1825.] Scientific Notices — Mineralogy. 313 



They are, indeed, very extraordinary siliceous concretions. 

 A number of fragments of different sizes were forwarded, to- 

 gether with one entire concretion. This I shall describe. It 

 is about the magnitude of a twelve pound cannon-ball ; not a 

 perfect globe, and yet not deviating widely from that form. Its 

 surface is a light, ash gray, and formed of chalky carbonate of 

 lime, which effervesces on application of the nitric acid. It 

 bears some resemblance in its aspect, to the nodules of flint 

 taken from chalk quarries, and exposed a considerable time to 

 the action of the elements. 



By a smart blow of a hammer, it was divided in the middle. 

 The interior thus laid open to the light presented several inte- 

 resting substances. The outer layer, nearly an inch in thick- 

 ness, consists of a yellowish gray hornstone, having a smooth, 

 fracture, and yielding sparks, easily and abundantly, with steeL 

 This surrounds a thin stratum of very beautiful milk-white 

 chalcedony. In the centre of the concretion is an irregular 

 cavity, lined with very perfect crystals of limpid quartz. On 

 one side of the cavity is a mass, an inch in diameter, of a hght 

 coloured friable limestone. 



All the concretions are hollow ; but the cavities in the dif- 

 ferent specimens are surrounded by different materials. In one, 

 the inner surface is composed of translucent, and almost trans- 

 parent botryoidal chalcedony. In another, the surface of the 

 botryoidal chalcedony is covered with a white, smooth, unctuous, 

 siUceous matter. In a third, it is surmounted by a countless 

 number of elegant, pearly, microscopical crystals of quartz. 

 In a fourth, is a small mass of semi-opal, containing cavities. 



Allusion is unquestionably had to these stones, in a paragraph 

 of Dr. Clarke's Travels. " Djezzar Pacha, of Acre," says he, 

 *'^ informed us that upon Mount Carmel, he had found several 

 thousand large balls, and never could discover a cannon to fit 

 them." In a note it is added, " We supposed that by these 

 balls Djezzar alluded to mineral concretions of a spherical form, 

 found in that mountain. As the Turks made use of stones, 

 instead of cannon-shot, it is probable that Djezzar, who was in: 

 great want of ammunition, had determined upon using the 

 stalagmites of Mount Carmel for that purpose." When 1 first 

 read Clarke, 1 had not the most distant expectation of ever 

 having the pleasure, personally, to examine specimens of these 

 singular stones. 



Professor Hall concludes by observing, that from the speci- 

 mens sent him by Mr. Fisk, and the remarks of various travel- 

 lers, it may be inferred that a large portion of Palestine is of 

 limestone formation. 



2. On the flexible or elastic Marble of Berkshire County. 

 Prof. Dewey describes this American marble as follows : — 

 *' It has various colours, nearly white with a reddish tinge, 



