DOMAIN IX. ANOMALOUS. 



substances, bounded by a single black line about 

 half a line in breadth, followed by a broader 

 circle of the felspar. In others the centre is 

 dark grey, bounded by two narrow black lines, 

 followed by a broad circle of lighter grey, suc- 

 ceeded by a black band, about a line and a half 

 in breadth, followed by the white of a quarter of 

 an inch. But the most beautiful glandules, as 

 well as the largest, are those which present a 

 narrow black line, like a hair, on one or both 

 sides of the black band. 



Site. This most singular and beautiful of all the 



rocks was, it is believed, first described by Bes- 

 son, a venerable mineralogist, formerly Inspector 

 General of the mines in France*. But Patrin 

 informs us that it was discovered by Barral, a 

 French engineer employed in Corsica; being 

 merely a large solitary block, found, by Besson's 

 account, beneath Olmetto: but as there are 

 many places of that name in Corsica, the indi- 

 cation is not distinct-)*. So imperfect was then 

 the knowledge of rocks, that Besson supposes 

 the siderite to be steatite. The felspar may 

 however be mingled with quartz, as he and Pa- 



* Journal de Physique, IJ8Q. 



f Saussure says, 1479, tnat tne ocular granitel of Corsica was 

 discovered by Sionville j and Saussure intended to have described it, 

 when he was prevented by Besson. 



