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XIX. Description of FERGUSONITE, a New Mineral Species. 

 By W. HAIDINGER, ESQ. F. R. S. EDIN. 



(Read January 17. 1825. J 



FEW cabinets of minerals contain so many of the rare substan- 

 ces, which were discovered in Greenland, by Sir CHARLES GIE- 

 SECKE', and perhaps none in equally interesting varieties, as that 

 of Mr ALLAN. The most prominent of them have been examined 

 both in a mineralogical and chemical point of view, and some de- 

 scribed as particular species. Mineralogy is already indebted for 

 Allanite, Sodalite, Eudialyte, and Gieseckite, to the zeal of the 

 indefatigable explorer of Greenland, and the subsequent labours of 

 Dr THOMSON and Professor STROMEYER ; and it is probable that 

 the number of new species from this source will yet be increased 

 upon farther examination. 



Allanite had first been noticed by Mr ALLAN, who described 

 it as crystallised Gadolinite *, a variety of which it had been con- 

 sidered by CountBouRNON, resting, in part, upon some partial che- 

 mical experiments. Dr THOMSON-)- afterwards analysed it, found 

 it to be a species of its own, and gave to it the name of Allanite, 

 under which it has been since received in most of the treatises 

 on mineralogy. The description of the crystals, given by this 

 author, and the second figure which accompanies his paper, are 

 perfectly correct, and refer to that variety of the mineral which 

 he has analysed. It is well known at present, that the first fi- 

 gure represents a crystal of Zircon of a very dark colour. This 



* Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Vol. VI. p. 345. 

 f Ibid., p. 371. 

 VOL. X. P. II. M HI 



