Mr. Vine, the Geologist,’ to give them a lecture on Coal and 
Coal Plants. The Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society 
considered it an honour to have him give them an evening with his 
slides. Yet another branch occupied the mind of this truly wonder- 
ful working man (for such he loved to be styled). Postage stamps, 
post cards, and its accompanying features fascinated him, and his 
collection—though, from a monetary point of view, probably not 
valuable—exhibits that peculiar feature of its author which enabled 
him to seize on the salient points of a subject almost at a glance. 
_ Sea-weeds, zoophytes, and a dozen other things all came in for 
a share of attention. But it is with pardonable pride that the writer 
can testify to Mr. Vine’s undying enthusiasm for Sunday School 
work. Truly he was the man for the little ones, and few families 
live in Attercliffe to-day that have not, directly or indirectly, been 
_ influenced by his humble Christian disposition. So he lived, and so 
he died, giving directions to his son about his polyzoa two days 
before he passed away, mentioning Sunday School work the day 
before he went home, and, wishing his family good-night five minutes 
before, Mr. Vine passed from the service of earth to the higher 
Service of heaven on Tuesday, August 8th, beloved, honoured, — 
_ Tespected, and leaving behind him a name which will surely be found _ 
in ee ve list of ardent, self- = and  ever-onward ’ naturalists, 
: NOTES AND NEWS : oe 
: regr: lan issue ‘ Hardwick’ Sitiacs Comip’ * has been 
a mee se bg a at of the editor's illness 2 
i Fr, W. Fierke, se Dials Gross West, ‘Hull, Hon. 
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