PHYSICS OF THE GLOBE. 97 



Professor Doelter, of Gratz, has reported to the Vienna 

 Academy of Sciences upon the extinct volcano Monte Ferru, 

 in Sardinia. 



Professor F. W. Clarke discussed the alleged volcano at 

 Bald Mountain, N. C, before the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science at St. Louis. 



The Rev. Samuel Haughton and Edward Hull delivered 

 in 1875 a joint-report, but recently received by us, to the 

 Royal Irish Academy on the chemical, mineralogical, and 

 microscopical character of the lavas of Vesuvius from 1631 

 to 1S68. Twenty specimens were examined chemically by 

 Haughton, who shows that augite is always present in the 

 maximum possible quantity ; second, that magnetite is pres- 

 ent eleven times out of twenty in the minimum possible 

 quantity; third, that leucite is present only once in the max- 

 imum possible quantity; fourth, the minerals always present 

 are, 1st, felspathic leucite, nepheline, or sodalite, anorthite; 

 2d, hornbUndic augite, magnetite; fifth, the antagonistic 

 minerals by examination afford some clue as to the process 

 of formation of the lavas. Mr. Hull, in his microscopical ex- 

 amination, particularly speaks of the beauty of the struct- 

 ure revealed when we examine thin sections of these lavas. 

 With polarized light the general field of view is converted 

 into a dark groundwork, in which crystals of augite, horn- 

 blende, mica, and olivine now transmitting the richest tints 

 of crimson, green, and bronze, which rival the ruby, the em- 

 erald, and the topaz are conspicuously set. 



SEISMOLOGY. 



Professor C.W, C. Fuchs has published his Statistical Ac- 

 count of Eruptions and Earthquakes for 1877. He notes 5 

 volcanic eruptions and 109 earthquakes. The latter were 

 distributed as follows: in the winter months, 33 ; in the 

 spring months, 31 ; in summer, 11 ; and in autumn, 34. 



The notices of American Earthquakes, by Professor Rock- 

 wood, are continued by a list of 54 shocks, in the American 

 Journal of Science and Arts, III., xv., p. 21. 



An important historical paper upon Japanese Earthquakes 

 was read before the Asiatic Society of Japan, by I. Z. Hattori, 

 A.B. (Rutgers College), now of the University of Tokio. 

 The author has collected from the native records notices of 



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