Mr Murray on the Torpidity of the Tortoise, fyc. 317 



the specimen from which I took the part analyzed, insists 

 that it is not the true Levyne. It is, however, the specimen 

 which you sent me under that name." 



It is quite obvious from this passage, that M. Berzelius has 

 analyzed the chabasie, which accompanied the Levyne, and 

 probably along with it the Levyne itself. The Levyne occur- 

 red only in a small cavity of the specimen, and as this cavity, 

 with the crystals which it contained, could not have existed 

 in the specimen when examined by Mr Haidinger, who was 

 perfectly familiar with the aspect of Levyne, it appears to me 

 quite certain, that M. Berzelius has analyzed a substance 

 containing crystals both of Levyne and chabasie. Had he 

 analyzed the chabasie alone, which was more abundant in the 

 specimen than the Levyne, then the Levyne would have remain- 

 ed. This opinion is confirmed by the fact, that the result of the 

 analysis is different both from that of the ordinary chabasie, 

 and of the chabasie from the Giant's Causeway, the last of 

 which I have determined optically to be a new mineral species. 

 If M. Berzelius analyzed the chabasie only, then there will 

 be a third chabasie, possessing the properties which he as- 

 cribes to Levyne. 



In another passage of his letter to M. Brogniart, M. Ber- 

 zelius adds, " The Mesole which I analyzed, and named 

 somewhere in Dr Brewster's Journal, is in the same predica- 

 ment. It is merely a chabasie, rich in soda." According to 

 our notions of mineralogical chemistry, both the mesole and 

 the substances analyzed for Levyne are entitled to the dignity 

 of separate species ; but it would appear from the above quo- 

 tations, that M. Berzelius regards them merely as varieties of 

 chabasie. 



Art. XXVII. — On the Torpidity of the Tortoise and Dor- 

 mouse. By John Murray, Esq. F. S. A. F. L. S., &c. &c. 



In a little volume just published, MrMurray has put together 

 under thetitleof Experimental Researches, a few papers written 

 by him atvarious periods, on interesting subjects in Natural His- 

 tory. They are six in number, viz. " On the Lightand Luminous 



