56 Structure of a peculiar Combustible Mineral, 
Very well ; a plant is lying here upon another thing, which is here 
represented by a dull-brown colour ? — Yes, a part of the plant. 
Mr. Neaves. — What did you say ? — That that is part of the structure 
of a plant which is lying there in the mineral. When you make a 
section of the mineral you come uix)n this, showing you that there was a 
plant. 
At that part the mineral consists of that plant ? — Yes. 
Dean of Faculty. — You have seen fossil plants in stone quarries ? — Yes. 
Mr. Neaves. — You do not consider that an example of such an appear- 
ance ? — No. 
Dr. PiEDFERN. — Examined hy Mr. Neaves. 
Dr. Eedfern, you lecture on subjects connected with the microscope in 
connexion with the University ? — Yes ; and teach the use of the micro- 
scope. 
You are a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of London ? — Yes. 
Have you been accustomed to the examination of substances by the 
microscope ? — Yes. 
Principally of vegetable substances for some years ? — I have for many 
years been in the practice of examining vegetable structure by the micro- 
scope. 
Both in recent vegetables and in fossil substances ? — I have. 
Did you lately receive some specimens of different minerals, including 
some of the Torbanehill mineral ? — I did. 
From whom did you get the Torbanehill mineral ? — I got some specimens 
from Dr. Fyfe, and some others from the Aberdeen Gas Works, in the 
[)resence of Mr. Leslie, the manager. 
Did you subject these specimens of the Torbanehill mineral to micro- 
scopical examination ? — I did so. 
How many sections of it did you take ? — Eighteen. 
From the same piece, or from different pieces ? — From eight different 
pieces. 
Did you or did you not find vegetable structure in these sections ? — I 
found vegetable structure in every section. 
Have you examined different cannel coals with the same view? — I 
have. 
What cannel coals ? — I have examined Lesmahagow cannel coal, 
Capeldrae cannel coal, Wigan cannel coal, Methil cannel coal, and 
Halbeath parrot coal ; and also the Kinneil coal from Bo'ness. 
In what way would you speak of the examination of these minerals, 
and of the examination of the Torbanehill mineral, in reference to the 
vegetable structure ? — I am quite convinced, that in the sections of these 
different coals there are parts which cannot be distinguished from each 
other. 
Vegetable structure in all ? — In all. 
And in some parts this mineral undistinguishable from the others ? — 
Certainly. 
The Boghead mineral has considerable varieties of aspect in itself ? — It 
has. 
Different shades of colour? — There are black, brown, and spotted 
pieces — black pieces with brown spots. 
In the lightish-colour portions of the Boghead mineral, what is that 
you saw ? — I saw vegetable cells in these portions. 
The structure that you saw is cellular structure ?— Yes. 
Besides the cells that you saw, what else did you notice ? — I noticed 
also woody fibre, or woody tissue. 
