No lignite seams of any value have hitherto been discovered in this formation, although in many localities small deposits have been met with, in which the stems of trees show conspicuously their form and woody structure.

I may mention that many of the inferior brown coals and lignites are burned extensively in several parts of Germany and Austria for obtaining the ashes, to be used either in the manufacture of glass or as valuable manures.

In the reports of Geological Explorations for 1871-72, a résumé of all analyses made of New Zealand Coals by Mr. W. Skey, which are of some practical value, are given. I have selected for republication from that schedule those analyses having reference to Canterbury and Westland, thinking that they will be useful to the reader for comparison.

page 461

Schedule of Canterbury and Westland Coals which have been analyzed at the Colonial Laboratory. (See Report of Geological Explorations during 1871-2, page 172 and sequ.)

Locality.	Variety.	Evaporative Power.	Fixed Carbon.	Water.	Ash.	Nature of Coke.	Laboratory Number.
Westland—
Grey River Coal-field	Bituminous Coal	8.10	62.37	1.99	6.20	Cakes strongly and forms valuable Coke	331
Grey River Coal-field	Bituminous Coal	7.39	56.86	1.16	5.49	Cakes strongly and forms valuable Coke	1240
Kanieri	Bituminous Coal	7.42	58.69	0.86	21.11	Cakes strongly	970
Canterbury—
Acheron (Rakaia)	Anthracite Glance Coal	11.55	89.91	3.17	7.92	Non-caking	609
Kowhai (Waimakariri)	Hard Glance Coal	10.33	80.01	6.50	2.54	Non-caking	607
Hart's Colliery	Hard Glance Coal	9.05	69.62	2.77	12.69	Non-caking	608
Rakaia Gorge	Hard Glance Coal	8.30	64.51	6.76	7.46	Non-caking	228
Hill's Colliery	Hard Glance Coal	7.94	61.10	1.60	1.90	Non-caking
Hill's Colliery	Soft Glance Coal	6.81	53.30	9.98	2.75	Non-caking	1016, d
Canterbury Colliery	Brown Coal	5.73	46.02	21.66	5.33	Non-caking	617
Big Ben	Brown Coal	5.71	45.00	12.00	1.90	Non-caking
Craigieburn	Brown Coal	5.62	44.62	15.54	4.58	Non-caking	98
Homebush Colliery	Brown Coal	5.58	44.50	17.50	6.78	Non-caking	1016, a
Hill's Colliery	Brown Coal	5.22	41.22	20.74	6.35	Non-caking	1233
Coal Creek, Ashburton	Brown Coal	5.05	39.60	8.80	12.40	Non-caking
Motanau	Brown Coal	5.03	40.37	18.15	5.37	Non-caking	107
Church Reserve, Selwyn	Brown Coal	4.65	36.06	11.40	3.20	Non-caking

Postscript.

Since the above was written, a series of new analyses of Malvern Hill Coal has been made at the Colonial Laboratory, by Mr. S. H. Cox, F.C.S., containing several specimens from collieries not included in the former Schedule. Being, therefore, of interest to the public, I have added it to this Chapter.

page 462

No.	Description of Locality.	Fixed Carbon.	Hydro-Carbon.	Water.	Ash.	Evap. Power	Remarks.
1 a	Homebush 3½ft. seam	41.3	34.2	21.9	2.6.	5.3	Brown Coal
1 b	Homebush, 7ft. seam	47.7	30.9	19.2	2.2	6.1	Brown Coal
2	Springfield Lower Portion of 4½ft. seam	47.9	41.8	6.3	4.0	6.1	Pitch Coal
2 a	Springfield Upper Portion of 4½ft. seam	63.2	23.6	3.2	10.0	8.1	Glance Coal
3	Wallsend Top, 3ft. seam	39.7	35.9	18.8	5.6	5.0	Brown Coal
4	Canterbury Colliery	49.1	24.9	24.1	1.9	6.3	Brown Coal
4 a	Canterbury Colliery	44.4	34.9	18.2	2.5	5.7	Brown Coal
5	Williamson's Seam, near Springfield	61.9	26.8	0.9	10.4	8.0	Glance Coal
							(All non-caking)