164 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



In speaking, in a former article,* of the artificial formation of coal, 

 we gave the names of some philosophers who had realized to a certain 

 extent the problem in question before M. Barhouiller laid the results 

 of his experiments before the public. I regret to say that I find the 

 name of M. Beudant was forgotten, not only in my article, but also in 

 M. Barhouiller's paper. I believe that, if Beudant were now living, 

 he would be able to affirm that the results obtained by M. Barhouiller 

 had been already realized, or nearly so, by himself ; for he says, in his 

 Mineralogie (p. 210 of the Edit, of 1844), " It results from various 

 experiments which we have commenced, but which certain unavoidable 

 circumstances have not permitted us to terminate, that, when vege- 

 tables are submitted to temperatures ranging between 180° and 200° 

 (centigrade), and under a proper degree of pressure, they are converted 

 into black substances in every respect similar to lignite, coal, and 

 bitumen." 



P.S. I ought to have mentioned in my last article, in respect to the 

 statements of the submarine volcano, near Leghorn, that M. Senevier, 

 the French Consul at Leghorn, was misinformed, and had sent an 

 erroneous statement to the Academy of Sciences at Paris. 



Note on the Stagonolepis of Elgin, by Sir R. 1. Murchison. 



AVe have received a communication from Sir Roderick Murchison 

 relative to our Note (p. 124) on Stagonolepis, in which Sir Roderick 

 reiterates his conviction of the correctness of his statement that the rock 

 in which those remains were found is of "Old Red Sandstone" age. 

 He says, " Sedgwick, Malcolmson, Robertson, Anderson, Duff, Hugh 

 Miller, and Gordon, as well as himself, have called it ' Old Red.' 

 Certain geological theorists who have not visited the district, and who 

 judge or opine certainly from the character of the beast, still throw 

 doubt upon the decision of stratigraphical observers. The note 

 ought to have stated, that, despite the testimony of those who have 

 explored the district, and class the sandstone of Elgin as ' Old Red,' 

 some geologists, who are guided by palaeontology only, are so much 

 startled at the discovery of a Reptilian of this high order in such 

 ancient rocks, that they have thrown doubts upon the true age of the 

 deposit, and suppose it may prove to be of Oolitic date. 



" This would be fair, and ought to be stated in the next number. It 

 is barely possible, but still possible, that I may be wrong, but the note 

 as it stands is not correct. This is intended for the Editor, with 

 whose work in other respects I am very much gratified." — R. I. 

 Murchison. 



* The Grologist, vol. i. p. 2('2. 



