308 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. ix. 



while another from Geyser's Hill, Halifax County, gave a dis- 

 tinct reaction for nickel." Several samples of pyrrhotite from 

 La Tete in New Brunswick were examined by Professor Howe, 

 with the following results. " No attempt" he says ''was made 

 to separate the nickel and cobalt found, the metals were thrown 

 down as oxides, and calculated as from protoxide of nickel." 



No. 1 afforded 0.09 per cent. 



" 2 " 0.36 « 



" 3 «< 0.80 " 



u 4 u 0.40 « 



Now in all the examples given, including the Poison's Lake 

 pyrrhotite, the proportion of nickel is too small for profitable ex- 

 traction, but the results of a single analysis are by no means 

 sufficient to settle the matter. Concerning the quantity of pyr- 

 rhotite in the vein at Poison's Lake I have no information, but if 

 an abundant constituent, then it would be wise to have a number 

 of samples analysed. The pyrrhotite from some portions of the 

 vein might perhaps contain a much larger proportion of nickel. 

 It is probable also that some of the other con.>^tituents of the vein 

 would be found on analysis to contain nickel. 



I am told that some years ago a pyrrhotite containing 2.5 per 

 cent, of nickel was profitably treated in Pennsylvania at a time 

 when nickel was worth $1.50 per lb. Subsequently the price 

 rose to $3.00 per lb., and in Litchfield County, Connecticut, an 

 attempt was made to work a pyrrhotite containing, according to 

 some authorities, about 0.75 p. c, but the results did not prove 

 satisfactory. During the past few years the price of nickel has 

 greatly declined, owing partly to the discovery of important de- 

 posits of nickel ores in New Caledonia. Exactly what the metal 

 is worth in the United States at present I am not aware, but in 

 Englaid the price is only three shillings sterling per lb. A year 

 ago it was four shillings to four and sixpence, while in 1874 it 

 was eleven shillings. 



The New Caledonia ores are said to be hydrated silicates of 

 nickel, and to occur in serpentines associated with euphotides, 

 diorites. aruui oolites, &c. They are in fact found in rocks re- 

 sembling liie so-called metamorphic rocks of the Eastern Town- 

 ships, many of which were long ago shown by Dr. Hunt to contain 

 nickel. 



