157 



TAB. CCCLXXXV. 



C A R B O bituminosus. 

 Plant-formed Coal. 



Div. 2. Imitative. 



No subject in Mineralogy is more deserving of the attention 

 of mankind, oris perhaps more instructive, than the forma- 

 tion of Coals; whether it bespeaks the contrivance of a flood 

 as necessary for their formation, or proves that they are in 

 the great bulk, at least as far as we are allowed to penetrate, 

 dependent on principles passing through organization. Nor 

 is it the less curious, that while we have appeared so long 

 ignorant as to the nature of the subject thus returning to an 

 inorganized state, yet every day some fresh assistance meets 

 our inquiries, as we are allowed to improve them by an in- 

 dustrious research. The present specimens are proofs of 

 the eminent beauties constantly observable in the variations 

 of Nature; and while they show an analogy to our mo- 

 dern system, yet present us with Genera and Species so 

 foreign, thai we are at a loss for comparison. The front 

 specimen is the cast of a stem of some plant which is co- 

 vered with a very regular arrangement of squamae, such as 

 remain occasionally after the old leaves are fallen off as the 

 smaller branches advance. The squamae are very perfect in 

 appearance, and are arranged in spiral order; in some speci- 

 mens the spire winds to the right, and in others to the left ; 

 those on the right hand side of the specimen figured have an 



