Geology and Mineralogy. 467 
comparatively friable surface exposed. This locality was visited 
the following spring when it was found that this fresh surface 
was much indurated and approached toward a quartzite. 
This change had taken place in the few months that had 
elapsed since the fractured and friable surface had been exposed 
and there could be no doubt that the change was due to the action 
of the elements. Many observations were made regarding the 
induration of these sandstones, which are not here given, but all 
tended in the same direction—to show that atmospheric agencies 
exercised a strong indurating influence upon the surface and 
immediately underlying portions. 
On the Structure of English and American Carboniferous 
pwaRD WeETHERED, F.G.S., F.C.S. (Brit. Assoc., 
Montreal Meeting, 1884.)—With a view of testing the “Spore 
Theory ” of the origin of coal, as propounded by Professor Hux- 
ley, the author had obtained a portion of the ‘better bed” seam 
intact for a thickness of ten inches from the top. He had exam- 
ined this inch by inch, by preparing thirty-three microscopic sec- 
tions. At the top was three and one-half inches of dull lustrous 
oal, termed “laminated coal.” This the author found to be 
four inches thick, and presented a dull luster with thin bright 
layers traversing at intervals. e dull portion was a mass of 
ri 
? 
by dull lustrous coal, showed plenty of spores in the dull coal, 
but in the bright not one was detected. The second bed in this 
seam was one foot thick; it was of a brighter luster than the 
four inches below, but two layers could be distinctly made out, 
one more lustrous than the other. In the dullest of the two 
chiefly aoiehae fs except in the bright layers. The American 
and American Carboniferous coals had a common origin. ‘ 
The spores in the coal from both countries were closely allied. 
