Scientific Intelligence — Mineralogy. 409 



17. Zeolite*. — Levyne^ Onielinite and PhacoUte, appear to be varieties of 

 chabasite, and not distinct species ; and the so-called Caporcianite is now 

 believed to be a variety of one of the well ascertained species of zeolite. 



18. Pericla8e,anew mineral. — M. Scacchi, Professor of Mineralop^y at 

 Naples, has communicated to the Annales des Mines, through his friend, 

 M. Damour, a description of a mineral found in the ancient lavas of 

 Vesuvius, of a vitreous appearance, obscure green colour, and confused 

 crystallization, imbedded in a calcareous matrix, like the gehlenite of 

 Fassa. It cleaves readily in three directions parallel to the faces of a 

 cube, whence it derives its name, Periclase. It crystallizes in regular 

 octahedrons ; is infusible before the blow- pipe. The powder is entire It 

 soluble in acids. Hardness equal to felspar. Specific gravity 3.75. It 

 is composed of magnesia and a little oxide of iron. Its co.aposition in 

 100 parts, is 



First Analysis. Second Analjsis. 



Magnesia, 92.57 91.18 



Oxide of iron, .... 6.91 6.30 



Insoluble mattter, .... .86 2.10 



100.34 99.58 



— Ann. des Mines, 4th Series, Vol. iii. p. 369. 



19. On Piauzite, a Mineral Resin. By W. Haidinger, Esq. — The 

 following are the mineralogical characters of this mineral : — 



Colour, blackish-brown ; streak, yellowish brown ; massive ; lustre, 

 resinous ; fracture, imperfect conchoidal ; translucent on the thin edges ; 

 mild ; feeble lustre on cut places : hardness, := 1.5 ; specific gravity, 

 1.220. 



The Piauzite, although mild under the knife, is, on account of its low 

 degree of hardness, so feebly coherent, that we can, as is the case with 

 other mineral resins, rub it easily between the fingers. It is traversed 

 by numerous and generally parallel rents. 



Chemical Properties. — At 315° cent, it inflames; it burns at a some- 

 what higher temperature, with a peculiar aromatic smell, with much flame 

 and strong evolution of soot, to ashes. The melting point was deter- 

 mined in a linseed oil bath. It is completely soluble in ether and 

 caustic potash ; it is almost entirely soluble in anhydrous alcohol, but less 

 soluble in alcohol containing water. Fuming nitric acid converts the 

 colour of the dark-brown resin into yellowish-brown. Heated in a glass 

 tube, there is distilled from it a yellowish, acid reacting, oily fluid. In its 

 common state it contains 3 J per cent, of hygroscopic water. The dry 

 affords 5.96 proc. of ashes. 



Oeognostlc Situation. — It occurs in veins from one to two inches wide, 

 traversing brown coal, and bituminous wood, in a brown coal deposit, in 

 the neighbourhood of Piauze, north from Newstadtl, in Camiola. 



Use. — Its easy inflammability, and the abundance of soot it deposits 

 during burning, cause it to be used for giving the black colour to 

 cast-iron ware — Poggendorff's Annalen, \o\. Q2^ p. 275. 



ZOOLOGY. 



20. Early History of Quano. — Sometime ago Mr Teschemacher made 

 an interesting communication to the Boston Society of Natural History, 



