I40 



NA TURE 



[June i i, 1908 



been so practically fruitful (her. natiirforsch. GcscU. sii 

 Freiburg i. Br., Bd. xv., 1907, pp. 38-74). His precipi- 

 tates of aragonite globules or needles from various solu- 

 tions pass for the most part into calcite, with characteristic 

 rhombohedral forms, in periods varying from twcnty-foui 

 hours to three months. A few, from dilute hot solutions, 

 remain unaltered, at any rate for the period of observa- 

 tion, which in one case is as long as four months. Experi- 

 ments to determine the composition of the coloured de- 

 posits produced by the action of cr'cium carbonate on 

 salts of, cobalt showed (p. 57) that calcite assumes a violet 

 colour when in the form of an impalpable powder and 

 treated in a distinct' ..c solution of cobalt nitrate. 



Ordinary fragments remain uncoloured, or become blue 

 on continued boiling in a concentrated solution, while 

 aragonite under all conditions becomes, as is now well 

 known, violet. Though the violet colour arises in powdered 

 calcite more slowly than in aragonite, this new discovery 

 serves as a warning to be regarded in the application of 

 Meigen's test. The author determines (p. 74) the violet 

 precipitate on aragonite from a concentrated solution of 

 cobalt nitrate as 2CoCOj + 3Co(OH),4- H,0, and the blue 

 one on calcite as CoCO,4-3Co(OH),. 



Prof. R. B. Young, in describing the calcareous rocks 

 of Griqualand West (Trans. Geol. Soc. of S. Africa, vol. 

 ix., 1906, p. 59), show-s how oolitic dolomites have been 

 converted into granular quartzites, and supports the late 

 Mr. Rutley's views as to the origin of certain " meta- 

 somatic quartzites." Mr. G. Abbott illustrates many of 

 the well-known forms of concretion in the Durham dolo- 

 mite in a general paper on concretions (Trans. South- 

 Eastern Union of Sci. Societies, 1907). 



Messrs. T. W. Reade and Philip Holland continue their 

 researches on our much-neglected sedimentary rocks with 

 the analysis and discussion of a series collected near Lud- 

 low. A full analysis of the Titterstone Clee doleritc is 

 also given (Pror. Liverpool Geol. Soc, 1907). 



Lastly, Mr. R. A. Daly's paper on the limeless ocean 

 of pre-Cambrian time (.^mer. Journ. Sci., vol. xxiii., 1907, 

 p. 93) raises many important questions as to the mode of 

 origin of pre-Cambrian sedimentary rocks. The author 

 holds that the land-areas of Eozoic times were of in- 

 sufficient extent to supply enough lime to the ocean for 

 the demands of shell-forming organisms. The continuous 

 decay of abundant soft-bodied animals precipitated, more- 

 over, as calcium carbonate what little lime entered the 

 seas ; the magnesian limestones so frequently found in 

 pre-Cambrian sediments were also deposited as inorganic 

 rocks by the prolonged action of the ammonium carbonate 

 after the lime salts had been dealt with. It was onlv 

 when, in Cambrian times, land-areas became more pro- 

 nounced that shell-forming animals could become common ; 

 hence the rather abrupt transition from beds almost devoid 

 of fossils to those with an abundant fauna. .MI this gives 

 the reader food for meditation, and brings the petro- 

 grapher, as is fitting, into the field of evolutionarv geologv. 



G. A. J. C. 



THE IXSTITITIOX OF MINING ENGINEER.'^. 

 'T'HE forty-eighth general meeting of the Institution of 

 Mining Engineers was held on June 4 and 5 in 

 London in the rooms of the Geological Society. Mr. C. E. 

 Rhodes read his presidential address, in which he slated 

 that steps were being taken to transfer the headquarters 

 of the institution to London. The main portion of his 

 address was devoted to a consideration of some of the 

 problems with which the rising generation of mining 

 engineers will have to deal, namely, the sinking of deep 

 shafts through water-bearing strata, the depth "to which 

 tubbing can be put in, improved methods of splitting the 

 air which will be required at great depths for cooling 

 down the working places, and the method of dealing with 

 dust, which in all probability will be abundant in deep 

 mines. 



