348 • Notice of a Scientific Expedition. 



were prevented visiting the latter place by the state of the tide, at 

 the only time when it lay in our power to examine into its pro- 

 ductions. 



Sprinkled over the surfaces of the crystals of this place, is a curi- 

 ous variety of stilbite, it is much like a reddish sand. It is evident- 

 ly a more recent formation than those minerals on which it is en- 

 crusted, and possibly it is now deposited from the waters which per- 

 colate through the fissures and cavities of the rock. 



Cape Blomidon, is fifteen miles from Parsboro. It is the termi- 

 nation of the North Mountains on the east, is quite abrupt and rises 

 to the height of about four hundred feet. Along the shore for the 

 distance of many miles, the new red sandstone is conspicuous with 

 its parts arranged in regular layers, which to the eye appear almost 

 horizontal. It slopes off moderately to the south west and passes 

 under the trap. Its thickness between low water mark and the 



■ 



line of junction with the amygdaloid, cannot be far from three hun- 

 dred feet. T^he termination of this range of mountains, is crested 

 with greenstone, which rises full one hundred feet above the sand- 



■ 



stone. 



We sought diligently for organized remains in the sandstone, but 

 were unsuccessful. Messrs. Jackson and Alger discovered casts of 



o 



culminiferous plants in an highly carbonized state. Veins of sele- 

 nite composed of thin or slender individuals are common, traver- 

 sing the body of the sandstone, but seem to be more in place near 

 the line of junction of the sandstone with the amygdaloid. The 

 collector may supply himself with the foliated, fibrous and granular 

 varieties of selenite. Colors generally snow white, but the fibrous 

 is often flesh red and bent, as if one side of the vein had been raised 

 since the deposit of the mineral. 



Along the coast in the neighborhood of the Cape, are minerals 

 more interesting than the above, as the whole genus of the kou- 

 phone spar may be gathered, and besides these, the crested summit 

 will furnish amethyst, agatized hornstone, coarse heliotrope, imper- 

 fect bloodstone and numerous varieties of I 



calcedony and fine jasper of different colors. Probably a diligent 

 search would bring to light the whole quartz family in great perfec- 

 tion, more particularly the genus uncleavable quartz. The more 

 interesting species of kouphone spar, are apophyllite in tabular 

 crystals. Heulandite in crystals nearly an inch and a half in length, 

 also in minute crystals associated with calcareous spar, laumonite, 

 chabasie, analcime and stilbite. 



