372 



Notices respecting New Books. 



distilled mercury which has collected in the receptacle under 

 F, and below the surface of which the extremity of the tube 

 is immersed. 



We are now making observations on the character of the 

 discharge which occurs under these conditions, in the absence 

 of any foreign metal. 



XXXIX. Notices respecting New Books. 



Transactions of the Edinburgh Geological Society. Yol. YI. Part 1. 

 8vo. Edinburgh: 1890. 



I. 1VTE. EALPH RICHABDSOX,W.S., in an Inaugural Address 

 -L"-L gives a detailed and at the same time a comprehensive view 

 of "Darwin's Geological Work," and warmly insists on the good 

 results of his researches and published views : and he appends a 

 list of Darwin's geological writings. II. "The Classification, 

 Determination, Distribution, Origin, and Evolution of the Normal 

 Micas," is the title of a paper by Mr. A. Johnstone, E.G.S. He 

 arrives at the conclusion that — as the mica in recent igneous rocks 

 is almost always biotite, and that this must therefore have been a 

 product of igneous fusion, — and, as the micas of the older rocks 

 are referable to biotite, hydrobiotite, muscovite, and hydromuscovite, 

 the first may be safely considered as the original mica, and the 

 others as varieties derived from it by water, C0 2 , and other natural 

 agents. III. The supposed High-level Shell-beds in Easter Ross 

 are shown by Mr. Hugh Miller to be only recent mussels and lim- 

 pets thrown out on the blown sand which has now invaded the 

 village. 'IV. Mr. John Henderson treats of " The Succession of the 

 Lower Carboniferous Series to the "West of Edinburgh, with special 

 reference to the district around Cramond." This is in continuation 

 of former researches, and is to be followed by remarks on higher 

 beds in a future paper. Y. "An Old Man and Woman; or Human 

 Bones in a Scrobicularia-bed at Kewton Abbot, Devonshire," are 

 described by W. Pengelly, E.E.S., in a paper of remarkable per- 

 spicuity and interest, every point of observation and treatment 

 being well and clearly dealt with. The conclusion arrived at is 

 that " the man and woman represented by the relics under notice 

 were as old as the era of the deposition of the Baised Beaches of 

 Devonshire, and therefore older than the period of their upheaval ; 

 but for this we are by no means unprepared, as the mollusks of the 

 said beaches limit them to a Post-glacial age ; and the caverns of 

 the neighbouring Torbay district have undoubtedly established for 

 Devonshire Man a very early Post-glacial, if not, as I believe, a 

 Pre-glacial Antiquity." VI. " Improvements in the Methods of 

 determining the Composition of Minerals by Blowpipe-Analysis," 

 by A. Johnstone, E.G.S. , is a very careful mineralogical paper, 

 treating of the improved and newest methods and results, as 

 more particularly set forth under the headings (A-J) in Tables of 

 the operations of qualitative blowpipe-analysis at pages 47-52 

 YII. This is the Anniversary "Address on Eecent Progress ii 





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