proceedings of the polytechnic association. 849 



Geology in our Public Schools. 

 Prof. Agassiz has called attention to the fact that Geology is 

 not yet made a part of our elementary education. The American 

 Journal 3Itmnc/, in commenting on this statement, shows the 

 importance of teaching the wonderful procession of processes by 

 which the Father of the Universe created this planet ; and that 

 even taking a more grovelling view of the case, it is plainly to 

 our advantage in this world, and. particularly in this section of it — 

 not morally nor mentally alone, but pecumarihj — to have some 

 knowledge of geology and its companion mineralogy ; the more 

 the better. This country contains more mineral wealth than any 

 other on the globe. To teach where to find it, and how to recog- 

 nize it when found, should be one of the aims of all our schools. 

 Many a princely fortune has slipped through the fingers of our 

 citizens for lack of such knowledge. 



Classification of Meteorites. 



Prof. C. W. Shepard, of Amherst College, has newly arranged 

 meteorites in three clssses, viz.: 1. Litholites, or stony, the word 

 being derived from the Greek word Lithos. a stone. 2. Litho- 

 siderites, or mixed stone and iron ; from the Greek Lithos and 

 jSidcross, iron. 3. Siderites, consisting chiefly of iron. 



The first class Litholites embraces three sub-classes. 1. Eutric- 

 tic, or distinct earthy individuals ; crystalline. 2. Dj^scritic, or 

 indistinct earthy individuals. 3. Anthracite or black. 



The second class Lithosiderites embraces two sub-classes. 1. 

 Pleiotholithic, or more than half stony. 2. Meitholithic, or less 

 than half stony. 



The third class Siderites includes two sub-classes. 1. Psatharic, 

 or brittle. 2. Apsatharic, or tough. 



Each of these sub-classes is subdivided into several orders, which 

 cannot be here enumerated. Under these orders he has arranged 

 two hundred and eleven varieties, statino; when and wdiere each 

 was found. 



Under the head of meteoric minerals ho enumerates eicrhteen 



O 



species which are supposed to have existed in meteorites anterior 

 to their arrival within our atmosphere. 



[Am. Inst.], BBB 



