426 General Notes. [May, 



Simple dodecahedrons of fluorite are very rare. They have 

 recently been found in the department of Puy de Dome, 



The proof of the identity of two species is as important as the 

 discovery of a new one. Descloiseaux and Koksharow have 

 recently shown by crystallographic measurements that vaaquelin- 

 ite and laxmanite are identical. Laxmanite had been distin- 

 guished from the vauquelinite of Siberia by Nordenskiold in 

 1867, under the impression that the more lustrous crystals, of 

 somewhat different form and brighter green color belonged to a 

 distinct species. 



Kieserite, a sulphate of magnesia found in the Stassfurt salt 

 mines, when placed in water is broken up into a crystalline meal, 

 which, on exposure to the air, sets to a hard, cement-like mass. 

 It has been used as a cement. It has been shown that the forma- 

 tion of the cement is due merely to the compression of the min- 

 eral upon drying. 



GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVELS. 1 

 The Caroline Archipelago. — 'The Caroline Islands have 

 recently been visited by the British war steamer Emerald. Her 

 commander, Captain Maxwell, reports his arrival at Strong 

 Island on June 25, 1881. He describes it as mountainous with 

 lofty peaks, some 2000 feet above sea-level, clothed with verdure 

 to the summits ; bread-fruit, bananas, etc., grow in abundance, but 

 cocoa-nuts are far less plentiful than in the low coral islands, and, 

 owing to the bountiful supply of water, they are not much needed. 

 The ancient walls and fortifications on the small island of Lele. 

 where the king lives, are very extraordinary. The walls are 

 some twenty feet high, having been in former times probably as 

 high everywhere, and twelve feet thick, and are built of enormous 

 basaltic rocks which must have been brought from a distance, 

 and have cost much labor and ingenuity to raise them to their 

 present position. The natives of Strong Island are described as 

 a most gentle, amiable and intelligent race; they are lighter in 

 complexion than the Marshall islanders. Captain Maxwell after- 

 wards visited Ponafi, or Ascension Island, in the Simavina group, 

 the population of which is stated to be 5000. This island is 

 divided into several districts each of which has its own duel. 

 The natives are particularly pleasant and good-looking; Captain 

 Maxwell thinks they have more refined features than any he has 

 seen, but they are not so well dressed or advanced as the inhabi- 

 tants of Strong Island— the grass petticoat, indeed, seemed to be 

 the principal article of clothing. The island is about fourteen 

 miles square and very beautiful, with lofty peaks from 2000 tee 

 1 Edited by Ei.lis H. Yarnall, Philadelphia. 



