440 Scientific Intelligence. 
miners, and endure much hard labor. One or two Cornish men had 
condensing chambers. Some improvements can yet be made, espe- 
cially in the apparatus for condensation, as a small quantity of mercu- 
coating on their tops. 
I have before me a specimen of cinnabar from a new vein recently 
discovered in Sonora. It has been found in small quantities only, an 
parts of the vein near the surface. They occupy small cavities in the 
— and are apparently derived from the decomposition of the sul- 
phuret. F 
5. Conistoniie.—In a recent letter from R. P. Gree, Jr., (dated Man- 
chester, Eng., March 17,) we have received a drawing of another crys 
tal of Conistonite, which has on the angles, the planes of a brachydome, 
in addition to those of the figure on p. 133. He gives also the follow: 
ing revised angles, M: M@=97° 5', M: e-—=122° 55, M: c(brachydome) 
== 117° 30, e:e==121° 0, ¢:¢ (10p) =96° 50’, c: ¢ (base) =83° 10, 
1. On the Age of the large Tree recently felled in California; by 
A. Gray. (Read before the American Academy of Arts and-Sciences-) 
~-The age attained by the largest known trees is a matter of considera- 
ble interest ; but it is seldom that an opportunity occurs of testing " by 
. ig is said 10 
a shell, is now on exhibition at Philadelphia. The trank of this tree 
“‘was sound from the sapwood to the centre ;” and its annual layers 
are very distinct to the naked eye in pieces of the wood in my posse 
sion. he size of this tree is such as to give ita presumptive claim 10 
rank among the oldest of the present inhabitants of the earth ; its lengli 
being 322 feet; the diameter of the trunk at 5 feet from the grow® 
