52 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [jAN. 25, 



edition, 1844, he retains these Latin names as the scientific ones, 

 as necessary to "a systematic idea of the science," but adds, "the 

 shorter trivial names should, however, be retained, as more con- 

 venient for common use." In the third edition, 1850, however, 

 Prof. Dana discards the whole system, not even retaining the names 

 as synonyms. A system of arrangement was adopted that was 

 understood to be temporary, while at the end of the work a chemi- 

 cal classification was suggested. In the later editions, this last has 

 been perfected, and we now have an arrangement easy of reference 

 and answering all purposes of classification, but from which all 

 traces of the double Latinized forms of the Natural History methods 

 have disappeared. This or some similar system is now generally 

 followed by wn-iters on mineralogy, much to the satisfaction of 

 those who use their works. In 1847, Glocker published his work 

 entitled " Generum et Specierum Mineralium Synopsis." This is 

 perhaps the most successful attempt at a systematic nomenclature 

 that has been made. He uses in general a Latinized form of the 

 common name for the name of each species, with some descriptive 

 word added. For varieties, he adds a third word, as is common in 

 other branches of natural history. For instance, under Granatus, 

 garnet, he gives three- species : 1st. Granatus nobilis, precious gar- 

 net ; 2d. Granatus hyacinthinus, cinnamon garnet ; and 3d. Granatus 

 vulgaris, common garnet, and under the latter, the varieties Granatus 

 vulgaris fuscus, nige?-, vii'idis, Jlavus, and albidus. The work is 

 in Latin, thus going back to the style of the scientific books of the 

 last centur}'. Recently, Prof. T. Sterry Hunt has devised a new 

 Natural System, suggested indeed as early as 1853, but as he does 

 not give us new names for the species, a discussion of it would be 

 out of place here. His work is, however, exceedingly interesting, 

 and will well repay examination by those who care to go further 

 into that side of the general subject. 



In 1128 Dr. John Woodward published a work entitled " Fossils 

 of all Kinds Digested into a Method, Suitable to their Mutual Re- 

 lations and Affinity," but it is a description from external characters 

 only, and can hardly be called a scientific treatise. The first one 

 that really deserves such a name is by the Swedish mineralogist, 

 Wallerius, in 1747, which is arranged on a scientific plan, and gives 

 us the earliest systematic description of minerals. Cronstedt, 

 another Swedish chemist, ten years later gave us a work of much 

 greater value, as he brought in chemical relations, as far as was 

 possible in the crude state of that science. But few new names 

 were added, for the study was still largely from the external side, 

 and new species could not be recognized. With the discovery of 

 oxygen in 1770, and the real beginning of the science of chemistry, 

 a more correct basis for the differentiation of mineral species was 

 found. This was aided by the application of scientific crystallo- 

 graphy, the first edition of Delisle's work appearing in 1772, and 

 the second, in four volumes, in 1783. From this date new names 



