194- Scientific Intelligence. — Mineralogy. 



with rock-crystals, was opened in Zinken, which afforded 1000 

 cwt. of rock-crystal, and at that early period produced 30,000 

 dollars. One crystal in this magnificent cavity weighed 800 

 cwt., others from 400 cwt. to 500 cwt. Within these few 

 years, another opening has been made in the rock under the old 

 drusy cavity. Last year the work was resumed in August, in 

 those places where the snow could be removed. The work 

 is now 84 feet advanced. In the course of working, very pre- 

 cious and beautiful rose-red octahedral crystals of fluor-spar were 

 found in a cavity. The larger crystals were from one to two 

 inches in diameter, and infinitely more beautiful than the rose- 

 fluor of St Gothard. 



9. Magnificent rose-red Fluor-Spar. — Lardy, in a letter to 

 Leonhard, says, that he saw on St Gothard the famous speci- 

 men of fluor-spar mentioned by travellers, for which the pro- 

 prietor asks 50 louis d'ors. It is an octahedron, with a rich 

 rose-red colour, is four inches in diameter, and is formed of an 

 aggregate of small octahedrons, or, more correctly, of tetrahe- 

 drons. He was shewn at the same place a six-sided prism of 

 corundum, distinctly acuminated on the extremities, four inches 

 long, and one inch broad. It rests on dolomite. It was offered 

 for 15 louis d''ors. In the letter. Lardy mentions that the next 

 meeting of tlie Swiss naturalists is to take place on Mount St 

 Bernard. 



10. Price of Selenium. — Selenium is now obtained in such 

 quantity from the seleniferous lead-glance, that it may be pur- 

 chased perfectly pure, at Harzgerode, at the rate of four louis 

 d'ors the ounce. 



GEOLOGY. 



11. Observations made on Mount Caucasus, by M. Kupfer. 

 — M. Gay-Lussac communicated to the Academy of Sciences a 

 letter from M. Kupfer, Professor at Casan, dated from the 

 Baths of the Caucasus, and containing various physical obser- 

 vations made on that mountain. M. Kupfer had with him an 

 escort of 600 Russians and 350 Cossacks, which had been 

 judged indispensable for his safety in these wild countries. . He 

 has succeeded, after much labour, in ascending one of the 

 highest peaks of the Caucasus, which is said to exceed Mont 



