e next two cases (21, 22) are devoted to the varieties of
common quartz, including the flexible sandstones of Brazil (of which
there are some larger specimens upon a separate table) and to those of
the east; milk quartz; the Salzburg blue quartz, &c.; some varieties
of the cat's eye; hornstones, including wood changed into hornstone:
and herein begin the flints, including some specimens changing into
calcedony, smalt blue calcedony from Transylvania; the Icelandic
stalactical calcedony; and the fine Cornish calcedony. Upon the last
southern table (23) are ranged further varieties of calcedony. These
include the blood stone; the curious Mocha stones; and agates,
including the agate nodule from central Asia. Having sufficiently
examined these beautiful varieties of calcedony, the visitor should
pass at once to the northern range of tables.
Upon the first of these tables (38) are some new scientific varieties
of mineral substances, in which the unscientific visitor will not take
any interest; herein also are Oxides of Antimony, including white
antimony from Bohemia; red antimony, or kermes, not to be mistaken for
the ancient dye used by the old Greek and Roman dyers, which was
obtained from the female _coccus illicis_; and tungstates of lime,
lead, and of iron and manganese.
In the second case (39) are the Molybdates and molybdic acid; the
Chromates, including red lead ore from the Siberian gold mines of
Beresof; chromate of lead and copper, and crome iron from Var, in
France;--the Borates, including borates of magnesia, and borate of
soda, or borax. In the third case (40) are some remarkable varieties
of silicates, which contain borates from Norway and other countries;
and in the fourth case (41) are the first in order, of the carbonates,
including carbonates of soda, the beautiful crystals of carbonate of
baryta, carbonate of strontia and aragonites, from Aragon, Hungary,
Bohemia, and Vesuvius; and in the next case (42) are deposited further
varieties of aragonite, and some remarkable varieties of calcite, or
carbonate of lime. The next three cases (43-45) are chiefly devoted to
the various crystallisations of calcite, including that generally
known as the Fontainbleau crystallised sandstone, and the stalactic
and fibrous varieties from Africa, Sweden, and Cumberland; while the
two cases marked 45 A and B are covered with polished samples, known
to people generally as marbles, including the beautiful fire marble.
The
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