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series of layers, as they get interrupted in their progress among 
the weeds, trees, and under- wood. In some places the water 
would, of necessity, be highly impregnated with decomposed 
vegetable matter, sufficient to destroy the lives of any small 
fish. The sedgy edges of different lagoons or marshes may 
be sufficiently open to allow the teeth or scales, or other 
remains of fish to pass through, as is found in cannel coal. 
As regards the formation of bituminous coal, however, a 
familiar illustration is furnished by observing a large hay- 
rick which has been put together when the grass was too much 
saturated with moisture, owing to rain, after having been cut. 
In this state it is more liable to ferment than from the 
effects of its own sap, and in such instances the centre of the 
mass, if examined, will have the appearance of bituminous 
coal, similar to the Bradford better bed. Upon the top of 
this coal is from four to six inches of stone coal, which is a 
distinct deposit, and from water, self- evidently from this 
fact amongst others, that the upper part of the formation 
has more mineral matter in it than the lower. 
There is a gradation in the amount of silty matter which 
the water mixes with the surrounding vegetation, and con- 
sequently a diversity is found in the composition of coal and 
the accompanying shales. AVhen some kinds of coal are 
burnt there remains what is provincially termed " white trub," 
of about one-third the original bulk, containing a greater 
amount of shale, and less carbon. In the shale above, when 
burnt, the residue is a fine red laminated material, so useful 
for macadamizing roads. In other cases, a fine laminated 
blueish shale remains, containing numerous impressions of 
leaves. When the coal and shales exhibit an even and laminated 
appearance, and split with smooth flat cleavage, containing 
impressions of leaves, I am of opinion that the vegetable 
masses have been floated in water a greater or less distance 
without sufficient chemical or mechanical action to decompose 
