882 I'JiC Amcvlcaii Geologist, DocembcT, 189^ 
consolidution iindci" the influence of pressure. Tn all the more 
oonipaet specimens the fracture is couehoidal and lustrous: a few 
show a coarse lamination while others do not. All agree in 1)eing 
made up of similar rod-like bodies which are more or less closely 
compressed. in one case the rods were loosely piled in a promis- 
cuous manner, in such a way as to exhiliit their form and size very 
perfectly, being held together, api>arently, by a partial fusion 
with one another, or b}' a cementing substance of a similar na- 
ture. Tn the most compact forms, it could l)e readily ascertained 
that the rods constituted the entire substance of the coal, their 
transverse and longitudinal fractures being sufficiently conchoidal 
and lustrous to distinguish them from one another. The rods are 
round and straight, and closely resemble, in some of the less 
compact specimens, rods of aml)er of dark color. The least 
diameter found was 0.5 mm. From that they range upwards to 
'1. mm., which, however, is not ver}' common. Their length ap- 
pears to lie between 5 mm. and 2.5 cm. One speciiuen was 
characterized l)y a decided fiakiness, the tiakes being closely 
compressed and apparently comix)sed <:)f finer lamin;e of a sub- 
stance similar to that constituting the rods. 
Several sections were taken from the different hand specimens 
and prei)ared for microscopical examination. 
Section 218G was prepared by Mr. Weston of the Geological 
Survey, from one of the least compact of the hand specimens. 
It shows the rods to be cut A'ariously, but chiefly transverse and 
longitudinal. Lines of flow none; tissue or cell structure none. 
Granulations common and often disposed so as to form zones 
surrounding hyaline areas. Granules round or ol)long and often 
spore-like, l.U /7. in diameter. Color, reddish amber. Irregu- 
lar lines of fracture often penetrate the rods at right angles for 
one-fourth their diameter; the}' usually show as shrinkage clefts 
or air tubes. 
A conspicuous feature of the rods is the presence in their in- 
terior of tubular, often branching, openings which are strongly 
suggestive of vegetable growth, and at first are apt to lead to the 
supposition that they are fungous mycelia. On account of their 
peculiar form, it may be well to refer to them as myceloid tubes 
or raniuli. They may be roughly classed as of two kinds — large 
and small. 
The large tubes were found to be cut in all ways, pri'cisely as 
