282 Chronicles of Science. [[April, 



microscope they appear as strongly-striated rhombic prisms, with 

 indistinct octohedral terminations. " Formerly they were taken for 

 antimony-glance, but when it was found that they contained lead, 

 they were referred to either the species Jamesonite or Boulangerite. 

 Dr. Websky has, however, recently shown that this mineral con- 

 stitutes a new ore, which he proposes to designate as Epiboidange- 

 rite. It is a sulphide of antimony and lead, which may be thus 

 formulated: (Sb 4 , Pb 6 ) S 15 .* 



Professor Wohler announces the discovery of minute crystals of 

 diamond, with the native platinum of the Oregon ; and diamonds 

 are also reported from Bohemia.t 



Kamelsberg has been led to compare the relation of gadolinite 

 with several other species, and finds that datolite, euclase, and 

 gadolinite form an isomorphous group.} 



10. MINING AND METALLURGY. 



Mining. 



The mining interests of the country are promised rather more than 

 the usual amount of attention from the British Legislature during 

 the present sitting of Parliament. 



The Secretary for the Home Department has introduced his 

 " Mines Regulation and Inspection Bill" which was read for the 

 second time on the 21st of February. 



Lord Kinnaird, on Thursday, the 17th of February, introduced 

 a Bill to the House of Lords, which is an attempt to apply the 

 "Mines Regulation Act of 1870 " to the metalliferous mines of the 

 country. 



The President of the Poor Law Board has intimated his inten- 

 tion of bringing again, before the House of Commons, the considera- 

 tion of the question of rating metalliferous mines for the support 

 of the poor. 



The Government Mines Regulation Bill, introduced by the 

 Home Secretary, professes, in its broader features, to fix definitely 

 the responsibility in connection with the workings of all collieries, 

 to secure increased safety in the mine, and to promote the better 

 education of the mining population. 



Last year the Mining Association of Great Britain, and the 

 Colliery Inspectors, representing the Home Secretary, agreed to the 

 following provision : — " That in every coal and ironstone mine an 

 amount of ventilation shall be constantly produced, adequate to 



* ' Zeitschrift d. deutsclien geolog. Gesellschaft,' Bd. xxi., Heft 4, p. 747. 



t ' Comptes Rendus,' 24 Jan., 1870, p. 140. 



% ' Zeitschr. d. d. geol. Gesell,,' Bd. xxi., Heft 4, p. 807. 



