Researches in British Mineralogy, 227 



specimens of iron pyrites and maf^etic pyrites taken from mineral 

 lodes and eruptive rocks, proved that nickel was very rarely found 

 in iron pyrites, when unaccompanied by pyrrhotine, but that cobalt 

 was very commonly present in small quantity, — and, on the other 

 hand, that cobalt was equally seldom present in magnetic pyrites if 

 unaccompanied by iron pyrites, — also that when both these metals 

 were present in a specimen of pyrites, the nickel greatly prepon- 

 derated when the pyrites in question was magnetic, whilst the 

 reverse was found to be the case in the ordinary iron pyrites. A 

 specimen of sulphide of iron and nickel from the Craigrnuir mine, 

 near Inverary, was likewise examined. The lode in this district 

 traverses metamorphic strata, and is disturbed by intersecting trap- 

 pean dykes. The characters of this mineral agreed closely with 

 those of the specimen already mentioned, its specific gravity was 

 4-602, and its composition : sulphur 37-99, iron 50-87, nickel 10-01, 

 and cobalt 1-02. 



Gersdorffite from the Craigrnuir Nickel Mine, near Inverary. — This 

 mineral occurs in a small string or cross-course intersecting the main 

 lode of sulphide of iron and nickel. The specimen examined was 

 a compact aggregate of minute indistinct crystals along with quartz 

 and a talcose mineral. In places, patches and strings of copper 

 pyrites were visible, but little or no sulphide of iron and nickel 

 occurred with it, although this last-mentioned mineral formed the 

 mass of the lode. The characters of the mineral are as follow : 

 crystallized ; opaque ; lustre metallic ; colour, white to greyish 

 white, tarnishing to a greyish-brown tinge ; streak, black ; powder, 

 blackish grey; fracture, granular; brittle; hardness, 3-75, rather 

 below fluor spar; specific gravity of two specimens, 5-^b and 5-49. 

 The percentages of the analyses accord with the formula Ni (S As) 2, 

 and show the British mineral species to bear a resemblance to the 

 crystallized specimens from Schladming in Styria. 



II. — The Bone-Caves of Brazil and their Animal Eemains. 

 By Professor Eeinhardt. 



THIS distinguished author, well known to zoologists by his 

 numerous and valuable contributions to the history of Mammals 

 (especially Cefacea), Birds, Eeptiles, Fishes, etc., has favoured one 

 of the popular scientific journals^ of his country with a detailed 

 and very interesting account of ''The Bone-Caves of Brazil and their 

 Animal Remains ;" a subject on which Professor Eeinhardt, through 

 his repeated travels in that country, and his familiarity with its 

 recent and Post Pliocene fauna,^ must be regarded as one of the first 

 authorities. In the hope that one of the many popular scientific 

 reviews and journals of England will give its readers the plea- 

 sure of becoming acquainted with his memoir in extenso, through a 



^ Tidschrift for populare Fremstillinger af Naturrnidenskaben, udginet af C. Togh 

 az C. Liitken, 1867. 



2 Dr. P. W. Lund's collections from the Brazilian Caves in the Museum of Copen- 

 hagen are entrusted to the care of Prof. Eeinhardt. 



