1868.1 89 [Jackson. 



of the mines, and is especially abundant and beautiful in the locality 

 on Eideau Lake, where the large beryl-like crystals of ajiatite are 

 found. This locality is in North Burgess, and has been worked by 

 the American Mining Company of New York. Ujjwards of one 

 hundred tons of broken crystals now lie upon the Avhurf near the 

 mine, and beautiful beryl-like crystals, from four to eiglit inches in 

 diameter, and from a foot to eigliteen inches in length, are seen im- 

 bedded in the red calcareous spar in the mine. Some of these crystals 

 are of a fine sea-green, others are red, and some are parti-colored, 

 with mixtures of green, yellow and red. Some of the calcareous 

 spar is of a rich orange color, and imbeds beautiful and remarkably 

 well defined crystals of green apatite, and he.xagonal crystals of 

 phlogopite, some of which are a foot in diameter. 



The extent of the phosphate range is over forty miles, although 

 the beds are not continuous to that distance; but they frequently 

 recur, as may be seen in Elmsley, and from thence to Bedford. The 

 smaller crystals of apatite are generally well defined, while the 

 larger ones are very frequently mai'ked with deep erosions, as if 

 they had been partially dissolved by the calcareous spar after they 

 had become solid crystals. 



Not the slightest trace of any organic remains has ever been found 

 associated with these phosphate beds, nor even in the including rocks. 

 Not even a Linffula has ever yet been discovered in them, even by the 

 industrious local geologist of Perth, Dr. Wilson, who has a fine 

 cabinet of all the rocks and minerals of that region. Therefore it 

 seems idle to imagine that the phosphate of" lime had an organic ori- 

 gin, for no proof of such an origin has ever yet been discovered. 



It is more probable that this phosphate of lime is one of the pri- 

 mary or original ingredients of this planet, and all analogy points to 

 such an origin; for phosphate of lime exists in variable, though small 

 quantities in all, even in volcanic and other rocks of known igneous 

 origin, and phosphorus is an element common in meteoric stones 

 and meteoric iron, proving its cosmic origin beyond a doubt. 



There appears no more reason for asserting an organic origin for the 

 phosphate of lime, than there would be for that of the magnesian 

 mica, or phlogopite, which is its constant associate in Canada. 



In addition to the minerals above described, we find in the same 

 rocks crystals of Egeran, in the gneissoid rocks, veins of sulphate 

 of Baryta, and In the limestone an abundance of graphite, or i)lum- 



