159 



TAB. CCCLXXXVI. 



C A R B O bituminosus. 

 Bituminous Coal, containing Animal Remains. 



Div. 3. Amorphous. 



Coal is now much more universally understood to ori- 

 ginate from the vegetable decomposition than when I com- 

 menced this work, and my figures in tals. 187, 188, 189, 

 385, Sec, appear to place it out of doubt. It however does 

 not exclude the probability of animals at the same time de- 

 positing their proportion of Hydrogen and Carbon in similar 

 circumstances of decomposition, under pressure, and caught 

 when more or less in full life and perfection, and fittest to 

 form the more perfect Coal. Animal remains, however, like 

 the vegetable, can in this instance be detected only by the 

 stronger parts that appertain to either: the latter by impres- 

 sions, casts, &c. in the more earthy substance that enveloped 

 them while their juices were infiltrating by means of 

 moisture and their own more volatile parts. The former is 

 somewhat more rarely detected in the coal formation ; the 

 actual remains of the more earthy parts, however, attending 

 their structure forming moulds, &c. Thus analogy teaches 

 us that the more volatile parts, like those of the plants, are 

 infiltrated into the Coal. 



The present specimen, having the shells actually among 

 the Coal, is so presumptive a proof of this, that we have no 

 hesitation in considering it as a confirmation; and as we do 



