272 PHYSIOGRAPHY. 



White Iron-Pyrites. 



and generally small, or even impalpable. There is some- 

 times a second curved lamellar or granular composition, the 

 faces of composition being uneven or rough. Massive ; 

 composition as in the imitative shapes ; fracture even, flat 

 conchoidal, uneven. Pseudomorphoses in low, nearly reg- 

 ular, six-sided prisms. Cellular. 



1. The present species has been subdivided into varieties depending 

 upon the shape and composition of the crystals, and several accidental 

 circumstances. The crystals of Radiated Pyrites are generally simple. 

 Spear Pyrites is found only in compound crystals, consisting of two, 

 three, or a greater number of individuals regularly grouped. Cockscomb 

 Pyrites occurs both in simple and in compound crystals of a parti- 

 cular form, with indentations along their edges, and a color much inclin- 

 ing to green or grey. 



2. Before the blow-pipe, it becomes red upon charcoal, the sulphur is 

 driven off, and oxide of iron remains. Some of the varieties are particu- 

 larly liable 'to decomposition. 



3. Analysis. 

 By BERZELIUS. 



Sulphur 53-35 



Iron 45-07 



Manganese 0-70 



4. It abounds in beds of coal, and in the accompanying strata of clay. 

 It also occurs in metalliferous veins, with ores of silver, lead and copper. 



5. Radiated, hepatic, (pseudomorphoses, consisting of Iron Pyrites,) 

 and cellular Pysites, are found in several parts of Saxony ; hepatic py- 

 rites at Johanngeorgenstadt, radiated and spear Pyrites at Joachirnsthal, 

 Littmitz and Altsattel in Bohemia ; the former also at Schemnitz in Hun- 

 gary, and Almerode in Hessia ; Cockscomb Pyrites in Derbyshire. 

 Spear Pyrites and Radiated Pyrites, in beautiful stalactitic groups, abound 

 in Cornwall. 



Crystallized varieties of this species are only known from Warwick, 

 (N.Y.) in the United States, where they occur in single crystals, im- 

 bedded, with Zircon, in granite. Massive, fibrous varieties, abound 

 throughout the mica-slate formation of New England, in particular with 

 Curnmingtonite and Garnet, in Cummington, (Mass.) It is found at 

 Lane's mine in Monroe, and in the Topaz and Fluor vein at Trumbull, 

 (Conn.) ; in gneiss at East Haddam, and in numerous other places. 



