. III. DIST. CHAR. Substance. 147 



also called ores, and are ranked according to the me- 

 tal embodied. 



The following metallic substances are such as 

 have been observed either inherent in., or constitut- 

 ing*, the matter of extraneous fossils. 



GOLD ORDER. 



Native Gold according to Bergmen,, has been 

 observed in spots on the surface of fossil shells 

 It can scarcely be considered as one of the 

 constituents ofreliquia. 



SILVER ORDER. 



Native Silver is sometimes inherent in petrifac- 

 tions,, but never constitutes their entire sub- 

 stance. The bodies called Hessian corn-ears, 

 supposed by some authors to be petrifactions 

 of the Phaloris bulbosa f, are sometimes co- 

 vered with native silver. 



f These fossils are chiefly found in the mines of Frankenberg 

 in Hesse, and generally consist of pyritous copper ores. v. Copper 

 Order. It remains disputable whether they are, or are not, ge- 

 nuine reliquia. Some authors consider them as undoubted petri- 

 factions of the plant above named, or of other congenerous 

 grasses ; \vhile many mineralogists affirm, they are mere aggrega- 

 tions of small metallic crystals. Mr. Parkinson, who appears to 

 have examined some very interesting specimens of these bodies, is 

 decidedly of opinion that they are vegetal remains ; but that they 

 do not belong to any plant at present known in the recent state. 

 We have not ourselves had an opportunity of forming any deci- 

 sive judgment on the subject, as the specimens we have seen have 

 been by no means good or perfect ones. It will uet. however, k$ 



