204 Scientific Intelligence — Geology and Mineratogg, 



This asbestus, therefore, has precisely the compositioii of pure augite, 

 free from alumina; whereas that from the Tarentaise, analysed by 

 Bonsdorf, has the composition of hornblende (R. Si + K' Si-), which, 

 indeed, does not differ very much from the first. It appears, there- 

 fore, that the name asbestus does not belong to a detenninate mineral, 

 but to a condition into which several minerals can pass. — Poggendorffs 

 Annalen, 



7. Geokronite, — This new mineral species occurs in the mine of Sala 

 in Sweden. Colour lead-grey, massive, but no cleavage; streak shining 

 and metallic ; opaque ; hardness between calcspar and mica ; specific 

 gravity =r 5.88. Analysis by Swanberg afforded the following ingre- 

 dients, viz. lead, 66.4.52— copper, 4.544 — iron, 0.417 — zinc, 0.111 

 —trace of silver and bismuth — antimony, 9.576 — arsenic, 4.695 — 

 sulphur, 16.262 =: 99-027. It thus appears to be a fifth combination 

 of sulphuret of antimony and sulphuret of lead ; the already described 

 combinations being Jamesonite, Zinkenite, Plagionite, and Federerz. 

 Poggendorjps Annalen. 



8. Meeting of the Geological Society of France at Aix. — We have to 

 announce that the extraordinary meeting of the Geological Society of 

 France will this year be held at Aix (Bouches du Rhone), on the 4th 

 of September, and that strangers, introduced by a member, may tiike 

 part in the geological excursions and discussions. 



9. Sounding Sands — The late Sir Alexander Barnes, in his interesting 

 work on Cabool, lately published, gives the following account of this curi- 

 ous phenomenon: — As we were now in the vicinity of Reg-Ruwan, or the 

 moving sand, we made an excursion to it. It is a phenomenon simi- 

 lar to what is seen at Jubul-Nakoos, or the sounding mountain, near 

 Too in the Red Sea. The Emperor Baber thus describes it : — " Be- 

 tween the plains there is a small hill, in which there is a line of sandy 

 ground, reaching from the top to the bottom. They call it Khwaju 

 Reg-Ruwan ; they say that in the summer season the sound of drums 

 and nugarets issues from the sand." The description of Baber, how- 

 ever marvellous it appears, is pretty accurate. Reg-Ruwan is situated 

 about forty miles north of Cabool, towards Hindoo Koosh, and near the 

 base of the mountains. Two ridges of hills, detached from the rest, run 

 in and meet each other. At the point of junction, and where the slope 

 of the hills is at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and the height 

 nearly 400 feet, a sheet of sand, as pure as that on the sea-shore, is 

 spread from the top to the bottom, to a breadth of about 100 yards. 

 When this sand is set in motion by a body of people sliding down it, 

 a sound is emitted. On the first trial we distinctly heard two loud 



