NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



SiRj — In the last number (No. XLVI^ p. 118), is a " pre- 

 liminary communication " on the subject of the "Artificial 

 Production of some of the Principal Organic Calcareous 

 Formations," by Prof. Harting, of Utrecht. 



As I am only acquainted with Prof, Harting's observa- 

 tions from the " abridged report" given in your Journal, of 

 course I speak with due reservation as to what may be con- 

 tained in the completed memoir. But it is strange to see, at 

 any rate, in the pages of the ' Microscopical Journal,' a paper 

 on the subject in question, in which the name of Mr. George 

 Rainey does not appear, to whom alone, so far as I know, 

 is all originality with regard to it due. 



Many years since (1857 — 1861) Mr, Rainey's observations 

 on the formation of globular crystalline masses of carbonate 

 of lime, &c., in mucilage of gum arable, and other fluids 

 containing organic colloid matter, were published in the 

 ' British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review,' the 

 ' Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,' and the 

 ' Transactions of the Microscopical Society,' whilst some of 

 the general results- were collected in a separate work, ' On 

 the mode of Formation of the Shells of Animals, of Bone, 

 and of several Structures by a Process of Molecular Coal- 

 escence.'^ These various communications give the results 

 of numerous carefully conducted experiments, and are filled 

 with highly ingenious and suggestive observations and 

 remarks, well w^orthy of more attentive consideration than 

 they have as yet received. 



So far as I can see, there is nothing in Professor Harting's 

 " preliminary communication," including the figures, which 

 may not be found in Mr, Rainey's papers. If Professor 

 Harting, as seems scarcely possible, should be unacquainted 

 with the labours of his predecessor, it is as well he should 

 become so before the publication of his memoir in extenso, 

 when, I have no 'doubt, he will do full justice to Mr. Rainey. 



I am at all events glad to find that such an interesting 

 subject as that of the so-termed " Molecular Coalescence" 

 » London, Churchill, 1858, 8vo, pp, 160. 



