JO Tlie A7nerican Geologist. February, i899 
vegetable, would appear to require verification, the work of 
others elsewhere is beginning to make it evident that our 
older conceptions and beliefs must eventually be very greatly 
modified. 
That the question of coal-bed, I do not say coal formation, 
is not going to be satisfactorily solved in the laboratory or 
under the microscope, I am confident. It is a question of close 
and minute examination and scrutiny of all the materials as 
they actually occur in and in close association with the seams 
of coal — in the field, which, as much if not more than anything 
else, is destined to rightly reveal the story. Scientists have 
been paying closer attention to small specimens of coal than 
to large blocks, thus missing the broader features that certainlv 
must not be neglected. Unfortunately they who come in daily 
contact with the seams of coal, are not familiar with the use 
of the microscope, nor are they paleobotanists; the latter, on 
the other hand are deprived of facilities for studying coal strati- 
graphy. Little wonder then that different views are formed 
nad held regarding the same subject. Take the stig/naria 
hypothesis for instance; possibly it may be a true condition in 
certain cases, but mark this! do we ever get any new facts 
in support of it? but do we not almost every day see recorded 
the results of investigators which tend to weaken that hypothe- 
sis? In a spirit of open-mindedness then, let us take note of 
a few facts that seem to be new. 
2. Many coal-beds have been reported to contain more 
or less conspicuous and numerous lumpy masses or flaky areas 
of mineral resin, ambrite, or fossil gum of some kind, and I 
know of several other seams containing it that do not appear 
to have been noticed, e. g., three seams in W. Penna. ; 3 in 
England; 2 in Canada; i in Russia; i in Colorado; also present 
in coal specimens from Japan; South Africa (Natal coal); 
Queensland, Australia; Orange Co., California; Wyoming and 
in Cannel from W. Va. The fact that a similar or very similar 
substance, so far as judged by its physical and optical proper- 
ties, more or less thoroughly permeates the blacker, more car- 
bonaceous and brittle, shiny lustrous laminee in coal, as 
well as much of the harder, duller and more granular material 
(in which the black laminae are embedded) is a condition that 
does not appear to have been reported. The bright, clear. 
