EEITISH ASSOCfATION MEETING AT CAMPEIDGE. 



419 



connected mH\i the scliists, well known to geologists for the abundance of 

 fossil fish found in them. In this case, therefore, there seems great proba- 

 bility of the biaimen being of animal origin. jSo dillerence has been ob- 

 served as to the contents obtained on distillation. 



The Kimmeridge "coal" is an unmistakable shale, but some portions 

 resemble lignite. It has occasionally been used for obtaining paraffine ; but, 

 being much less rich than the Scotch shales, the result is not sufficiently 

 encouraging to justify a continuance of the experiment. 



It is possible tliat some of the other black shales known in various de- 

 posits may be found available, and may come into use for distillation. 



It is evident that bituminous schists of various dates, some associated 

 with and resembling coal, some even passing into coal, others totally un- 

 like coal in every respect and far removed from it geologically, exist in 

 various countries in considerable abundance, and admit of profitable dis- 

 tillation at low heat for the purpose of manufacturing, illuminating, and lu- 

 bricating oils aiid paraffine. It is important that such substances should 

 be recognized as a class and not mixed uj) with coal, and that there should 

 be some understanding as to what coal is, and in what it differs from the 

 carbonaceous and bituminous minerals with which it is often loaded. 



I append a list of a few of the rocks and localities where bituminous 

 schists and their products are obtained. It would certainly admit of great 

 expansion : — 



Loiver Silurian . Ireland and America (Utica Slates). 

 Upper Siltiriari . Ditto. 



Devonian . . . Caithness schists. Shale with 30 per cent, of organic 

 matter, and a residue of 8 per cent, of carbon. 

 American rock oils (some localities). 

 Carboniferous. rAmerican rock oils. 



Torbane Hill and Boghead, etc., mmerals. 

 Lower, Middle, ( Parrots and cannel coal, 

 and Uj)per . I Terre houille of Belgium. 



[Vauvont or Fevmoreau schists, La Yendee. 

 Above coal . Autun schists. 

 Ferniian . . . Eisleben shales and Kupfer schiefer. 5 to 20 per 

 cent, of light oils. 

 Mansfeld scliists. 



Lias Posidonia schists, worked in N'orthern Bavaria, at 



Banz ; in Wiirtemberg, near Tiibiugen ; at Ora- 

 vieza in Hungary. 



Oolites .... Kimmeridge sliale (Dorsetshire), a shale used for dis- 

 tilliition to obtain paraiSne, and occasionally serving 

 as a very poor fuel. 



Cretaceous . . . Tarious scliists in the Alps. 



Tertiary . . . Paper " coal," near Bonn (under the brown coal). 



Deposits beneath iiummulitic rock in the East. 



I have no doubt that a little research would remind us of many 

 other localities, but these are enough to show the presence of a certain 

 quantity of hydrocarbons (the result, there can be no doubt, of organic 

 matter) exhibited in this form, a part of which has sometimes been con- 

 verted into coal, but which is more usually quite distinct from coal and 

 unconnected with it. 



I have not alhulcd in this paper to the surface accumulations of petro- 

 leum or to the asi)halte with sand and in sandstone, nor to the chapai)ote of 

 Cuba — a very remarkable deposit, deserving distinct notice. I have confined 

 my remarks to the bituminous schists, to bring the subject within compass. 



