IN preparing this report the writ,er has folIotved on the whole the method of treatment adopted in that of last year, for as the material under discussion consists in the main of a number of entirely disconnected facts, the construction of a continuous narrative appeared neither easy nor indeed advisable, and has accordingly not been attempted. The object in view has been rather to present in some detail points of general interest, and to touch-lightly, or not a t all, on matters of little moment, or likely to appeal to none save specialists ; it is hoped, however, that nothing of great importance has been overlooked or omitted. Generul and P h y s i c a l Chemistry of Mi!nerats. Salt Deposits.-During the year, J. H. van't HoEl and his pupils have added seven more to the long series of papers on the I' Formation of Oceanic Salt Deposits." I n number XXXIX, the transformation of Glauber's salt, Na2S0,, 1 OH,O, into thenardite, Na,SO,, which takes place normally a t 32-4", is shown to occur a t lower temperatures if other salts are present. The limits of the existence of tachhydrite, CaCI2,2MgC1,,12H20, are set forth in number XL. The temperature of formation of potassium pentacalcium sulphate, K,Ca,(SO,),,H,O, is the subject of number XLI, that of glauberite, Na,SO,,CaSO,, of number XLII. The investigation, so far as calcium compounds a t 25" are concerned, is brought to a conclusion in number XLIII, and the composition of all constant solutions when saturated with the particular calcium salt with which the solutions are in equilibrium is tabulated. Tbe investigation of boron compounds and of the part played by calcium salts a t higher temperatures is now being begun. Number XLIV deals with the limit of existence of tachhydrite a t 83", and number XLV with the occurrence of tinkal, Na,B,O,,lOH,O, and of octahedral borax. The study of this important work has been greatly facilitated by