Abstract
THE study of mineral names by Prof. Chester was originally begun in the interest of Murray's New English Dictionary: the results of years of patient work and search are conveniently collected together in the volume now issued. In the case of each name a record is given of the name of its author, the year of the first publication, a reference to the work in which the name was announced, the derivation, the reason for the name, and a description of the mineral sufficient to indicate the one to which the name was intended to be applied. For many names the in formation has been already given in Dana's “Mineralogy”; Prof. Chester has gone to much trouble in the attempt to fill up the gaps which remain, but he gives a long list of names relative to which further information is still required. The book will be useful, not only to those who are interested in nomenclature, but to all who wish to have in a single small volume a brief statement of the chemical composition of the minerals to which names have at any time been given. It may be added that Prof. Chester appends a list of the authors of mineral names with the names for which each author is responsible.
A Dictionary of the Names of Minerals, including their History and Etymology.
By A. H. Chester. Pp. xv. + 320. (New York: John Wiley and Sons. London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1896.)
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
F., L. A Dictionary of the Names of Minerals, including their History and Etymology. Nature 54, 124 (1896). https://doi.org/10.1038/054124b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/054124b0