Scientific Intelligence. 
m 
MINERALOaY. 
38. Dr Holland the Discoverer of Native Boracic Acid in the 
Craten' (f' Volcano. — In the first volume of the Transactions of 
the Geological Society of London, we are informed by the late 
Mr Smithson Tennant, that on examining a set of minerals, said 
to have been brought from the Lipari Islands, he found some 
of them encrusted with native boracic acid, This circumstance 
induced Dr Holland to search for this rare mineral in Volcano;, 
and we find, on consulting his interesting book of travels, that 
he found it in situ in the crater of Volcano, so long ago as the 
Summer of 1812. He describes it as appearing in small shining 
laminae upon the surface of the sulphur, which has been sub- 
limed, and covers in various places the sides and bottom of this 
vast cavity. It is, therefore, not correct, as stated in our last 
Number, that M. Lucas jun. was the first who observed this 
mineral in the Lipari Islands. 
39- Beudanfs Geological Observations in Hungary. — Beu- 
dant, an active, intelligent, and well instructed French geologist, 
has lately examined with great care and much accuracy, several 
of the most interesting districts in Hungary. His observations 
are now reading before the Royal Academy of Sciences ; and we 
are informed, that the following are some of the statements to 
which he has directed the attention of that illustrious body. 
1. The existence of a great body of trachyte or volcanic por- 
phyry, which sometimes passes into porphyries, bearing a close 
resemblance to those associated with neptunian rocks. 2. The 
occurrence of great tracts of pearl-stone and of obsidian^ forming 
a part of the trachyte series. 3. The distribution of vast depo- 
sites of breccias and tuffas around the trachyte hills, extending 
from them to a considerable distance into the flat country. 
These tuffas and breccias are formed by the decomposition of 
the trachyte rocks, and by the ejection of scoria, pumice, and 
cinders, which probably accompanied their formation. They 
contain opal, hyalite, and opalised wood. 4. The distribution 
of beds of regenerated porphyry over the tuffas and breccias, 
and which contain the famous alum-stone of Hungary. 5. The 
occurrence of a red sandstone formation, with included beds of 
pitchstone. 6. The discovery of a chalk formation, and of 
