662 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



Description of Species. The method of classification of species is novel, 

 the part which each species plays in the formation of the earth's crust 

 being the determining point. Thus four classes are recoguized: (1) 

 Silicates or elements of the fundamental rocks ; (2) Elements of min- 

 eral veins; (3) Metallic minerals: (4) Combustible minerals. The 

 book is intended particularly for the use of geologists, as will be in- 

 ferred from the system of arrangement of species adopted. 



Professor Heddle, of St. Andrew's, Scotland, has published in the 16th 

 volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica a chapter on mineralogy, which 

 covers nearly one hundred quarto pages, and which deserves to be rec- 

 cognized as an addition to the list of general treatises upon the science. 

 The author covers more or less completely all the departments of his 

 subject, giving a large number of illustrations. The description of 

 species is, on the whole, more complete than could have beeu expected, 

 considering the obvious limitations to which the author was subjected. 



A new and enlarged edition of Dana's Text-book of Mineralogy has 

 been published. This includes several new chapters upon improved 

 instruments for crystallographic and optical study, upon new methods 

 employed in determining the physical characters of minerals, as, for 

 example, the specific gravity and so on, and also a chapter containing 

 brief descriptions of new species, and new points in regard to old 

 species. A second appendix has been issued to the third edition of the 

 Mineralogy of Chili, by I. Domeyko, which contains some new matter, 

 chiefly of local interest. Of local character, also, is the second edition 

 of the Minerals of New South Wales, by Liversidge. 



Under the auspices of the United States Geological Survey, Mr. 

 Albert Williams, jr., has prepared a volume of much importance, enti- 

 tled Mineral Resources of the United States. The design of the work is 

 chiefly technical. It is divided into two parts: the first contains state- 

 ments and statistics in regard to the occurrence and production of the 

 more important mineral products, such as iron, copper, lead, zinc, &c, 

 also coal and petroleum ; still farther, building-stones, bricks, clays, 

 fertilizers, salt, borax, sulphur, &c. Chapters of considerable length 

 are devoted to the more important of these, which have been prepared 

 in most cases by specialists, whose past experience has given them un- 

 usual facilities for acquiring the kind of information called for. The sec- 

 ond part of the volume contains statistics arranged in tabular form 

 for each State, giving the scientific and popular names of the various 

 ores, minerals, &c, which are now mined, and, in a second table, those 

 which are known to occur, but which are not mined at present, with, 

 in each case, a general statement of the localities. These tables have 

 been prepared very rapidly, and hence are professedly incomplete; but 

 the design is to revise and enlarge them as additional material is col- 

 lected. 



Although not strictly devoted to mineralogy, a new work undertaken 

 by Tschermak deserves to be mentioned. It is to be devoted to the 





