of Australian Coal. 
195 
Carbon. 63*3 
Hydrogen . 25*2 
Oxygen. 2*5 
Nitrogen. 9*0 
Geological situation .—Its bed of 3 feet thickness over- 
lies black clay, and is divided by it from the imme¬ 
diately following mountain limestone, a black clay and 
sandstone overlying it: the clays both of the roof and 
floor preserve strong vegetable impressions. 
SOUTH ESK VALLEY, TASMANIA. 
Bituminous Wood. {Jamieson.) 
(Syn. — Lignite Xyloide, Beudant.) 
External character .—Its colour is clove-brown; its 
texture is ligneous ; its cross fracture is conclioidal; 
lustre shining, resinous ; external shape of compressed 
wood ; specific gravity 1*29. 
Chemical character .—Bums easily with a flame with¬ 
out swelling or caking, and evolves during combustion a 
very sharp, fetid, and nauseous odour: its proximate 
constituents are— 
Charcoal . 33-8 
Ligneous and bituminous matter 51*0 
Earthy matter . 15*2 
Applied to the production of gas, one pound gives 
3686 cubic inches of very impure and faintly illuminating 
gas. 
Every 100 parts of weight yield— 
Pyroxylic acid . 30*0 
Analysed with peroxide of copper, the quantities of its 
ultimate elements abstracted from earthy matter will 
stand in the following proportion : — 
Carbon. 70*0 
Hydrogen. 5*4 
Oxygen. 14*6 
Nitrogen. 10*0 
o 2 
