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The Naturalist, 



which we are sure will prove of permanent interest to our subscribers. 

 In our " Observations " column and " Reports of Societies," we trust 

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GEOLOGY OF THE HALIFAX HARD BED COAL. 



By J. Spencer. 

 (Concluded.) 



These coal balls are similar in form and composition to the baum 

 pots, with the exception that they contain a less proportion of lime 

 and a greater proportion of pyrites, many of them being in fact 

 wholly composed of that hard, brassy-looking substance. Their 

 fossil contents are, however, totally different ; instead of marine 

 shells, we find a great variety of fossil plants, and, what is still more 

 important, they are often so wonderfully preserved that their structure 

 can be examined under the microscope as well as, and in some cases 

 even better than, in recent plants. 



Having now given a brief sketch of the geological surroundings of 

 these coal balls, I will proceed to give some further information of 

 the coal plants found in this neighbourhood, which is intended to 



