currents, causing 'friction' and 'lightning,' the sudden shock of the impenetrable masses the thunder.""*

"Regarding our atmosphere as a homogeneous metallic body."† Our readers will be ready to admit that Capt. Maury has not much to fear from opponents like Mr. Armit.

We are glad, however, to be able to record a contribution to theoretical meteorology of a character very different to the foregoing. This is Physical Geography in its relation to the Prevailing Winds and Currents,' by Mr. J. Knox Laughton. We regret that we can only very briefly allude to its contents. Mr. Laughton gives a concise account of the existing winds, and then discusses the accepted theories of the origin of the great currents of air and water which exist on the globe. He shows that Hadley's theory of the trade winds, as developed by Dove, is insufficient to explain the facts observed. The air does not flow towards the region of highest temperature for the time being. In the old continent this district is the north of Africa and Arabia, towards which the trade wind does not blow. Secondly, he concludes that the rotation of the earth does not materially affect the direction of the currents of air, because "the friction between the air and earth is so great, that the air almost instantaneously acquires the velocity of the points of the earth to which it is transplanted," and because Dove's theory will not explain due easterly or westerly winds any more than north-westerly or south-easterly winds in the northern hemisphere (S.W. or N.Ě. in the southern). The laws of motion of flowing water are next described, and the action of obstacles in altering the direction of the current, and producing reverse currents or backwaters. After giving an account of the currents of the sea, similar to that previously given of the winds, the author concludes "that wind, acting not only on the surface of the sea, but, by means of intense friction, to a considerable depth, is the chief”—he will not say the only-" cause of the numerous oceanic currents."

The final theory which Mr. Laughton adopts is thus stated:"The whole atmosphere, relatively to the surface of the earth, continually moves, or tends to move from west to east; and the prevalent local variations from that direction are either eddies, or deflections, formed in accordance with the principles which regulate the motion of fluids."

Our space will not allow of our criticizing Mr. Laughton's reasoning in detail, but we cannot omit to give him credit for having collected a most valuable series of facts from the most authentic and most recent sources, and discussed them with thorough conscientiousness. Although we may not agree with all his conclusions, we feel that he has produced a very useful and interesting work.

9. MINERALOGY.

WHILE the colony of Victoria has year after year been eagerly explored by many a miner in quest of its golden wealth, it is notable that the number of mineral species hitherto brought to light has been strangely incommensurate with the activity of these mining operations. In spite, however, of this poverty of materials-a poverty which is the more striking when contrasted with the prodigality of species distributed through the ore-deposits of many other mining countries-some good mineralogical work has already been done in the colony. This is due especially to the exertions of Mr. Ulrich, one of the geologists who, under Mr. Selwyn's guidance, were carefully working out the structure of the country, until the colonists were tempted, in an evil hour, to disband their staff of Geological Surveyors. Mr. Ulrich's recent observations on the minerals of Victoria have been thrown into the form of a little brochure, which may be regarded as forming a sequel to an essay on a kindred subject prepared by the author for the Intercolonial Exhibition of 1867.

*

In the pamphlet now before us we find descriptions of three species which are entirely new to mineralogical science. One of these is a native alloy of gold and bismuth found in the Nuggetty Reef at Maldon, and hence termed Maldonite;† the second is a green massive mineral allied to serpentine, consisting of a hydrous silicate of alumina and sesquioxide of chromium, found in Upper Silurian rocks on the flanks of the Mount Ida range, and named Selwynite, in compliment to the Director of the late Geological Survey; while the third new species is Talcosite, a mineral which resembles tale and occurs in seams traversing the Selwynite. In addition to these newly-discovered species, many other Victorian minerals described by Mr. Ulrich merit attention, either from their crystalline forms-such as the splendid specimens of Herschelite examined several years ago by Dr. von Lang, of which some additional forms have been lately discovered-or from their peculiar mode of occurrence, such as the crystals of Struvite recently found in the guano which covers the floor of the Skipton caves in Ballarat, and appears to have been derived in great measure from the excrement of bats which resort to the caverns as a hiding-place during the day. Among gem-stones, Victoria can boast of possessing the diamond, ruby, sapphire, topaz, and garnet-some crystals of the last being notable for their singularly distorted and consequently deceptive appearance. The study of Australian gems is one which the Rev. Dr. Bleasdale has made peculiarly his own.

* Contributions to the Mineralogy of Victoria.' By George H. F. Ulrich, F.G.S. Melbourne, 1870. Pp. 32.

6

Quart. Journ. Science,' October, 1869, p. 556.

