Ajun0eUi;f873RM'}  Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  287 
Geological  surveys  of  districts  or  entire  States  are  invaluable  aids  for  deve- 
loping their  natural  resources  ;  they  should,  in  fact,  form  the  basis  of  large 
industrial  undertakings,  which  depend  more  or  less  upon  a  bountiful  supply  of 
the  raw  material,  and  if  properly  carried  out  must  necessarily  result  in  opening 
new  fields  of  enterprise  and  new  lines  of  communication.  The  vast  coal  fields 
underlying  the  soil  of  Indiana  must  yearly  grow  in  importance,  and  with  the 
increase  of  coal  mines  the  mining  and  manufacturing  interests  generally  will 
be  stimulated. 
The  combined  reports  for  1871  and  1872  contain  the  results  of  the  geological 
surveys  of  about  15  counties,  for  about  one-half  of  which  number,  however, 
the  surveys  are  merely  preliminary.  The  arrangement  of  the  material  is  such 
as  to  give  a  clear  picture  of  the  topographical  configuration,  the  geological 
relations,  and  the  industrial  pursuits  and  resources  of  the  different  counties  ; 
the  numerous  analyses  of  coal  and  of  some  ores  render  the  reports  the  more 
valuable. 
In  a  report  on  the  Wyandotte  cave  of  Crawford  county  (of  whose  galleries 
about  22  miles  are  said  to  have  been  explored)  and  its  fauna,  Prof.  E.  D.  Cope 
says  that  it  is  as  well  worthy  of  popular  favor  as  the  Mammoth  cave.  It  lacks 
the  large  bodies  of  water  which  diversify  the  scene  in  the  latter,  but  is  fully 
equal  to  it  in  the  beauty  of  its  stalactites  and  other  ornaments  of  calcite  and 
gypsum.  The  stalactites  and  stalagmites  are  more  numerous  than  in  the  Mam- 
moth, and  the  former  frequently  have  a  worm  or  maccaroni-like  form,  which  is 
very  peculiar.  They  twist  and  wind  in  masses  like  the  locks  of  Medusa,  and 
often  extend  in  slender  runners  to  a  remarkable  length.  The  gypsum  rosettes 
occur  in  the  remote  regions  of  the  cave,  and  are  very  beautiful.  There  are 
also  masses  of  amorphous  gypsum  of  much  purity.  The  floor  in  many  places 
is  covered  with  curved  branches  and,  what  is  more  beautiful,  of  perfectly  trans- 
parent acicular  crystals,  sometimes  mingled  with  imperfect  twin  crystals.  The 
loose  crystals  in  one  place  are  in  such  quantity  as  to  give  the  name  of  snow- 
banks to  it.  In  other  places  it  takes  the  form  of  japanning  of  the  roof  and 
wall  rock.  In  one  respect  the  cave  is  superior  to  the  Mammoth — in  its  vast 
rooms,  with  step-like  domes,  and  often  huge  stalagmites  on  central  hills." 
The  volume  concludes  with  an  essay  on  the  manufacture  of  spiegeleisen, — • 
specular  or  glittering  iron, — by  Hugh  Hartmann,  Ph.  D. 
The  Sanitarian.  A  Monthly  Journal.   A.  N.  Bell,  M.D.,  Editor.   New  York, 
and  Chicago  :  A.  Barnes  &  Co. 
The  prospectus  informs  us  that  the  purpose  of  this  publication  is  to  so  pre- 
sent the  results  of  the  various  inquiries  which  have  been  and  which  may  here- 
after be  made  for  the  preservation  of  health  and  the  expectations  of  human 
life,  as  to  make  them  most  advantageous  to  the  public  and  to  the  medical  pro- 
fession." 
The  contents  of  the  first  number  are  as  valuable  as  they  are  varied,  and  give 
promise  that  a  real  want  will  be  supplied  by  the  "  Sanitarian,"  and  that  not  only 
the  physician,  but  all  intelligent  persons  who  value  the  preservation  of  health, 
will  find  its  pages  interesting  and  instructive.  It  is  published  in  monthly  num- 
bers, of  48  pages,  at  the  subscription  price  of  $3  per  annum. 
