Natural History and Antiquarian Society. 13 



£ind found to answer the purpose admirably. Steamers crossing 

 the ocean used to shew a failure in speed towards the end of the 

 voyage, caused by the wasting of the packing and the consequent 

 escape of steam at the pistons ; but this had been perfectly cured 

 by the employment of Asbestos. The Asbestos bed in Piedmont, 

 it so happened, belonged to monks, and when the demand increased 

 for it the price greatly increased ; but about the same time it was 

 discovered to exist in Canada, and much more extensively. He 

 possessed about twenty specimens of Asbestos from different parts 

 of the world, including Piedmont, Russia, and Aberdeenshire j 

 but this was the first specimen of the Canadian that he had seen, 

 and it was of a much finer quality than any of the others. Its 

 fibres were as delicate and flaccid as the finest silk. If it existed 

 in sufficient quantity in Canada — and there were said to be some 

 miles of it in the Primary Rock — it must ultimately prove to be 

 a mine of incalculable wealth. 



The specimen was greatly admired for the fineness of its tex- 

 ture. The Chairman produced a ring from his finger which 

 contained a very pretty Catseye stone — that, as he explained, 

 being simply Asbestos in its most beautiful and rarest form ; 

 the Catseye, which was found in British India and Ceylon, being 

 indeed much I'arer than the diamond. 



Dr Grierson also exhibited a specimen of a rabbit's head, of 

 which he had several, but this was the last received, shewing a 

 most abnormal length of teeth. He observed that one side of the 

 jaw had been fractured, probably by a shot, and kindly healed by 

 nature ; but the lower jaw having been slightly displaced, the 

 teeth no longei- came together, but passed each other without 

 contact. The consequence was that the teeth grew to a great 

 length. Though surrounded with food, the poor creature must 

 have latterly been unable to eat ; and in fact he never saw a more 

 starved animal than this was. 



The Chairman read a long, interesting, and instructive paper 

 entitled " Notes on the Stone Age ;" and at the close Dr Grierson 

 exhibited, by way of illustration, specimens of celts, axes, arrow- 

 heads, flint flakes or knives, &c. The celts were collected from 

 various quarters, and were in the rough and polished, the latter 

 indicating an advance in civilisation. One of the finest was also 

 one of the smallest, and, alike in its shape and the stone of which 

 it was made, was quite new to Dr Grierson. It was turned up 



