518 Progress in Science. [Oétober, 
may be advantageously studied in connection with the fine display of mineral 
products exhibited in the Queensland annexe to the International Exhibition. 
In the south of the colony, extensive beds of coal occur in lacustrine strata, 
apparently of mesozoic age; and in addition to these secondary coals there is 
a northern coal-field of even greater extent, which is supposed to belong to 
the true coal-measures of palaozoic age. The coal of each period is charac- 
terised by a distinét flora, Te@niopteris being the chara@eristic fossil of the 
mesozoic and Glossopteris that of the palaozoic coal-measures. Auriferous 
veinstones are extensively worked in Queensland, both in Devonian strata 
and in metamorphic rocks. It is interesting to learn, that throughout the 
whole extent of the great Devonian area in the colony, no rocks have yet been 
found to include auriferous reefs which will pay to work, except where the 
strata have been disturbed by intrusion of certain trap-rocks, either diorite, 
diabase, or porphyrite. The gold from these veins is always alloyed with a 
large percentage of silver. Thus, a specimen of so-called ‘“* spider-leg gold "= 
that is, native gold with a filiform structure and a semi-crystalline surface— 
yielded 89°92 per cent of gold, and g‘6g of silver. It seems clear, from the 
structure of the veinstones, that they have been formed by hydrothermal aétion, 
but it is difficult to conjecture how the gold and silver could have been simul- 
taneously precipitated from a state of solution so as to form a homogeneous 
alloy. In the Canoona Diggings, gold has been found in serpentine. Some 
rich copper lodes have been worked in the metamorphic rocks, especially at 
Peak Downs and Mount Perry, while stanniferous granites of extraordinary 
richness have been discovered in the neighbourhood of the Severn River. One 
of the most valuable features of Mr. Daintree’s memoir is the large number of 
analyses of local rocks which it contains. ‘These are not only of great service 
to the geologist, but, in many cases, may also be of much use to the miner; 
for every practical man believes that the character of the ‘‘ country ” is closely 
related with that of the mineral veins by which it is traversed. 
Attention has been lately directed to the mineral resources of Newfound- 
land, ard the best means of effecting their development. Valuable deposits 
of lead ore occur on the shores of Placentia Bay, and have been worked at the 
La Manche mine. Copper ore is found in association with serpentine rocks, 
and workings have been carried on at Tilt Cove mine, south of Cape John. 
The copper ore is said to be here intersected bya vein of nickel. Coal appears 
to be abundant in the neighbourhood of St. George’s Bay, and fine marbles 
are common in many parts of the island. 
The results of Mr. Mark Fryar’s mineral explorations in the Mergui distri@ 
of Tenasserim have been published in India. One of the most remarkable 
features of interest to the miner is the wide distribution of tin ore, in the shape 
of detrital matter from stanniferous rocks. It appears, indeed, to be almost 
universally distributed through the river gravels of the country, and Mr. Fryar 
believes that a thorough examination of the hills through which the rivers 
flow might be rewarded by the discovery of rich veins of tin-stone. 
About twelve months ago, a thermal saline spring was noticed by some 
miners working in the 160-fathom level of Wheal Seton, in Cornwall. As 
operations were suspended at that part of the mine, no further notice was 
taken at the time; but on recently resuming the workings, it was found that 
the temperature of the spring had increased and the flow of water had aug- 
mented. Between 40 and 50 gallons of water were discharged per minute, at 
a temperature of nearly 100° F., while the air in the closed end was heated to 
more than go®. On evaporation, the water leaves a white saline residue. A 
sample examined by Mr. S. T. Rose, chemist of the Truro Agricultural Asso- 
ciation, contained more than rooo grains of saline matter in the imperial 
gallon. The spring occurs in a great cross-course, at a distance of between 
three and four miles from the sea. It is supposed by local miners that the 
heat of the spring betokens the presence of a strong lode somewhere in the 
neighbourhood. 
' Singing-flames, instead of being merely used for pleasing acoustical experi- 
ments, promise to become of value to the collier in warning him of danger in 
