364 The Progress of Science Abroad. [July 



some mining statistics of the Colony of Victoria. The progress of 

 mining in the Colony is indicated in the following extract, and the 

 pamphlet contains an exhaustive description of what is doing in the 

 various mining districts : — 



" In the prefatory Essay on Mining in the Colony of Victoria, 

 which was published with the Catalogue of the Victorian Exhibition 

 in 1861, it was stated that the labours of the miners were confined 

 almost exclusively to the working of, and the extraction of gold 

 from, the auriferous rocks. It ^as observed that the extraordinary 

 richness of the goldfields, absorbing nearly all the available labour 

 in the country, had to some extent prevented the exploration of 

 the deposits of tin, antimony, iron ore, and coal ; and a hope was 

 expressed that in a short time other minerals and metals as well as 

 gold would attract the attention of the capitalist, and that new 

 fields would be explored and fresh sources of industry opened up to 

 the intelligent miner, which would afford employment to a great 

 number of persons. This hope has not been disappointed. Whilst 

 the yield of gold per annum has not fallen off, if we make proper 

 allowance for the reduction in the number of miners, other minerals 

 have been eagerly sought for, and large areas of country have been 

 prospected, and in some parts thoroughly explored. 



" From St. Arnaud we have obtained silver ; from Beechworth 

 and the heads of the Latrobe, fresh supplies of tin ; from the Eiver 

 Thompson, in G-ipps Land, copper ; from Heathcote, large quan- 

 tities of antimony ; from Cape Paterson, coal : from Lai Lai, near 

 Ballarat, lignite ; from Omeo, bismuth ; from Yackandandah, molyb- 

 denite ; from Pleasant Creek, the Upper Yarra, and other localities, 

 manganese ; from Bulla and Dunolly, clays suitable for the manu- 

 facture of the finer kinds of porcelain ; from Castlemaine, magnesite ; 

 from Maldon, Castlemaine, and Meredith, roofing slates ; and from 

 Beechworth, diamonds. 



" If all these are not fully represented in the tables, it is not 

 less certain that they occur ; and that in due time they will add 

 greatly to the wealth of the country. Gold mining, however, con- 

 tinues to be profitable ; and it is not probable that experienced 

 miners will forsake the search for gold, in order to engage in other 

 mining operations which do not offer sure prospects of success, 

 so long as rich quartz reefs and auriferous alluvions lie neglected." 



Commending the industry of Mr. Smyth, we once more flap our 

 wings, and sailing through the sky for many a weary day, we 

 alight at length at the door of the ' Essex Institute,' Salem, Mass. 

 The directors must not be offended with us for enlightening our 

 readers as to where Salem is, inasmuch as they set us the example, 

 by informing the readers of their new and beautiful journal, ' The 

 American Naturalist,' that it may be obtained from Messrs. Triibner 

 <v Co., London, England. 



