TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 
103 
ffMented by a block of wood in any coal whatever; whilst those presented bythe 
ijrbanehili coal are exactly the same in kind as those of other coals, though dd ' '* 
in degree. Microscopical sections taken horizontally and vertically alway* 
in'ir in the same manner as the surfaces of cubicul blocks. All vertical sect ion* are 
n: in the Torbanehill and other coals; all horizontal section* arc alike, but 
'different in all these coals from vertical sections. The striated appearance 
' iul sections is therefore not. due to cORl btkg flbtOUl likl wood, but t” it* 
~inir, which a vertical section cuts across as one would cut through tin leave* of 
' tot. The author denied in tola the correctness of two important statement* 
“k in a paper recently published by the Microscopical Society of London, and 
■Rued in opposition totkeee, that horizontal ud w alaecti - fl 
-I c»l are never alike, but differ like those of other coals; alao, that coal ami 
' ■!m-r ;u widely as a laminar uiul a flbfl URfl 
^L-'ucnod and systematic description of the various microscopical appenranc 
“*•**■8 these by coloured drawings and *ttli-picturc#. He pointed out that 
' ,r - ;:;w hill and other coals are in great pm' mi rOQI dl d fI Kit tl d ;• I How 
separated by dack matter made up chiefly of vegetable tissues in a frag- 
^ - u n state. There are also several other bodies, -uch ns 'pop-*, &c., show n on 
■^inn 1 examination; but it is important to bear in mind, that whatever be 
trpretation of the microscopical appearance# in the Torbanehill c-t.nl, there is 
*”ah dJf f C “ ar . act ! r P rc *cnted by it which is not found in other coal*. The author 
•umtirm r i' tQ ' i ,nv ® fct *gation8, tlmt coal, Cancel coal especially, is the result of 
m« Cr *1 .o’ l3mte g r atioci, and chemicnl changes taking place in a mass of vegetable 
bit-bog a PP roac L to which at present is that presented by a my fluid 
'r e ,, e s L ? that in geological position, rliemica! ami histulopical cha- 
' beiue morp°va? n 11 '^ p 0a *.' 8 otbor Lanoel coals ; and that it differs (mi:, them 
^formation of coke *° r production of gas, and consequently less valuable for 
f/ie Granule nP )er 'l nents made on the Influence of Coloured Class on 
%\Z f ‘ Sea ' w " ler ' % “ OBE “ T tv.\H.M.i«>, r.c.s. 
^ich\vas S !nn^j n f dllllltt ^ r °d sea-planta grew best in case.*, the light supplied 
T'-’-n confervoid o rnn a° l 3Uss “ lrou 6^ green coloured glass, and tlmt the brown and 
u growths were thus destroyed. 
'f the Y„ r ia° n °'C-i gipas from the Lower Sandstone and Slui/e 
C °^’ n » V'-ofasor W. (’. W.LLIAM 80 N. F.F.S., 
Tljp flnj-l. 
p^'ps. 'The CTffis . 1>y \' cr , mi , ll S t0 t,u ’ notice* by Young and Bird. Prof, 
'■tvy'di* I,p lV,n " '•••• ^ n,t l ’ 1 ’ . ? ura "f Mr. James Yates in connexion with 
Mb 
. I'tl'yas. IleiVinn / I • , , . . ra " l Mr. James Yater in connexion with 
it as rescm^ini P ,T n<t , 118 Vlwa of lhv structure ami habit of the plant, 
^:>theCe3- h , C ° l0n ^ Ud c y«“*We«l stems of Cyan, nrclnalis, 
v.’.m btc I ruQ <*U buds ibn K ^^ ce phalarto3 horridun. He then described 
tvhicli i/arts fronds or leaves, and their connexion with the 
r ( 0 living Cycads m c *^*bited specimens, and in which the emend resem. 
01 the mflor eS eonrVr ry °. bvi0Ua - lU : ^eu dwelt at some length on the 
two disiinrt^f UMd Ut ^ un8W,c ^ the Yorkshire coast, of which 
»Ua c l^riform manner tu ‘ Dne a curious scaly axis, prolonged in a 
tl!j n Pfr^n slln 5 of oblon'w a ter l mrt ^ as 1,con invested by u cortical sub- 
w^.cularly to the axis. This por- 
A second ty,f e conR ?», ha f ia * P ri,l,ab| y been the antheriferoti* portion of 
4* 2? and Sn 21^ “ ""“"T* dl8C * "'»«<* has evidently terminated 
or each ? fft ’ f Ml*"* circle of radiating bracts. On 
i,J|I ittnl o . l t Ul ? 80n supposed t ..»v \ ■ , ructs atc two 6mil 'l oblong depressions, which 
ftoQglj nJ 11 groat uncertain* ,aVe ° u PP orled two ovule# ; but, at the same time, 
rjeadean 6 nMue rical coi ro nr. \ ,es P ectin ii lbc exact physiology of these portions ; 
^ C0 ^and the der‘ he8e ovule*, as usually seen in the 
P sions on the surface of the bracts, seems to indicate 
