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Scientific Intelligence. 
four-sided. I regard these specimens as exceedingly curious, 
ap they are genuine examples of Neptunian calcareous spar. 
2. Acicularly Crystallised fibrous Calc-sinter. — This substance 
is from the Isle of Man ; the specimen from which these frag- 
ments were separated, was given me by Mr Stevenson several 
years ago, and is interesting as being a recent aqueous forma- 
tion.” Dr Fleming adds, that all the calcareous matter in 
MacalisteFs Cave, whatever be its external form, stalactitic, 
stalagmitic, or encrusting, is all more or less in the state of cal- 
careous spar, with the usually foliated structure : That which 
lies in the pools or hollows of the caves has its crystalline forms 
like those in the specimens sent.” Upon examining these in- 
teresting specimens, I succeeded in extracting from them 
regular rhombs of calcareous spar, having their angles of the 
same value as the finest specimens of carbonate of lime. Their 
double refraction and their polarising force, were of the same 
character and the same intensity as the purest Iceland spar. 
—D. B. 
18. New Mineral from Aachen^ near Altenherg. — Having 
examined a very fine crystal of Stilbite from Aachen, near Al- 
tenberg, which Mr Heuland was so kind as to transmit to me., 
I have found it to differ essentiall}^ from all the stilbites, and 
even from the new species into which Mr Brooke has separated 
the substances formerly ranked under this name. Since I exa- 
mined this mineral, I have learned that it is considered by Haiiy 
as a variety of stilbite, to which he gives the name of Duo-mge- 
simale.^ — D. B. 
ZOOLOGY. 
19 . On the Spurs (f the Ornithorynchus.- — Dr Traill of 
Liverpool has lately had an opportunity of examining the skins 
of a male and female ornithorynchus from New South W ales. 
The spurs of the male were remarkably strong and sharp, and 
the perforation in them so extremely minute, that it is not sur- 
prising that they escaped the notice of the first naturalists who 
examined them. The tubes were so fine that they would not 
receive a horse hair, though they admitted a human one. 
20. Hors field's Zoological Researches. — Dr Horsfield has 
just published the first number in quarto of Zoological Be- 