The^ first paper read described the mineral resources 

 of Trinidad. The author, Mr. John Cadman, gave a 

 brief account of the gold ore, iron ore, graphitic schist, 

 limestone, and coal known to exist, and dwelt more fully 

 upon the bituminous minerals, which are of great economic 

 importance. In a mine of the bitumen known as manjak 



XO. 2015, VOL. 78] 



an explosion occurred in 1904, causing the death of seven- 

 teen miners. A sample of gas examined by the author 

 contained 1400 per cent, of oxygen, ii-io per cent, of 

 carburetted hydrogen, i-Oo per cent, of hydrogen, 

 and 7330 per cent, of nitrogen. It is suggested 

 that the deficiency in oxygen is due to the absorptive 

 properties of the manjak. During the meeting several 

 other papers of scientific interest were read. Mr. J. B. 

 Tyrrell described the recently discovered mineral veins of 

 cobalt in Ontario. Mr. Greville Jones gave an account of 

 the various types of calcining kilns for iron ore. Mr. 

 C. B. Wedd and Mr. G. C. Drabble described the occur- 

 rence of fluor-spar in Derbyshire. The longest paper 

 read was by .Mr. S. L. Thacker, on winding-engine tests. 

 He recorded the results of his own experience, pointed out 

 some sources of loss, and suggested the lines on which 

 winding-engine tests should be carried out. 



In connection with the meeting, excursions wera 

 arranged on June 4 to a diving demonstration at Lambeth 

 under the supervision of Dr. J. S. Haldane, on June 5 to 

 the mining and metallurgical section of the Franco-British 

 Exhibition under the guidance of Mr. Bennett H. Brough, 

 and on June 6 to the South Metropolitan G.as Company's 

 tar works. .V new self-contained diving apparatus suit- 

 able for work in mines was exhibited for the first time. 

 The supply of oxygen is automatic, and is furnished to 

 the diver mixed with 60 per cent, of air. .\t the Franco- 

 British Exhibition Sir Hugh Bell received the visitors in 

 the Machinery Hall, and gave an .account of the collective 

 pig-iron exhibit and the other objects of interest in the 

 iron and steel section. The French mining section, in 

 which the scientific aspects of working are well shown, 

 was much appreciated. 



UNIVERSITY .AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — On Monday, June 8, Mr. William Batcson, 

 F.R.S., was elected to the chair of biology, which has 

 been established for five years largely owing to the 

 generosity of an anonymous benefactor. Mr. Bateson, 

 who was born in 1861, is a son of the late Rev. W. H. 

 Bateson, D.D., Master of St. John's College, and has been 

 a fellow at the same foundation since 1885. He was 

 educated at Rugby School, and held the Balfour student- 

 ship from 1887 to 1890 ; for many years ho has been one 

 of the leading workers in England on heredity and varia- 

 tion, and has published several important treatises on these 

 subjects. In 1904 he received the Darwin medal of the 

 Royal Society. 



Mr. A. R. Hinks has been re-appoinud chief assistant 

 of the observatory for a period of five years from June 24, 

 and Mr. W. E. Hartley has been re-appointed an assistant 

 of the observatory for a period of five years from July 13. 



Prof. Thomson gives notice that the new building of the 

 Cavendish Laboratory will be opened by the Chancellor 

 on Tuesday, June 16, at 4 p.m. In consequence of the 

 limited accommodation, admission will be by ticket onlv. 



In the forty-second annual report the museums and 

 lecture-rooms syndicate records a gift of 500/., made by 

 Mr. Frank Smart, for the purchase of additional furniture 

 and fittings in the museum of botany. The library in the 

 department of physiology has been materially increased by 

 many books formerly in the possession of Sir Michael 

 Foster; the library of the medical school has also received 

 many additions, including a large number of pamphlets 

 and books presented by Sir T. "Clifford Allbutt, K.C.B. 

 The Woodwardian professor records several important 

 additions to the museum, especially a fine series of slates, 

 marbles, and rocks of economic value, which have been 

 presented by Mrs. J. F. Walker, of York. The syndics' 

 accounts for the year show a balance in fn\'ovn' of the 

 maintenance fund of 330^. 45. 4^. 



The prize of 50/. out of the Gordon-Wigan fund for a 

 research in chemistry has been awarded to Mr. 1.. .\. 

 Levy for his research entitled " Investigations on the 

 Fluorescence of Platinocyanides." 



Notice is given that a prize of 50/. out of the Gordon- 

 Wigan fund will be awarded at the end of the Easter 

 term, 1909, for a research in chemistry, of sufficient merit, 



