Miscellaneous Intelligence. 399 



8. Handbuch der Miner alogie ; von Dr. Carl Hintze. Erster 

 Band, sechste Lieferung, pp. 801-960. Leipzig, 1901. — The sixth 

 part of Vol. I of Hintze's Mineralogy (part eighteen of the 

 whole work) has recently been issued. It contains descriptions 

 of the sulphides of the pyrite, marcasite and chalcopyrite 

 groups. 



III. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. Meteorite Swarms. — The results of an investigation into 

 the probabilities of the existence of meteorite swarms, their 

 petrographic nature, and their relation if any to known star 

 showers, are given in a recent paper* by A. G. Hogbom. For 

 this investigation the meteorite falls of known date were plotted 

 according to the day of the month and the petrographical nature 

 of each as given by Wulfing. Some groupings seemingly sig- 

 nificant were thus disclosed. Thus of the nine known Howard- 

 ites, three are found to have fallen during the first days of 

 August and three during the first half of December. The proba- 

 bilities against such a grouping being a mere coincidence are 

 stated to be several thousand to one. . 



Of the three known Eukrites two fell June 13-15. According 

 to the author the chances are as 90 to 1 that these had a common 

 origin. 



Of the fifteen known " Crystalline Chondrites " four fell March 

 19-25 ; three Sept. 16-24, two May 22-27, two Aug. 8-15 and 

 four were variously distributed. Of fifteen "Intermediate 

 Veined Chondrites" three fell April 9-12. These correspond in 

 date with the star shower of the Lyrids. 



With respect to other groups of Chondrites, groups depending 

 in Brezina's or Wtilfing's classification on the presence or absence 

 of such features as vein structure or brecciated structure, the 

 author states that he regards such characters not suitable for the 

 distinction of meteorite swarms. The same opinion is expressed 

 regarding minor differences of chemical composition, since this 

 may vary in one and the same mass. With the December 

 Howardites meteorites of the types of Bustite, Chladnite and 

 Amphoterite have a common date of fall. A Chladnite, a How- 

 ardite and a Howarditic Chondrite have the same date of fall 

 with the June Eukrites. A Chassignite, two Howarditic Chon- 

 drites and a Howardite have the first of October as a common 

 date fall. The iron meteorites of known date of fall are also 

 found to have dates approaching those, previously traced. Of 

 the eight known, one fell near the time of the August and one 

 that of the December Howardites ; one has the same date and is 

 only two years later than the Howardite of July 14, and one (or 

 two) is associated with the Howarditic Chondrite and Chladnite of 



* Bulletin of the Geol. Inst of the University of Upsala, vol. v, Part I, No. 9, 

 pp. 132-143. 



