692 Chronicles of Science. | Oct., 
and of didymium mixed with chloride of calcium. Its density is 4°358, 
and its hardness intermediate between apatite and fluor-spar. 
The same industrious and intelligent chemist, whose studies in 
mineral chemistry are of the highest character, has communicated to the 
Academy some remarks on the isomorphism of arsenic and antimony. 
This note by Ste. Claire Deville has been elicited by the remarks 
made at the sittings of the Academy of Sciences in June and July. 
We must refer all who are interested in these mysterious actions of 
crystallogenic force to the papers themselves, which will be found in 
the ‘ Annalen der Chemie ’ and in ‘ L’ Institut.’ 
Mr. T. Sterry Hunt continues his “Contributions to Lithology.” 
He examines, first, some eruptive rocks, such as quartziferous porphy- 
ries, trachytes, &c. ; he then proceeds to describe the conditions under 
which orthoclase porphyry and syenite occur. In these papers we 
have a very complete geological investigation of the subject, and a 
careful physical examination.* 
The new metal Indium, so called on account of the indigo-blue 
line which it shows under spectroscopic examination, has been found 
by Reich in the black blende ore of Himmelfahrt mine, near Freiberg. 
Two hundred pounds of this blende (the black jack of our miners) 
yielded a few grammes of the new element.t 
We noticed in our last a new Cornish mineral, which Professor N. 
S. Maskelyne had described. He has since that period exhibited this 
mineral at a recent meeting of the Geological Society. He proposes to 
call the mineral Langite, in honour of Professor Victor von Lang, of 
the University of Gratz, and formerly of the department of Mineralogy 
in the British Museum. 
Quicksilver has been discovered in New Zealand. A correspondent 
of ‘ The Argus’ (colonial paper) states that over an extensive tract on 
the slope of a hill, at the depth of about 5 feet, this metal is found 
mixed with the “wash-dirt,” which is about 9 feet in depth. The 
gold which has been discovered in the same locality is all in the state 
of amalgam. 
METALLURGY. 
The high price of bismuth, and the scarcity of the ores of that 
metal, have led M. Balard to make experiments on worn-out type 
metal with a view to its recovery. This French chemist has been to 
some extent successful. By solution in nitric acid, nitrates of lead and 
bismuth are obtained. After rendering the solution as neutral as 
possible, plates of lead are placed in it, when bismuth is precipitated 
in a metallic state. The tin is recovered by reduction on charcoal ; 
and the lead, as a carbonate, by precipitation with carbonate of soda. 
The extraordinary price attained by this metal was due to a cir- 
cumstance which would scarcely be suspected in the present day. A 
company was formed in London, under the direction of a foreigner, 
* <The American Journal of Science and Arts,’ conducted by Professors Silli- 
mans and Dana, July, 1864. 
} ‘ Berg. u. Hiittenminnische Zeitung,’ vol. xxiil,, 1842. 
