798 General Notes. [ August, 
The application of the principles above defined to carbonates, 
and the reference of the various carbon-spars to different polycar- 
bonates, was long ago shown by the author in his papers already 
noticed. The extension of like views to all liquid and solid in- 
organic species, both natural and artificial, is but a matter of de- 
tail and labor, and when fully carried out will be the basis of a 
new chemistry.—7, Sterry Hunt. 
MINERALOGICAL News.—Dr. Carl Hintze contributes a paper 
on the chemical significance of crystallography, an address deliv- 
ered on the occasion of his installment as “ privatdocent” at the 
University of Bonn F. Rinne’ has investigated the crystal- 
lography of zincite on some artificial crystals from the zinc-fur- 
naces of Lerbach in the Hartz, and finds the system hexagonal 
and axial ratio 1 : 1.621934. On the ground of etched figures 
produced by cold dilute hydrochloric. acid as well as from the 
habit of the crystals, the author assumes that the mineral is hemi- 
morphic with a decided resemblance to wurtzite. Dr. Schuster,’ 
of Vienna, describes an occurrence of fichtelite from a new local- 
ity—Salzendeich. It is found in monoclinic crystals 114% in 
length. Twins are not uncommon, the twinning plane being the 
basal pinacoid. H. A. Miers* gives a valuable monograph on 
the species bournonite, in which he adds to the list of fifty forms 
observed by former authors twenty-nine new ones of undoubted 
character, while twenty-one others are mentioned as doubtful. The 
same writer finds the hexoctahedron $ o? (986) on certain cup- 
rite crystals from Cornwall, Eng., developed in accordance with 
the gyroidal hemihedrism of the regular system. This has 
before only been once observed on artificial crystals of sal ammo- 
niac by Tschermak.® L. McCay’ proves both by analysis and 
determination of specific gravity that a massive as well as a crys- 
tallized variety of safflorite (Co, Fe) As, occurs in nature. The 
specimens which he examined were from Schneeberg, in Saxony, 
where this substance is called by the miners “ schlackenkobalt.’ 
Messrs. Diller and Clarke’ give the results of a microscopic | 
and chemical study of the change of the topaz occurring at Stone- 
ham, Me., to damourite. The alteration takes place along cracks 
in the topaz crystal, the transition, however, from the one min- 
eral to the other being always abrupt. No intermediate product » 
was observed. Professor Clarke appends some simple looking 
| Ueber radon krystallographischer Forschung fiir die Chemie. Habili- 
onn, I 
msrede. 
__ ? Neues Jahrbuch far Min., etc., 1884, 11, p. 164. 
4 Ischermak’s Min, und Pet. apap Il, 1385, p. 88. 
s i i . 69, 1884. 
-< Minera agazine, VI. p. 
_ ŠAm. Journ. Science, 1885, May, p. 420. 
_ êTschermak’s Min. und Petr. Mitth., 1881, p. 331. 
- aim. Jour. Science, 1885, May, p. 360. 
