410 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



rare, occurs abundantly at Mt. Mica, in masses of various sizes, 

 some having been obtained weighing upwards of 100 pounds. 

 These masses consist of an aggregation of small pearly scales, 

 varying in color from pale rose to bright purple, giving to the 

 mineral a very elegant appearance on the surfaces of fracture. Like 

 Ambb/gonite, previously mentioned, it is interesting on account of 

 containing a considerable amount of the metal Lithium, and, as has 

 been recently demonstrated by Mr. 0. D. Allen, in a very inter- 

 esting paper published in Silliman's Journal for November, an 

 unusually large amount of the newly discovered and rare metals, 

 Eubidium and Cajsium. According to Mr. Allen, the proportion 

 of Rubidium amounts to about 0.2 per cent., and of Caesium to 0.3 

 per cent., which is a greater proportion than is contained in most 

 other substances in which they have been found. The specimen 

 analyzed was from the Hebron locality, but from the very close 

 resemblance of all the minerals, there is no reason to suppose that 

 there will be much diflfefence in the composition of specimens from 

 Mt. Mica. 



Pelalite. This mineral was formerly obtained here, in large and 

 fine specimens, but none have been found, to my knowledge, for 

 several years. Like Lepidolite, this also contains Lithium, The 

 specimens that I have seen are small masses weighing one or two 

 ounces ; the color is gray or dull reddish with a glassy lustre, 

 which becomes somewhat pearly on the cleavage surfaces. This 

 is considered a rare mineral ; in this country very few localities 

 are known. 



Tourmaline. Mt. Mica is perhaps more widely known as a min- 

 eral locality, by the rare and beautiful specimens of red and green 

 tourmalines that have been obtained here, than on any other ac- 

 count. Some that were formerly found were an inch in diameter 

 and transparent, approaching the ruby in beauty and value, but 

 for several years none have been procured except more ordinary 

 semi-transparent and brittle crystals of little value except as 

 cabinet specimens. These are, however, of a great variety'- of col- 

 ors and forms, and of considerable interest to mineralogists. The 

 most common variety, here as well as elsewhere, is black, opaque 

 and with but little lustre ; this passes gradually into blue-black 

 and blue varieties, which have been called Indicolile. These are 

 generally opaque or nearly so, and are seldom found in well formed 

 crystals. The green varieties, varying from very pale to deep 



