262 GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 



iaw the leno-thened vertebral column, and the two-boned fore-arm, of the Urodela; 

 too-ether -with the non-existence of ribs, a condition characteristic of the Anoura 

 o-enerally, and the presence of backward-projecting jaws as in the typical family, 

 the Ranidce. It is to be hoped that further explorations in the Ohio coal strata, 

 may be rewarded by additional examples of these ancient and most interesting 

 types of batrachian life.* 



CHALCODITE. 



Professor J. G. Brush (Sill. Journal, March, 185S) has published some new 

 analyses of Shephard's Chalcodite from Sterling, TST, Y. These analyses go far to 

 sustain the opinion of Professor Brush, that Chalcodite and Stilpnomelane are 

 identical. The new analyses lead apparently to the formula 2 (RO,Si03) + R203, 

 Si03 + 3HO ; in which RO=FeO, CaO, MgO, with traces of MnO, NaO and KO ; 

 and R20^=AP0^ and Fe^O^. The bases RO however, are somewhat deficientin 

 quantity for this formula, whilst the water is in excess ; but in minerals of this 

 kind we may naturally look for a certain amount of admixture or alteration ; and 

 examples of the partial replacement of the monatomic bases (more especially) by 

 water, are not uncommon. 



SAUSSXJEITE, ETC. 



"We quote the following remarks from a letter recently addressed to us by 

 Professor T. Sterry Hunt, of the Geological Survey: — "I have been examining 

 lately the Eupho tides of the Alps, such as Saussure and Haiiy studied : not the 

 diabase or feldspathic rocks, mistaken for saussurite, and more recently examined 

 by Delesse and others. True saussurite, as de Saussure long since showed, has 

 the hardness of quartz, and density of 3-3 — 3-4. It is nothing more than a zoizite^ 

 or lime-alumina epidote, with a little soda. My analyses of the saussurite of 

 Monte Rosa agree closely with those of Boulanger, which lead equally to the 

 formula of zoizite. The grass-green smaragdite, from the same rock, is simply a 

 vanadiferous bronzite, like that from near Genoa, analysed by Sehafhautl. I sus- 

 pect that much of what we have taken for chrome in similar minerals, is vanadium. 

 I have found it in one serpentine from Gaspe, and I am now searching for it in 

 others. You are, of course, aware that it was found by Ficinus in the serpentine 

 of Zoblitz." 



ALLEGED DISCOVERT OF GOLD IN WESTERN CANADA. 



No little interest has been occasioned within the last few months by the alleged 

 discovery of gold in the ferruginous sands of the north-east shore of Ifottawasaga 

 Bay. Samples of these sands, said to have been obtained from a locality about 

 twenty miles to the north-east of Collingwood, were submitted to us in the early 

 part of last January. In these samples, which consisted essentially of a fine 

 granular mixture of maguetic iron-ore, red garnet, quartz, dark green and black 

 tourmaline, zircon (?), and black spinel, we detected unmistakeable evidence of the 

 presence of gold. Samples of the same sand, containing minute specks of gold, 

 were also sent to our colleague, Professor Croft. The gold, although in very fine. 



* "We may perhaps be allowed to refer to a somewhat obscure passage in this instructive 

 paper, which, if left unexplained, might lead to misappreliensiou on the part of the more 

 general reader. In alluding to the fossil impressions with five finger-marks, referred to 

 hatrachians. Professor "Wyman states that no existing batrachians have more than four fin- 

 gers. The author, however, aUudes here, of course, to the fore-arm only, as the hind limbs 

 of most species exhibit five fingers. 



