54:0 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



analyses, present a fairly complete literature, in compact form, for 

 each species. Where, in the case of common species, the literature is 

 very voluminous and has been carefully worked up by some author, 

 this source of minuter detail is also indicated. Of the figures, 

 about 1400 in number, all but very few of those in the body of 

 the work have been made anew and a large part, particularly 

 those illustrating American species, have been drawn from original 

 data. The habits of the crystals, methods of twinning, and the 

 physical characters, especially those on the optical side, have been 

 carefully rewritten and in general are given with much fulness. 

 In the lists of analyses, the plan has been to give all that are use- 

 ful for a complete understanding of the composition of each species. 

 This means all reliable analyses in the case of the rare species or 

 those of complex composition, but in the case of some common 

 species only the most important and typical are selected; also 

 where the old analyses have been largely superseded, in conse- 

 quence of the more accurate results of new chemical methods, 

 reference is made for them to the former edition. In this and in 

 other directions the preceding edition must still retain its impor- 

 tance in the history of the science. 



9. On the supposed occurrence of Platinum in North Caro- 

 lina. — Prof. F. P. Venable has made a critical examination of 

 the evidence upon which the often repeated statements rest, that 

 platinum has been found in North Carolina. The conclusion 

 reached is that this evidence (based chiefly upon the report of 

 Shepard) has very slight value. Recent careful attempts to find 

 platinum in the gold washings have failed. The only definite 

 account of its occurrence is that of Clingman, reported by Shepard, 

 which is far from being conclusive. — Journ. Elisha Mitchell Sci. 

 Soc, vol. viii, Pt. II. 



10. A Summary of Progress in Mineralogy and Petrography 

 in 1891, by W. S. Baylet. — Professor Bayley's notes reprinted 

 from the pages of the monthly issues of the " American Natu- 

 ralist " give a useful record of the year's work in Mineralogy and 

 Petrography. 



11. Gay-lassite from San Bernardino Co., California. — An 

 account is given by H. G. Hanks in the Mining and Scientific 

 Press of March 26, of a peculiar variety of Gay-lussite from the 

 borax fields of San Bernardino Co., California. It forms a con- 

 fused semi-crystalline mass without well defined crystals. It is 

 interesting as representing the variety from which, in the opinion 

 of the author, the thinolite of Lake Lahontan and Mono Lake has 

 been formed. 



III. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. Meport of the Smithsonian Institution for 1890. — The 

 Smithsonian Institution, whose multifarious work for the ad- 

 vancement of science is of the very highest importance to the 

 country, has recently issued its Annual Report for 1890, and the 

 Report of the U. S. National Museum for 1889. The value of 



