will correspond very closely to the figures of 1876, and that they will show no change in quantities and values worthy of special mention.

COAL TRADE OF 1877.

The Engineering and Mining Journal estimates the production of anthracite in 1877 to have been about twenty-one million tons, or about two million tons more than in 1876. The production of bituminous and post-carboniferous coals is estimated by the same authority to have amounted to more than twenty-eight million tons, gross-making an aggregate coal production for the United States of nearly fifty millions of gross tons, or, say fifty and three quarter million metric (net) tons. The estimated production of anthracite by regions is given as follows:

The exports of coal for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, were 418,791 tons anthracite and 321,665 tons bituminous.

PRODUCTION OF PRECIOUS METALS IN 1877.

Although somewhat too early for the presentation of precise figures of production of the precious metals for the past year, we are in possession of official statements from two sources which certainly approximate very closely to accuracy. The estimate of Wells, Fargo, and Co. of the production of the precious metals in the states and territories west of the Missouri River, including British Columbia and the west coast of Mexico, during 1877, shows an aggregáte yield of $98,500,000-an increase of $7,500,000 over that of 1876. The Engineering and Mining Journal gives a more detailed estimate, which corresponds very closely with the foregoing, viz.:

This amount, divided among the several metals produced, gives the following result:

The totals here given show an advance of about 8 per cent.

on the figures of last year.

NECROLOGY.

Anthony, J. G. Curator of the department of Conchology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge. Born at Providence in May, 1804. Died in his seventy-third year.

Apjohn, Richard. A young chemist of great promise, and author of a number of essays and articles on chemical subjects. In 1874 elected Prælector of Chemistry in Caius College, Cambridge. Died September 12th.

Bain, Alexander. An eminent electrician, and inventor of the electrochemical telegraph and other devices in the application of electricity. Died at Glasgow, January 2d, at the age of sixty-six.

Barbot-de-Marny, Professor N. P. A Russian geologist. Died in May, at the age of forty-five.

Barth, Baron. While engaged in making a geological and botanical survey in Africa for the Portuguese Government, committed suicide at Loanda, December 7th, 1876, under an attack of fever.

Bary, Dr. Erwin von. A zealous African explorer, especially of the interior of the Sahara. Died October 2d, from the effects of exposure and privation.

Belcher, Sir Edward. A well-known arctic explorer and hydrographer. Died in his seventy-ninth year.

Bellynek, The Abbé. A distinguished Belgian botanist. Died at Nemours, January 14th, at the age of sixty-seven.

Bicknell, Edward. A well-known microscopist and writer on microscopical subjects; especially skilled in the preparation of injected objects. Died at Lynn, Mass., March 19th, at the age of forty-seven.

Bourgean, E. A well-known botanical collector in Mexico during French occupation, and in other parts of North America. Died in France.

Bowerbank, J. Scott. Author of many works on the lower organisms, especially the sponges, and one of the founders of the Royal Microscopical Society and the Paleontographical Society. Died at Hastings, March 8th, in the eightieth year of his age.

Braun, Dr. Alexander. A distinguished botanist. Born May 16th, 1805, at Ratisbon. Died March 29th at Berlin, in the seventy-second year

of his age.

Bremiker, Dr. C. An eminent astronomer. Died March 26th, in the seventy-fourth year of his age.

Brooks, Lewis. A munificent friend of learning by his contributions to the educational facilities of various establishments. Born at Milford, Conn., in 1793. Died at Rochester, N. Y., in the eighty-fourth year of his age.

Carpenter, Dr. P. P. Born in 1807. Died at Montreal, May 24th. A distinguished conchologist; especially devoted to the study of the shells of the Pacific; the author of numerous papers, based principally on the collection of the British Museum and of the National Museum at Washington; those among the more important being a work on the shells of Mazatlan, lists of the shells of the west coast of America, and a monograph (nearly completed) on the shells of the Chiton group.

Cazin, Professor. A member of the French Transit of Venus Expedition to the island of St. Paul, contracting there the disease of which he died in Paris.

Cerf, Mademoiselle Henrietta. Author of various articles on the botany of Kent and Belgium. Died at Brussels, October 22d.

Cheyne, C. H. Author of a work on the planetary theory. Died on the 1st of January, at the age of thirty-eight.

Compiègne, Marquis de. A well-known African explorer. Killed in a duel at Cairo, on the 22d of February, at the age of thirty.

Conrad, Timothy Abbott. An accomplished paleontologist, and author of many valuable papers on recent and fossil shells. Born in 1803. Credner, Professor Heinrich. A mining engineer. Author of a work on the geology of Thuringia and the Harz, etc. Born in 1809. Died September 28th.

Cross, George. Member of the Chester Natural History Society. An efficient teacher in the British Science and Art Department. Died April 16th, at the age of forty.

Danby, Professor John. Author of a Botany of the Southern United States. Died in August, at the age of seventy-three.

Davis, Captain J. E. Well known from his connection with the hydrographic department of the Admiralty, and as master of the Terror on the Arctic Exploring Expedition under Sir James Ross. Author of a series of articles upon the hydrographic and other operations of the Challenger. Died in January, at the age of sixty-one.

Davis, Rear-Admiral Charles Henry. An accomplished American naval officer, and well known for his scientific attainments. Author of a paper on "The Law of the Deposit of the Flood Tides" and other essays; for many years charged with the publication of the Nautical Almanac; editor of the American edition of the "Theoria Motus" of Gauss; at one time Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, and also Superintendent of the Naval Observatory.

De Notaris, Giuseppe. Born at Milan, May 5th, 1805. Died at Rome, January 22d. Professor of Botany at Genoa and at Rome; especially interested in cryptogamic plants, particularly the mosses and fungi.

Deshaies, Alfred. Connected with the chemical department of the College of France. Died suddenly, as supposed, from the effect of some chemical agent, whose toxic properties he was investigating.

Deville, Charles Sainte-Claire. An eminent French scientist; an explorer of the Antilles and the volcanic islands of Africa, and a noted collector of rocks and fossils. For a time he occupied the chair of geology in the College of France. Died October 10th, from the effects of the bite of a dog.

Drummond, James.

Died in the early part of January.

Dumortier, Eugene. Author of a work on the "Jurassic Deposits of the Basin of the Rhine." Died at Lyons in August, 1876, aged sixty-six. Dunn, Mr. An English author of several works on physiological psychology and medical psychology. Died in November.

Eichwald, Professor von. A Russian geologist. Author of "Lethæa Rossica." Born in 1795 at Mitau.

Erman, Professor George A. An eminent German geographer and explorer. Died in Berlin, July 12th, in the seventy-second year of his age. Foetterle, Dr. Franz. Vice-Director of the Geological Survey of Austria. Born in 1849.

Fox, Robert Were. Author of valuable papers on geology and mining. Died at Falmouth, England, in his eighty-fourth year.

Frantzius, Dr. Alexander von. Well known in connection with his scientific exploration of Costa Rica, in which he gathered valuable naturalhistory collections. Author of many memoirs on the natural history, geology, and medical history of the country; a correspondent of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Died at Freiburg, in Baden, July 18th.

Gassiot, J. P. Distinguished for his investigations in reference to electricity and magnetism. Founder of the Royal Scientific Relief Fund. Died August 15th, at the age of over eighty years.

Gossage, William. Discoverer of some important practical applications in chemical technology. Died April 9th.

Griffin, John J. Known best in the department of chemistry and mineralogy. Editor of the Encyclopædia Metropolitana. Died in June, at the age of seventy-five.

Heathcote, Commander J. A., R. N. Author of works on the meteorology and hydrography of India. Died January 3d.