84 Scientific Intelligence. 



Tarbuttite is a basic zinc phosphate from the Broken Hill 

 mines in Rhodesia, described by L. J. Spencer. It occurs in 

 aggregates of small triclinic crystals, often forming an incrusta- 

 tion on limonite. The crystals vary from colorless to pale shades 

 of yellow, brown, red or green ; luster vitreous, but pearly on the 

 surface of perfect cleavage ; hardness 3 '75 ; specific gravity 4*12. 

 An analysis gave : 



P 2 5 29-2 ZnO 66-6 H 2 38 = 996. 



The formula obtained is Zn 3 (P0 4 ) 2 .Zn(OH) 2 . The mineral is 

 named for P. C. Tarbutt, who collected the specimens. 



Parahopeite is from the same locality as tarbuttite ; and is 

 also described by L. J. Spencer. It has the chemical composi- 

 tion of hopeite, but differs in physical and crystallographic char- 

 acters. It is triclinic, and is a little higher than hopeite in 

 hardness (3*75) and specific gravity (3*3 1). The same author 

 gives an exhaustive account of hopeite, distinguishing two varie- 

 ties, a-hopeite and ^-hopeite. — Mm. Mag, vol. xv, pp. 1, et seq. 



Rinneite is a chloride of iron, potassium and sodium, having 

 the formula FeCl a .3KCl.NaCl. It is described by H. E. Boeke 

 as occurring in coarse granular aggregates at the potash-salt 

 works in the southern Harz. It is soluble in water, having a 

 strong astringent ink-like taste; hardness 3 ; specific gravity 2*34. 

 The mineral is named after Geheimrat Rinne-Kiel. — Centralbl. 

 Min., 72, 1909. 



10. Guide dans la Collection des Meteorites avec le Catalogue 

 des Chutes representees au Museum. (Edition A. Labat.) Pp. 

 iv, 58. Museum Nation ale D'Histoire Naturelle, M. Stanislas 

 Meunier, Professeur. Paris, 1909 (Laboratoire de Geologie du 

 Museum). — The Museum of Natural History at Paris has, for 

 many years, possessed one of the great collections of meteorites 

 of the world. A considerable period has now passed since the 

 last catalogue was issued, and the present one, edited by Dr. 

 Labat, gives a total of 532 occurrences. The pages preceding 

 the catalogue proper are devoted to general subjects, including 

 the presentation of the well-known system of classification 

 advanced by Meunier. He recognizes 67 classes named from the 

 typical localities ; 28 of these fall among the irons, or siderites ; 

 10 to the lithosiderites, and the remainder to the stones, or 

 lithites. 



11. MendeVs Principles of Heredity ; by W. Bateson, F.R.S., 

 Professor of Biology in the University of Cambridge. Cam- 

 bridge, England, 1909 (The University Press). — In the June 

 number of this Journal (p. 491), the present writer called attention 

 to this important treatise, and promised to notice further, in a 

 subsequent issue, the special contribution by Professor Bateson. 

 As is well known, this investigator has given much attention to the 

 general subject of heredity, and has the distinction of having been 

 one of the earliest defenders of Mendel's methods and views. 

 The defence was on the whole well conducted, but in the course 



