﻿1850.] 



COAL-MINES NEAR ERZEROOM. 



65 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. 



Figs. 1 c & 1 d, and Figs. 3 c & 3 d, are from Mr. Harkness's drawings ; the rest 

 are engraved from the specimens. 



Fig. 1 a — d. Rastrites peregrinus. 1 b, cells magnified ; 1 c Sl d, from Mr. Hark- 

 ness's drawings, are slightly enlarged. 



Fig. 2 a — c. R. peregrinus ? In this the young part, magnified at 2 b, has distant 

 and linear cells ; in the adult part, magnified at 2 c, the axis is thick, and 

 the cells more like the next species. 



Fig. 3 a — d. R. triangidatus. 3 b, a portion magnified. 



Fig. 4 a — c. Graptolites (Monoprion) Sedgwickii. 4 c, a portion magnified. 



Fig. 5 a, b. G. Becki. 5 b, a portion magnified. 



Fig. 6 a, b. G. Nicoli. The magnified portion (6 b), shows the mouth at c, after 



the observations of Mr. Salter. 

 Fig. 7 a — d. G. Nilssoni. 7 a & d, magnified portions ; in 7 a & b the stem is 



twisted, so as to show the teeth on opposite sides. 

 Fig. 8 a, b. G. incisun. 8 b, magnified portion. 

 Fig. 9 a, b. G. (Dipriori) pennatas. 9 b, magnified portion. 

 Fig. 10 a, b. G. nodoms. The specimen is very obscure. 10 b, magnified portion. 

 Fig. 11a, b. G.bicornis? The specimen is good, though much compressed. 



11 b, magnified portion. 

 Fig. 12 a, b. G. folium, Hisinger. Narrow variety. 12 b, magnified. 

 Fig. 13 a — c. G.foliaceus? Specimens, natural size, showing the axis partly 



denuded of its cells. The specimens are mere pyritous stains, and the 



shape of the cells obscure. 

 Fig. 14 a — d. G. (Diprion), sp. 14 d, a magnified base, showing the mouths of 



the cells in a lateral view ; in b & c the specimen is crushed obliquely, 



and shows on the right side the distinct casts of the cell-mouths ; on the 



left the impressions are faint, being made through the substance of the 



fossil itself. 



4. Notice of the Coal-mines near Erzeroom*. 



[Communicated from the Foreign Office, by order of Viscount Pahnerston.] 



The coal district lately discovered near Oltoof, and since visited by 

 MM. Brant and Wiet, the English and French Consuls resident at 

 Erzeroom, is about sixteen hours (at least fifty miles) distant from the 

 latter place by the shortest route. The country is very mountainous, 

 and almost impassable even for the native ox-carts. 



The strata of the district are much disturbed. The coal was seen 

 at two places where pits had been sunk on the mountain-side. One 

 bed, from 12 to 16 feet thick, composed of alternating layers of 

 rock and coal, the former predominating, runs E. and W., dipping 

 rapidly to the S.E. Higher up the mountain another similar bed, 

 4 feet thick, was seen running N. and S. and dipping perpendicu- 

 larly. 



The coal is black, lustrous, very brittle, and emits a strong smell 

 in burning. It is probably abundant, but, from its friability, the 

 difficulty of separating it from the matrix, its doubtful quality, as well 

 as the difficulty and expense of working and transporting it, it is very 

 doubtful whether the discovery of this coal will at present prove of 

 any utility. 



* See Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. vi. p. 367. 

 f N.W. of Erzeroom, and about 40° 30' N. lat., 41° 50' E. long. 

 VOL. VII. — PART I. F 



