Uer'nir ijf Biri-rd (jeohxjioaJ Litcrdfmw 207 
caves, pockets, crevices and sinks. They are of secondary origin. 
They are generally regarded with disfavor by furnaceinen because of 
high percentages of silica and phosphorus. 
Prof. Schweitzer's investigation of the mineral waters of Missouri 
was directed to ascertain their comparative composition and value, 
to furnish reliable data for the guidance of physicians and for the in- 
formation of citizens, and to attract to the state any others who de- 
sired to improve and develoj) the various localities. The report em- 
braces not only the prior results of ^Fr. A. E. AVoodward, who at first 
had charge of the investigation, but also those of Prof. Schweitzer ex- 
tended over many years as jirofessor of chemistry at the State Uni- 
versity. It gives an account of the nature and origin of mineral 
waters in general, and a classification — the classes being: 1. Muriatic 
waters, such as contain, as their main constituents, sodium chloride 
or common salt ; 2. Alkaline waters, such as contain sodium or mag- 
nesium carbonate; 3. Sulphatic waters, such as contain one or more 
sulphates as their main constituents; 4. Chalybeate waters, such as 
contain as their most effcient constituent some ferrous carbonate, 
and 5, Sulphur waters, such as contain sulphides, sulphydrates, or 
suli)huric acid. 
Chapter III elucidates the therapeutics of mineral waters, and en- 
ters into a discussion of the general uses of ordinary and of mineral 
waters, giving hints to physicians and to invalids. The volume con- 
tains a vast amount of special information relating to the various 
mineral springs and health resorts of the state, each important water 
having been analyzed: and comparisons are instituted with some 
European mineral waters of repute. A valuable feature of the report 
is a "bibliography of mineral waters"' arraTiged chronologically, be- 
ginning prior to A. D. 1500. 
Till' Metdsjirniiu of till Miii.iiiHOta Vnlliji: n llxt of tin: liiijlicr Scrd-pro- 
dacing plnnts iiidiaimons to the draiiiage-himn of the Minnesoto river. By 
Coxw.w M.\cMrLi.AX, State Botanist, Reports of the Geological and 
Natural History Survey of Minnesota, Botanical Series I, pp. .\ni — 
826, Oct., with two mai)s, ^linneajiolis, December 29th, 1892; Harrison 
and Smith, State Printers. 
The first 570 p|). of this work are largely occupied with a critical 
geographical and bibliographical list of metaspermic plants considered 
as indigenous to the drainage-basin of the Minnesota river. Of fami- 
lies, 106 are recognized, of genera, 407, and of species, 1,174. Follow- 
ing the list are chapters on the valley of the Minnesota, relationships of 
the metaspermic flora of the Minnesota valley and statistics of meta- 
spermic plants of the Minnesota valley, together with bibliographical 
citations, summaries, tabulations and a very ccjmplete inde.x to the 
list, covering nearly 60 i)p. To the geologist the chapter on the rela- 
tionships of the Metaspermic is perhaps the most interesting. In this 
somewhat condensed account, a striking new view is advanced and 
very briefly argued, concerning the probable physiognomy of the 
