550 Chronicles of Science. [Oct., 



9. MINERALOGY. 



While the colony of Victoria has year after year been eagerly ex- 

 plored by many a miner in quest of its golden wealth, it is notable 

 that the number of mineral species hitherto brought to light has 

 been strangely incommensurate with the activity of these mining 

 operations. In spite, however, of this poverty of materials— a 

 poverty which is the more striking when contrasted with the pro- 

 digality of species distributed through the ore-deposits of many 

 other mining countries — some good mineralogical work has already 

 been done in the colony. This is due especially to the exertions of 

 Mr. Ulrich, one of the geologists who, under Mr. Selwyn's guid- 

 ance, were carefully working out the structure of the country, until 

 the colonists were tempted, in an evil hour, to disband then: staff 

 of Geological Surveyors. Mr. Ulrich's recent observations on the 

 minerals of Victoria have been thrown into the form of a little 

 "brochure* which may be regarded as forming a sequel to an essay 

 on a kindred subject prepared bv the author for the Intercolonial 

 Exhibition of 1867. 



In the pamphlet now before us we find descriptions of three 

 species which are entirely new to mineralogical science. One of 

 these is a native alloy of gold and bismuth found in the Nuggetty 

 Reef at Maldon, and hence termed Ma2dwite;\ the second is a 

 green massive mineral allied to serpentine, consisting of a hydrous 

 silicate of alumina and sesquioxide of chromium, found in Upper 

 Silurian rocks on the flanks of the Mount Ida range., and named 

 Sdwynite, in compliment to the Director of the late Greological 

 Survey ; while the third new species is Talcosite, a mineral wh 

 resembles talc and occurs in seams traversing the Selwynite. In 

 addition to these newly-discovered species, many other Victorian 

 minerals described by Mr. Ulrich merit attention, either from their 

 crystalline forms — such as the splendid specimens of Herschelite 

 examined several years ago by Dr. von Lang, of which some addi- 

 tional forms have been lately discovered — or from their peculiar 

 mode of occurrence, such as the crystals of Struvite recently found 

 in the guano which covers the floor of the Skipton caves in Balla- 

 rat, and appears to have been derived in great measure from the 

 excrement of bats which resort to the caverns as a hiding-place 

 during the day. Among gem-stones, Victoria can boast of possess- 

 ing the diamond, ruby, sapphire, topaz, and garnet — some crystals 

 of the last being notable for their singularly distorted and conse- 

 quently deceptive appearance. The study of Australian gems is 

 one which the Bev. Dr. Bleasdale has made peculiarly his own. 



* ' Contributions to the Mineralogy of Victoria.' Bv George H. F. Ulrich, 

 F.G.S. Melbourne, 1870. Pp. 32. 



f ' Quart. Journ. Science,' October. 1869, p. 556. 