Passing to another of our colonies, we find materials for mineralogical work afforded by the many meteorites which from time to time have fallen in India. One of these has lately been analyzed by Mr Waldie.* In February, 1867, a shower of about forty stones fell near Khettree in Rajpootana. Alarmed at the shower, and attributing it to the vengeance of an offended deity, the natives at once collected the stones, reduced them to a fine powder, and scattered it to the breeze. Diligent search, however, led to the discovery of a piece which luckily had escaped destruction, and it is this fragment which formed the subject of Mr. Waldie's analysis. The stone is of a light bluish-grey colour, darker in parts, and contains disseminated metallic particles and granules of a greenishyellow colour. Its general composition was found to be as follows:

For eighty years a specimen has lain in the Würzburg collection, under the name of an arsenical ore. Prof. Sandberger's recent examination shows, however, that it is really a new species, which he terms Isoclase.† The mineral-which is said to have come from the mines of Joachimsthal, in Bohemia-crystallizes in the oblique system, and consists of a hydrous phosphate of lime having the following formula, and therefore analogous to the species Libethenite and Tagilite, among the copper phosphates: 4 CaO. PO + 5 HO.

Another new phosphate of lime is described by the same author under the name of Collophane. This is an amorphous substance found in cavities in the altered coralline rock of Sombrero, and has the following composition: 3 CaO. PO + HO.

The energetic French chemist, M. Pisani, has published an analysis of the new Algerian mineral described by M. Flajolot as Nadorite-a name which has reference to the Djebel Nador, in the province of Constantine, where the mineral in question was found. While Flajolot regarded it as a compound of the oxides of lead and antimony, Pisani finds that it contains chlorine-a point of great interest, since this is the first mineral in which chlorine has been detected in a compound containing antimony. In fact, Nadorite is an antimonial Mendipite, or oxychloride of lead, and may be thus formulated: (Sb, O. PbO) + PbCl. РЬСІ.

Rabdionite is Von Kobell's name for a new mineral from the

* Chemical News,' xxi., No. 551, p. 278.

↑ Leonhard and Bronn's Jahrbuch für Mineralogie,' 1870, Heft III., p. 306. Comptes Rendus,' Aug. 1, 1870, p. 319.

mines of Nischne Tagilsk, in the Urals. It occurs in small dull black rods, and contains in a hydrated form the protoxides of copper, manganese, and cobalt, with the peroxides of iron and manganese. In writing the name of this species we have followed the author's mode of orthography, but the etymology of the word clearly demands the form Rhabdionite (ῥαβδίον, diminutive of ῥάβδος, rod).

Hermann publishes the results of his examination of the Russian mineral Lawrowite, † which tend to show that it is really a diopside, coloured bright green by the presence of 4.2 per cent. of hypovanadate of lime. Accompanying this mineral, he finds a new species of analogous composition, but containing much more vanadium. This species, which he proposes to name Vanadiolite, may be regarded as formed of three molecules of augite associated with one of hypovanadate of lime. The same author describes, under the term Phosphorchromite, a Russian mineral containing chromate of lead and phosphate of copper.

A new British locality is announced for the beautiful mineral avanturine-quartz.‡ Mr. Traill is said to have found it in Orkney, on the S. and S.W. shores of Inganess Bay.

According to the 'Brighton Herald,' a large deposit of the subsulphate of alumina, called Websterite, has been recently found in Brighton during certain excavations for deep drainage.

Professor Streng's recently-published Mineralogical Notices'§ describe the prehnite of Harzburg, and certain pseudomorphs of calcite and asbestos, after apophyllite, also from Harzburg.

The attention of the crystallographer may be directed to Dr. Werner's paper "On the Theory of the Hexagonal System;" || to Dr. Klein's Note on some Forms of Galena;'¶ and to Herr Groth's 'Dissertation on the Topaz of certain Tin-ore Deposits, especially those of Altenberg and Schlaggenwald, in Bohemia.'**

10. MINING AND METALLURGY.

MINING.

IN our Chronicles for July we noticed the proposed amalgamation of the Mines Regulation Bill and the Metalliferous Mines Bill, remarking on the unfortunate character of this attempt to legislate by one Act for two dangerous industries, differing in all their essential † Ibid., p. 442.

* Journ. f. prakt. Chimie,' 1870, p. 423. Geolog. Mag.,' Sept., 1870, p. 444.

§ Leonhard and Bronn's 'Jahrbuch, 1870, Heft III., p. 314. Ibid., p. 290.

¶ Ibid., p. 311.

**Zeitschr. d. d. geolog. Gesell.,' XXII., p. 381.

Erratum in Chronicles last quarter, p. 417, line from bottom: for "the several species," read "the several plagioclastic species."

points (except that they are both subterranean employments) as widely as possible from each other.

We have much pleasure in recording the fact that this amalgamated Bill has been withdrawn. The attention of the House of Commons will no doubt be called early in the next session to some system of legislation for collieries and mines. Let us hope that any Bills which may be framed, will be submitted to some persons familiar with the perils of mining, who may so organize the rules as to render them effective and beneficial.

The Colliery Inspectors have recently issued their reports of the fatal accidents and deaths in and about the coal and ironstone mines of Great Britain during the year 1869. The following is a condensed summary of their tabular statement of accidents in collieries:

In July we stated that tin mining in our western counties had

resumed a condition of high prosperity. This has, unfortunately,