Scolecite was recognized as an independent species by A. F. Gehlen and J. N. Fuchs (1813), being one of the species into which they divided, on chemical grounds, the mesotype of R. J . Haüy (1801). Its individuality has rarely been doubted, though occasionally the union of natrolite, mesolite, and scolecite into one isomorphous group has been proposed.

Three varieties of scolecite have been described, but all have proved to be other minerals. Thus poonahlite (H. J. Brooke, 1831 ; = mesolite) was long included with scolecite. Lehuntite (T. Thomson, 1836; = natrolite) was classed as a soda-scolecite by A. Kenngott (1850) solely on account of its high water content. And a mineral from Pargas, Finland, was described by N. Nordenskiöld (1821) as anhydrous scolecite (wasserfreies Scolezit); this was copied by W. Phillips (1823) as 'scolecite', and this incorrect copy appears to be the authority for the citation of Pargas as a scolecite locality by Dana and others.

IN extending earlier work on the distribution and significance of manganiferous garnet in the Dartmoor granites, the senior author found it necessary to determine whether the average composition of the Dartmoor species was fairly represented by the single complete analysis (II, below) hitherto available - that of an aggregate of garnet fragments separated from crushed tor-granite.

As a preliminary step a similar aggregate from the cordierite-rich granite exposed in the Sweltor quarry was analysed (I).

The recognition of pronounced varietalism in both the garnet and the basic mica of the Dartmoor granites prompted the authors to inquire whether the cordierite associated with these species was similarly variable in composition.

The inquiry was directed in the first instance to possible variation in the optic axial angle 2V, which is determinable with accuracy on the unaltered parts of cordierite in thin rock sections. Determinations made on the sector-twinned cordierites in the garnetiferous granite of Sweltor a gave the following peculiar results, which Mr. Rama Rao verified repeatedly, using a Fedorov microscope in perfect adjustment.

In re-examining the crystalline rocks of the Malvern Hills, the senior author has had occasion to apply quantitative spectroscopic data for the rarer constituents of hornblendes and micas. The recognition of silver in the spectrograms of biotite led to tentative fire-assays of granitic rocks in bulk-a procedure which revealed the presence also of gold.

The assay results for this preliminary suite of granitic types are given below; values less than 5 grains per ton are returned as 'traces':

The higher values appear to be related to the reddening of the felspars, which is a widespread 'late' pneumatolytic effect; it is conspicuous in the major granite masses and related pegmatites, but somewhat local and 'arterial' in its distribution over rocks of pre granite age. Among the igneous rocks of post-granite age, the intrusive granophyric quartz-diabase ('Ivy Scar' type) shows only feeble reddening; the newer dolerites are unaffected.

The meteoric stone to be described was found in 1925 by Mr. William Stewart while ploughing on his farm four-and-a-half miles south of the Morven railway station (44° 49' S., 171° 8' E.) in South Canterbury, about one hundred miles north-east of Dunedin, New Zealand. It must have weighed originally about 7100 grams, but when presented to the Otago University Museum it weighed 14lb. 14oz. (6753 grams), the remainder having been broken off by the finder. There is no local record of the fall, and the nature of the weathered crust suggests that it may have been in the soil for a long time.

The stone (fig: 1) is roughly pyramidal, measuring approximately 22.5 x 17.5 x 15.0 cm. It was covered with a thin, soft ochreous crust occasionally as much as 2-3 mm. thick.