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resists longer this action of the atmosphere, but upon a long 

 exposure, splits into thin plates ; when newly brought out of 

 the pit, it exhibits an exceedingly fine and homogeneous 

 texture, and splits with a conchoidal fracture. The organic 

 remains are not confined to any particular portion of the 

 shale, but are indiscriminately disseminated through the whole 

 stratum, the Coprolites being by far the most numerous. The 

 shale is highly bituminous, and would, in many parts of the 

 country, be regarded as a valuable article for fuel. It is soft 

 and smooth to the touch, and slightly soils the fingers. When 

 burning, it makes a crackling noise, gives out flame and smoke 

 in abundance, and leaves a great deal of exceedingly fine, soft, 

 white ashes. Some slight traces of lepidodendra may occa- 

 sionally be detected in this shale, and a thin bituminous film, 

 of a brilHant lustre, may in some places be observed, which 

 seems to have had its origin in decomposed vegetable matter. 

 This shale is entirely destitute of all remains of molluscous or 

 entomostracous animals. The shale at Newton Lane-end, 

 about a mile from the formei^locality, is very similar to that 

 observed at Stanley, but it is of a coarser texture, which arises 

 from a large quantity of sulphur disseminated in minute specks 

 through the mass, coating with a bright golden hue the teeth 

 and scales of fishes, or spreading in flowers near the Coprolites. 

 Here, as at Stanley, the teeth and scales are detached, and 

 after carefully examining a great deal of shale, I have scarcely 

 in any instance met with any thing like the outline of a fish. 

 In some places small assemblages of teeth, scales, and other 

 parts of fishes, may be observed mingled together in confusion. 



" The shale at Grove Colliery is very similar to that at 

 Stanley ; and a fragment presented to the Museum by Mr. 

 Briggs, from Whitwood Colliery, two miles East of Stanley, 

 is also similar. The shale at Westgate Common contains, 

 besides the remains of fishes, some exceedingly sharp specie 

 mens of a small lepidodendron. 



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