f^ Analf/ses of Books. [Jan. 



The purple variety or the oriental amethyst is rare ; a green 

 variety is still rarer. The black sapphire too is rare. Coruuduiu 

 is, lesii frequently met with than the sapphire. 1 know of on^, 

 place where it abounds, and 1 am not aware that it has beeq, 

 found any where else in the island. Corundum is the only 

 ipecies of this family not considered a gem, and the only one 

 tpat is applied to any purpose of utility. In the state of fine 

 powder it is largely employed by the lapidary in cutting and 

 polishing stones, and by the armourers in polishing arms. 



• Of the felspar family, it is highly probable, that several species 

 ^;cist in the island. I have met with all the subspecies of 

 felspar. 



Of the hornblende family 1 am acquainted with two species 

 Qnly that occur in Ceylon, viz. common hornblende, and glassy 

 tremolite. 



• Pitchstone is the only mineral of the family of this name I 

 \^\e ever found in Ceylon. 



Mica, as a constituent part of granite and gneiss, is abundant. 

 Common chlorite is to be met with occasionally. Green earth 

 ijp more rare : this mineral is of an unusually light colour, varying 

 from green to light apple-green. 



Magnesian minerals are far from abundant in Ceylon. The 

 only minerals of this kind that I met with were dolomite, car- 

 bionate of magnesia, and talc. The very rare mineral, native car- 

 bpnate of magnesia, I discovered in a nitre cave in the valley of 

 Maturatta, accompanied with dolomite, and encrusting and in- 

 cluded in gneiss. The best specimens of it were of a pure snow- 

 •\yhite, earthy texture, rather harsh to the feel, destitute of smell 

 wh?n breathed on, and not adhering to the moist tongue. It va- 

 ried, in specific gravity from 2*32 to 2*70, according to its com- 

 {j^a^Ci^fness. One specin^en of it that I examined was composed of 



Carbonate of magnesia 86 



Water 5 



Silica, with slight traces of c.arbonate of Hme. 9 



'i ' 100 



Calc spar, anhydrous gypsum, and calc sinter, are the only 

 pjife calcareous minerals that I have observed in Ceylon. ^ 



Belonging to the inflammable class of minerals I know ojE^ 

 o^ly two that occur in Ceylon, viz. graphite and sulphur, the latter 

 i^ extremely rare in Ceylon; indeed its occurrence is not yet 

 d^jjionstrated in a manner perfectly satisfactory. 



The mode in which gems are sought for is so simple that it 

 hardly deserves the name of an art. It is only in alluvial ground, 

 it has been remarked, that these scarce and beautiful minerals 

 have yet been discovered in Ceylon. Where there is a proba- 

 bility of finding them, pits are sunk from 3 to 20 feet deep ; the 

 coarse sand and gravel through which they are generally dis- 



